MVMC ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD MEMBERS: The Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition appointed new board members from among its member companies.

Each will serve two-year terms on the local workforce development sector partnership organization. They are Joe Colletti of Marsh Bellofram / Specialty Fab, president; Ryan Englehart of Brilex, vice president; Kyle Kiraly of Kiraly Tool & Die, treasurer; and Chris Allen of Ultium Cells, secretary. Matt Joing of Butech Bliss is immediate past president.

Also, the organization paid special tribute to former board member Dale Forester of Starr Manufacturing for her 10 years of service, which coincides with the founding of MVMC. She was most recently immediate past president and remains active with the organization.

AMERICA MAKES AND GIRL SCOUTS PARTNER: America Makes, the national additive manufacturing accelerator based in Youngstown, and the Girl Scouts of North East Ohio are teaming to promote STEM (Science, Technology. Engineering and Mathematics) education through additive manufacturing techniques to the more than 25,000 Scout members with plans to launch the program to the 2.5 million Girl Scouts nationally.

The organizations also will create a playbook for best practices on integrating additive manufacturing into Girl Scout programming for use when deploying the new America Makes Additive MFG Patch — the first-ever additive manufacturing patch.

This patch will be earned through engagement in the additive technical areas of design, manufacturing, and post-production. Based on industry recognized credentials, the patch is aligned to many Girl Scout badges, including STEM and others where additive manufacturing can be applied and integrated.

This America Makes Education and Workforce Development project with the Girl Scouts is part of a larger plan funded by the state of Ohio to create an Ohio Secondary Education Network to expand opportunities for students and teachers.

Designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, the network will enable access to advanced manufacturing technologies through formal education and training, and engagement through community organizations like the Girl Scouts.

WCBA SEEKS IDEAS: Youngstown State University’s Entrepreneurship Center at the Williamson College of Business Administration is launching the second annual Entrepreneurship Center Business Plan Competition featuring the John Burgan Entrepreneurship Prize.

A $2,400 prize will be awarded to the YSU student with the most promising and innovative business idea as determined by a panel of judges. Applicants should submit a five- to seven-page business plan proposal outlining their business idea and how the prize of $2,400 will be used to advance the idea by midnight

April 4.

All completed business plans can be emailed to competition coordinator John Rossi at jfrossi@ysu.edu or to the Entrepreneurship Center at wcbaentrepreneurshipcenter@ysu.edu.

Businesses do not have to exist, but if the business is operating, the proposal should include details on current operations. Proposals will be judged based on feasibility, market assessment, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit.

Finalists will be invited to present their business plans to judges on April 12. The winner will be announced the same day.

PNC GIVES MILLIONS TO HELP BUSINESSES: Pittsburgh-based PNC Bank has provided $10 million to the Economic Community Development Institute in Columbus to fund initial Paycheck Protection Program loans to Ohio entrepreneurs and small businesses that often are not able to participate in the economic mainstream.

This includes low- and moderate-income and low-wealth individuals, women, people of color, refugees and immigrants, and businesses that have been most vulnerable during the pandemic.

PNC’s investment comes from its Community Development Banking group, which makes strategic investments to boost the quality of life in low- and moderate-income communities.

CHAMBER ANNOUNCES NEW ENERGY PROGRAM: The Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber has partnered with FirstEnergy Advisors on a new energy savings program for chamber members.

Through its exclusive, online procurement and energy manager called “Sherpa by FirstEnergy Advisors,” the FirstEnergy Advisors team works with businesses of all sizes to determine if they may save on their electricity costs.

The team will solicit and review bids from energy suppliers / marketers, make data-driven energy recommendations and facilitate the contract and enrollment process. Chamber members will select transparent pricing, an analytics-based contract term and optimum supplier choice.

Businesses that would like more information should visit firstenergyadvisors.com/ywrc, call 877-398-5639 or email firstenergyyadvisors@firstenergycorp.com.

SPEAKER ADDED TO AGENDA: America Makes has added Tracy Frost, director for the Office of the Secretary of Defense Manufacturing Technology, to the agenda for this week’s America Makes TRX virtual event hosted by Boeing.

Presenting for Boeing are Melissa Orme, vice president; Dan Braley, associate technical fellow and additive manufacturing focal; and Nick Mule, director. Louis Schlegel, director of commercialization and sales for Made in Space, also will speak.

The event is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.

New Businesses

NEW ADDITION AT SOUTHERN PARK: The Selfie Space, a photo and social media business, has 25 rooms for customers to come and take photos and videos in a professionally lit space. There is also an 1,800-square-foot room that can be reserved for private parties.

The Selfie Space opened earlier this month.

RESTAURANT OPEN IN AUSTINTOWN: Sam’s Southern Eatery, 4837 Mahoning Ave., which features southern-style food, recently celebrated its opening with a ribbon cutting.

The chain is based in Shreveport, La., and operates 94 stores in the U.S. The Austintown location, at the former Antone’s Italian Cafe, is the only one in Ohio.

LANDMARK UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP: The Landmark Restaurant, 109 S. Meridian Road, Youngstown, is under new ownership.

Raphe Neapolitan and Mathew Savon purchased the restaurant in late 2020.

People on the Move

FARMERS PROMOTES: Farmers National Bank, based in Canfield, has promoted Timothy F. Shaffer to executive vice president, chief credit officer.

In his new role, Shaffer will oversee the bank’s lending departments, while also crafting credit-making decisions, product development and credit quality supervision.

Shaffer joined Farmers in 2011 as vice president, commercial lending team leader. He previously served as senior vice president, chief lending officer and regional president of Farmers National Bank.

AIM PROMOTES: Girard-based Aim Transportation Solutions, the largest privately owned truck leasing company in the U.S., has promoted Chris Disantis to senior director of maintenance and Steve Shacklock to director of maintenance, eastern operations.

Disantis started at Aim, 33 years ago as a lead technician. He climbed through the ranks, holding the positions of service manager, regional service manager, regional director of maintenance and, before this new role, director of training and field technical support.

Shacklock began his Aim career in 2010 as a technician at Aim’s shop in Wheatland, Pa. Within two years, he became the location’s service manager. In 2014, he took on the title of warranty manager, and, in 2018, he was named director of maintenance support.

AKRON CHILDREN’S BRINGS ON SURGEON: Pediatric plastic surgeon Dr. Ashish Francis has joined Akron Children’s Hospital in its Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Center.

His specific interests are in microsurgery, facial reanimation, corrective jaw and ear reconstruction.

Francis is is also on the medical staff at Summa Health System.

Prior to joining Akron Children’s, he completed his fellowship in craniofacial and pediatric plastic surgery at The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School. His residency in integrated plastic and reconstructive surgery was at The University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Medicine in Las Vegas.

AGENT JOINS BURGAN: Marvin Hershberger has joined Canfield-based Burgan Real Estate at its newest Realtor.

Prior to joining Burgan, Hershberger, a native of West Farmington, worked for Kraftmaid in the pallet industry for 27 years.

He was a farmer of the Chardon Toastmasters Club, receiving distinguished recognitions, especially for his communication capabilities.

MORLEY JOINS FIRM: Attorney Michael Morley has joined Betras, Kopp & Harshman’s Complex Litigation Group.

He is the fourth member of the group, joining attorneys Brian Kopp; Christopher Knopik, managing attorney of the firm’s Tampa, Fla., office; and Douglas Titus. The group members have a combined 116 years of legal experience.Morley began his legal career in 1981.

Submit items for Business Briefs, New Businesses and People on the Move to business@tribtoday.com, fax to 330-841-1717 or online at www.tribtoday.com. The deadline is 4 p.m. Thursday.