Business briefs and People on the Move
FARMERS AWARDED: Raymond James, one of America’s top financial services institutions, has selected Farmers National Banc Corp. of Canfield, the parent company of Farmers National Bank, as one of 25 banks in the U.S. to receive the 2020 Raymond James Community Bankers Cup.
This is the fourth consecutive year that Farmers National Bank has received this prestigious award.
Farmers improved its ranking from last year, rising to 11th from 22nd.
Now in its ninth year, the Bankers Cup is a competitive award among community banks in which Raymond James evaluates the profitability, operational efficiency and balance sheet metrics of every exchange-traded bank in America with assets between $500 million and $10 billion. Of the 241 banks nationwide that qualified, only 25 demonstrated the superior financial performance and stability to be named Bankers Cup winners.
LOCAL SHRM AWARDED: The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) recently awarded the Western Reserve Chapter its prestigious Gold EXCEL Award for accomplishments in 2020.
The award is given to SHRM state councils and chapters to recognize major accomplishments, strategic activities and tactical initiatives that elevate the human resources profession.
The award can be earned at four levels: bronze, silver, gold and platinum. Each level has a prescribed set of requirements and accomplishments that must be met. Western Reserve Chapter will receive recognition in SHRM publications and at conferences, a logo to display on its website, and information to share with its members about the significance of this award.
The WRC-SHRM serves local human resources professionals in the Mahoning Valley.
ELLWOOD COMPLETES BUILDING WITH PERFECT RECORD: Ellwood Aluminum in Hubbard has finished construction of its new Hubbard facility with a perfect workplace safety record.
The 120,000-square-foot aluminum casting facility was built with no injuries to the employees or the contractors during construction. Construction began on the plant in 2018 and continued through the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The more than $60 million project expanded the company’s aluminum production capabilities to better serve the tool and die, aerospace, forging, plate mill rolling, and extrusion industries.
Ellwood manufactures large diameter aluminum ingots / billets, rectangular slabs and cast plates.
717 AMONG TOP CREDIT UNIONS: 717 Credit Union has been named to the list of the top 100 credit unions for 2020. It was ranked No. 1 in Ohio and 40th in the nation for the best-performing credit unions by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Of the nearly 5,300 credit unions in the U.S., 1,727 qualified for the ranking by meeting a threshold of at least $100 million in assets and a net worth ratio of at least 7 percent.
The other credit union in Ohio to make the list was Superior Credit Union in Lima. It was ranked No. 81.
Warren-based 717 Credit Union was established in 1957. It has more than 94,000 members and 12 offices, making it the largest credit union in northeast Ohio.
PNC INTRODUCES LOW CASH MODE: Pittsburgh-based PNC Financial Services has introduced Low Cash Mode, a digital offering the bank expects will help its Virtual Wallet customers avoid overdraft fees.
The device gives customers the power to prioritize payments by determining whether certain debits are processed that otherwise might result in overdrafts, rather than the common industry practice of the bank making the decision.
Alerts will let customers know when their balance is low and, if it is negative, Low Cash Mode provides at least 24 hours to prevent or address overdrafts before fees are charged.
The bank expects it will help customers avoid $125 million to $150 million in overdraft fees per year.
GENERAL EXTRUSIONS PARTNERS WITH MVMC: General Extrusions in Boardman, a family-owned and ISO-certified aluminum extruder, has partnered with the Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition to hire up to 12 new production workers through the coalition’s WorkAdvance program.
WorkAdvance, administered by MVMC and funded primarily through a federal grant, manages and covers the costs of recruiting, training and retaining candidates, taking that burden off the employers.
The program targets underemployed individuals who are looking to make a career switch, but who may lack the specific training and skills for today’s advanced manufacturing environment. It prepares these individuals through a paid, five-week training program tailored to General Extrusions’ specific job requirements and provides a network of support and job coaching after being hired.
Interested candidates should visit www.workadvanceohpenn.org and register for an information session to learn more about the openings.
FIRM LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE: American Payroll Service, a professional employer organization that provides comprehensive payroll and human resource services for businesses, has announced the launch of its new website.
