Business group focuses on faith

By Linda M. Linonis

The organization offers networking opportunities to people of faith.

YOUNGSTOWN — The sad news about corporate greed and unethical business and professional behavior usually gets headlines.

But there are those in various professions and in the business world who, as people of faith, draw on beliefs and a code of conduct based on a higher power than the almighty dollar.

An area organization, Professionals Partnering with Christ, provides an opportunity for networking in which the connection is God.

PPC’s core leadership team is Juan Santiago, a loan originator at Home Savings and Loan, and his wife, Zaida Santiago, a homemaker; Rick and Marisa Volpini of Real Living Realty; John Bushling of Sen Source; and Eligio “Leejo” Sanchez, owner of Sandman Automotive.

The team organizes monthly luncheons at the Youngstown Club downtown, where recent speakers have been Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams, Pastor Juan Rivera of New Life Church in Poland, Patrick McVane of Marketplace Solutions and Mark Kholos of the Regional Chamber. “We don’t have dues, or a membership roll or officers ... so far,” said Juan Santiago, who attended his first meeting in March 2006. He said that might be part of the appeal of the organization, which has attracted a respectable number of people attending its luncheons.

The June event featuring the Rev. Gary L. Frost, former pastor of Rising Star Baptist Church, Youngstown, had some 70 in attendance.

Santiago said the phrase “business not as usual” is key to the group, and maybe that’s the reason for its success. “It’s worked for us,” he said of the group’s low-key approach. “People have found out about it through word of mouth.

“Faith isn’t something you put on and off like a hat. Faith, your life and work are intertwined,” Santiago said.

For Santiago, it’s important to “have a relationship with the Lord and understand his call.” For him, it has translated into offering sound business advice about loans, which ultimately has benefited his clients and the bank. “You don’t have to be in a church to have a ministry,” he said. “There are sacred calls to secular places.”

And, he noted, PPC’s strength is supporting one another in the workplace.

Santiago said the amount of loans he has originated has grown steadily in five years despite a difficult economic climate. He credited his success in the workplace to his treatment of and relationship with clients, which he said he based on his “relationship with God.” Fostering good relationships in the workplace, at home and with God make life complete, he said.

In PPC, Santiago said, “Denominations fall away ... that’s the beauty of it. It’s about relationships.”

Pastor David Bennett, pastor of Bridge of Hope in Boardman who, with businessman Jim Mariotti, first organized PPC but is not in a leadership role now, said, “Christians working together to impact the marketplace will be the reason behind the rebirth of the city.”

“Christians must set the standard ... what would Christ do and what he would not do,” said Marisa Volpini about applying one’s faith to business dealings.

Rick Volpini said, “We as Christians need to be there for one another.”

And in the community and business, he said, “It’s showing how we do business as Christians.”

For more information about PPC, send an e-mail to zaidasantiago@aol.com. Luncheons are at the first Thursday of the month at the Youngstown Club, and reservations are requested. The cost is $10.

Next month’s session will be July 10 because of the Fourth of July holiday the previous week. At the gatherings, there is a welcome, prayer, lunch, speaker and preview of the next session.

linonis@vindy.com