Candidate for
State Representative; District 194; Democratic Party

Lou Agre, 55, is an active and dedicated community leader who has spent his entire career serving the needs of working families. As a union organizer, civic activist, and proud parent, Lou understands the needs of his community and has been involved in every major issue affecting his neighborhood since becoming active in local politics over 25 years ago.

Born and raised in the Mount Airy section, Lou has lived in Philadelphia for most of his life, including his last 25 years residing in Roxborough. Throughout his youth, Lou lived in a close family environment with his parents and sister, where he established a strong sense of family and shared responsibility. He learned many vital lessons from each parent which helped him throughout life. His father, a small business owner, operated a small card and gift shop in Upper Darby. Through his father, he was able to learn about the issues affecting small business owners and what can be done to help them. Lou's mother, a 40-year veteran teacher, illustrated the value and necessity of a good education and developing the skills needed to live and work in our modern world.

From an early age, Lou valued his education and demonstrated an insatiable appetite for learning and developing his mind. Lou attended high school at the Philadelphia Parkway Project, a program recognized internationally for its innovation, high standard of education and use of urban resources. After high school he obtained a degree from the esteemed Cornell University, where he majored in Industrial and Labor Relations.

During college, Lou was able to advance his critical thinking and integrate it with what he had learned regarding social sciences and their application to the modern workplace. Following college, Lou moved south to help organize textile workers and help them obtain the dignity that all workers should have.

Ultimately, these pursuits took him to Temple University's School of Law where Lou further developed his interest in helping working families and sharpened his credentials to be an effective advocate. For several years, Lou ran his own law practice focusing on the rights employees, specifically making sure they were not cheated out of their wages. For the past several years, Lou has served as an organizer and in-house counsel to the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 542. His wife, Maria, is also a successful attorney who represents injured firefighters and police officers.

Through his various endeavors, Lou has maintained a strong sense of community service and willingness to help members of his community. First as a Democratic committee man and now as a ward leader, Lou's core values have guided him and earned him a reputation as a reliable ally to his friends and neighbors in times of need. Lou is frequently the first person people call to address a range of issues, from after school violence to complaints about city services.

In addition to tackling various neighborhood concerns and cutting through political gridlock, Lou has the ability to analyze complex data, create coalitions and address broader issues. When the opportunity to secure funds for the Ridge Avenue business corridor became available, Lou helped bring $800,000 in federal highway funds to the community for streetscape improvements. By applying his legal knowledge and ability to build relationships, Lou has helped hundreds of people navigate the often complex world of Philadelphia's City Hall.

Lou's dedication to the neighborhood only begins with government, but does not end there. As a baseball and soccer coach, he has been deeply involved in the lives of many young people in the community. He recognizes the importance of providing the youth of our city with healthy, constructive activities and understands how the entire community can share in the benefit. Going beyond the role of coach, he has paved the way to success for a number of children from the neighborhood by helping secure summer employment for them.

Through his direct involvement with the affairs of this community, Lou Agre understands that the residents of the 194th legislative district want secure jobs with benefits and a safe neighborhood for their kids to enjoy. Given all that he has learned throughout his life and his consistent application of that knowledge to the benefit of the community, there is no one better suited to represent our interests in Harrisburg.

Lou has been married to Maria Terpolilli for 22 years and they are the proud parents of two sons, Ben and Sam. Ben is currently a sophomore at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Sam is a freshman at William Penn Charter High School. The Agre family also includes Mugsy, a stray beagle who was adopted several years ago.