The website showcases its services that help business owners run their businesses more efficiently, including payroll services, employee benefits, workers’ compensation, human resources regulation and compliance, payroll tax processing, on-boarding support and employee time and attendance tracking.
New Businesses
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT PROVIDER OPENS: DASCO, a family-owned home medical- equipment company based in Westerville, recently opened a new location in Boardman at 1280 Boardman Canfield Road.
The company, established in 1987, operates several stores in Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana.
ROMEO’S OPENS IN HUBBARD: Romeo’s Pizza recently opened at 124 W. Liberty St., Hubbard.
The opening is led by Patrick Howlett, CEO and president of Howlett Restaurant Group, which has plans to open 30 Romeo’s Pizza locations in eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania and 10 stores in Tampa, Fla.
The Hubbard shop is the fourth in this region, including locations in Salem, Calcutta and Streetsboro.
People on Move
LEADERSHIP ROLES ANNOUNCED: Canfield-based Farmers National Banc Corp. has announced that James R. Smail has assumed the role of chairman of the board.
Smail joined the board of directors as vice chairman in July 2015 after the merger of First National Bank of Orrville, where he had served on the board of National Bancshares Corporation, the holding company for First National Bank of Orrville.
In addition, David Z. Paull has assumed the role of vice chairman of the board.
Paull most recently served as vice president at RTI International Metals, Inc. and previously held a number of positions with RTI in human resources, labor relations, safety and administration.
VP NAMED: Ge (Gary) Cao was recently been named to the new position of vice president of enterprise analytics at Akron Children’s Hospital.
Cao, who joined the hospital April 1, will oversee the hospital’s data and analytics strategy in support of its strategic imperatives and goals and will work to build, lead and develop a data and analytics enterprise team.
He joined Akron Children’s after serving in data and analytics leadership roles with Anthem, IXI Corp., Cardinal Health and most recently U.S. Venture, Inc.
NEW PRESIDENT AT GLENBEIGH: Gary Seech was recently named president of Glenbeigh, an alcohol and drug treatment center.
His appointment to the position concluded a national search that began in November 2020.
Glenbeigh, based in Rock Creek, where it has an inpatient hospital, has an outpatient center in Niles.
Seech has served in multiple roles within Glenbeigh in a career that spans over 20 years. He started as an administrator, responsible for daily operations, marketing, fiscal management and business development at Glenbeigh’s Rock Creek and Tampa facilities. He transitioned to Glenbeigh’s Cleveland facility then assumed a director’s role at Rock Creek. As the regional director of operations, Seech was responsible for oversight of multiple outpatient centers as well as business operations and facilities management.
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.
Business briefs and People on the move
Business Briefs
CHAMBER SEEKS WAGE / BENEFIT DATA: The Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber is asking businesses in the Mahoning Valley to participate in a starting wages and benefits survey.
This survey is a tool for all businesses in the area that are interested in finding and keeping qualified workers.
It asks for information about the company, including industry and contact, type of benefits offered and starting and median wages for a variety of occupations. The final report will be available to businesses that participate at no cost. Only aggregate results will be published, and no company will be uniquely identified. Individual questionnaire information is kept strictly confidential and will not be shared with other entities.
The survey is open through June 25.
As an incentive to businesses to take the survey, there will be drawings from the pool of submissions on the last day of each month to win a gift card to a chamber member restaurant.
The survey is available at the chamber’s website, regionalchamber.com. Direct questions to Michelle Phillips, director of research, at 330-744-2131, Ext. 1104, or michelle@regionalchamber.com.
BUSINESS STUDENTS ACCEPTED TO HONORARY: Fifty-six students in Youngstown State University’s Williamson College of Business Administration were recently installed into the YSU chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma, the world’s premiere business honorary.
Beta Gamma Sigma is comprised of more than 830,000 members in all 50 states and more than 190 countries. Though nearly 350,000 students receive bachelor’s or master’s degrees in business each year, only about 25,000 are inducted into a lifetime membership in Beta Gamma Sigma. Student members must be registered in business administration programs and be candidates for the baccalaureate or master’s degree. Students ranking in the top 10 percent of the sophomore, junior or senior classes or the top 20 percent of the master’s program are eligible.
