PRODIGAL RECEIVES AWARD: The Prodigal Company in Boardman was recently awarded the National Silver Award for Total Advertising Campaign by the Service Industry Advertising Awards (SIAA) for its Farmers National Bank campaign titled, “The Art of Private Banking.”

SIAA is the only awards of its kind that specifically recognizes advertising achievements in the service industry. With more than 500 advertising agencies and more than 715 institutions participating nationwide, the 17th Annual SIAAs’ national panel of judges evaluated more than 1,600 entries in 26 categories and seven groups.

SERVPRO EXPANDS: The local SERVPRO ownership group recently acquired three new franchise licenses in northern Columbiana County, New Philadelphia and Crawford and northeastern Venango counties in Pennsylvania.

The franchises are owned by Mahoning Valley natives Jim Dobson; his son, Andrew Dobson; and Andrew’s wife, Katie Dobson.

SERVPRO employs 140 people but expects to hire 50 more in the next two years. The Dobson family owns and operates 11 SERVPRO franchises in Trumbull, Mahoning, Ashtabula, Columbiana counties and in western Pennsylvania.

People on the Move

HULEA PROMOTED AT PECCHIA: Kelli Hulea has been promoted to project director at Pecchia Communications in Canfield.

Hulea had been a project manager since joining the public relations firm in 2017. She will continue to direct and execute content marketing, writing, editing, media relations, website development, social media and communications planning activities for a wide range of clients and the firm itself.

Before joining Pecchia Communications in mid-2017, Hulea worked in recruitment and research roles with Quicken Loans in Cleveland and the Youngstown Business Incubator.

DUBIC JOINS BURGAN FRIEDKIN: Burgan Friedkin Commercial Group has added Johnny Dubic to its commercial real estate team as of July 6.

Dubic, a 2010 graduate of Youngstown State University, began his commercial real estate career in 2014 and obtained licenses in Ohio and Florida.

He has overseen business development operations of several local companies, including The Palm Cafe and Boardman Coin and Jewelry, as well as Apex Diamonds Inc. in Pittsburgh and Provenance Gems in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He joined Cafaro Company in 2016 and earned responsibilities for leasing multiple properties in lifestyle centers and regional shopping malls in Ohio, Michigan and Virginia.

LOCAL ATTORNEY ON OSBA BOARD: Attorney Ronald E. Slipski began a three-year term July 1 on the Ohio State Bar Association board of governors.

Slipski was elected by fellow attorneys to represent the association’s District 13, which includes Columbiana and Mahoning counties. He is a retired senior partner from Green, Haines, Sgambati Co. LLC in Youngstown and a former staff attorney for the Seventh District Court of Appeals.

He is a past president of the Mahoning County Bar Association. Slipski earned his undergraduate degree at Youngstown State University and his law degree at the University of Akron School of Law.

The board is a 24-member volunteer body that manages the association’s business affairs, sets policy, reviews pending legislation and conducts business on behalf of OSBA members.

SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST JOINS HOSPITAL: Allyson Weldon, Ph.D., has joined Akron Children’s Hospital as a pediatric psychologist in the sports medicine department.

Weldon, the first psychologist to practice in sports medicine, will work with young athletes on sports performance, positive mental imagery, post-concussion care, depression / anxiety, sleep disorders and eating disorders.

She received her doctorate in school psychology and master’s degree in educational psychology and special education from The University of Houston in Houston. She also has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Ursuline College in Pepper Pike.

NEW DIRECTOR AT OOGEEP: John Schlichter, a former state representative and high level official in the Ohio Department of Agriculture, has been named executive director of the Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program, a nonprofit statewide education and public outreach program for the oil and gas industry.

Schlichter has more than 40 years of management and organizational experience as a part of Schlichter Farms, Bluegrass Farms of Ohio Inc., and as deputy director for ODA.

He served in the 58th District in the Ohio House and before that as a commission in Fayette County.

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