Local YSU students installed include Carlee Gaca, Hallie Jacqueline Renda and Joseph Virgallito, Austintown; Melissa Nicole Davanzo, Luke Durbin and Alaina Fullerman, Boardman; Michael Copanic, Campbell; Shelby Marie Byrne, Allison Leone, Dominic Vito Morgione, Reilly Kerry Todd and Emily Ann Yurchison, Canfield; Jacob C Balest, Cortland; Brandon Greathouse, Farmdale; Katie D. Cretella, Girard; Carrie Ann Yasnowski, Howland; Samantha A. Pykare and Megan A Schmucker, Kinsman; Nathan Chiclowe, Mineral Ridge; Kaitlynn Theresa Dailey, Ross Joseph Fabrizi, Katrina Marie Hayes, Padraig O’Shaughnessy, Michael John Puhalla and Leandro Tofani, Poland; Allison M. Workman, Shelby; Sabrina Bartholomew, Struthers; Mark Baynes and Gianna Allesse Jones, Warren; Danielle Antoinette Adair, Nicholas Longo and Schanvel Wall, Youngstown.
In addition, Mary Coller, director of the WCBA’s Undergraduate Student Services Office, was inducted for her service to the college.
FOUNDATION AWARDS GRANT: The FirstEnergy Foundation has awarded Akron Children’s Hospital a $50,000 grant to help increase access to health care for children throughout northeast Ohio via telehealth technology. In addition, a portion of the funds also will be used to support the Akron Children’s Employee Hardship Fund to help the hospital’s employees facing financial challenges.
The FirstEnergy Foundation grant is part of “Investing with Purpose,” a company initiative focused on supporting organizations that advance health and safety, workforce development, educational and social-justice initiatives.
AUBURN SKILLED EARNS AWARD: Auburn Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation in Salem has been recognized as a Five-Star Facility by the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services, the federal agency responsible for oversight of nursing home quality.
The Five-Star Rating is driven by health inspections, quality measures, and nurse staffing. The is the only local provider to earn the distinction in all three categories.
In addition, Auburn Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation has been recognized as a 2020 recipient of the Bronze – Commitment to Quality Award by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) for its commitment to improving the lives of residents through quality care.
BUSINESS MOVES: Mediate Financial Services Inc. relocated recently to a new office at 6674 Tippecanoe Road, Suite 5 and 6. The new office provides financial planning to better serve clients in Mahoning County and surrounding areas.
Mediate Financial has been in operation since 1994, offering a full range of financial services, including investments and insurance.
People on the Move
NEW DIRECTOR AT HOSPITAL: Endocrinologist Dr. Naveen Uli has joined Akron Children’s Hospital as medical director for the Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology.
In addition to overseeing the center, Uli sees patients with diabetes and other pediatric endocrine disorders. His special clinical interests are Prader-Willi syndrome, thyroid disorders and obesity in youth. Most recently, Uli was a physician and director of pediatric endocrinology fellowships at University Hospitals’ Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland.
Akron Children’s Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology’s team of board-certified pediatric endocrinologists, nurse practitioners and nurses specialize in the care of children with growth, puberty, diabetes or other hormonal disorders.
SALEM REGIONAL BRINGS ON SURGEON: Salem Regional Medical Center has added plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Linda A. Camp to its medical staff.
Camp is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery. She performs all aspects of plastic and reconstructive surgery, including nonsurgical cosmetic procedures, to help improve her patients’ appearance.
She has a special interest in caring for women with breast cancer. In addition to her plastic surgery practice, Camp will provide leadership for Salem Regional’s multidisciplinary breast cancer committee and consultative services to breast cancer patients at the University Hospitals’ Seidman Cancer Center. Her goal is to ensure that area women have local access to comprehensive and personalized breast cancer care.
PROMOTION AT PREMIER: James B. Cohen has been promoted to executive vice president, deputy chief credit officer, at Premier Bank.
Cohen joined Premier Bank in 2013 and has more than 40 years of experience in the banking industry.
Cohen, of East Palestine, has been involved in many organizations throughout the years, including the East Palestine City Council, Nash Foundation, East Palestine School District Scholarship Foundation and the
East Palestine Park and Recreation Board.
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.