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MINORITY BUSINESS OUTREACH IN YOUNGSTOWN: Youngstown's Community Planning and Economic Development Department has created a Minority Business Outreach Initiative to support and help minority-owned businesses in the city access funding to get through the pandemic.

The initiative is staffed with certified business advisers as well as a Mahoning Food Access coordinator. To date, $37,900 in grants have been awarded to five minority-owned businesses with more in the process of receiving assistance and awards.

On Nov. 18 and Dec. 16, the initiative will host a virtual seminar led by instructor TaRee Avery, an operations specialist and certified business adviser candidate.

Register at eventbrite.com. For more information on the program, go to youngstownohio.gov or contact Carmella M. Williams at

williamscarmellam@gmail.com or call 330 333-0641.

FREE VIRTUAL SERIES FOCUSED ON FINANCIAL FITNESS: Credit Union of Ohio will offer virtual workshops financial guidance for those buying a home, finding affordable health care coverage, estate planning and how to responsibly use credit cards this week

The schedule is: noon Tuesday, first-time homebuyers workshop; 1 p.m. Wednesday, individual health care and insurance coverage; 7 p.m. Wednesday, estate planning; and noon Thursday, how credit cards work.

The workshops are open to Credit Union of Ohio members and the public. However, attendees must register in advance at

cuofohio.org.

Credit Union of Ohio serves state employees in all of Ohio's 88 counties and the communities of Franklin, Fairfield, Cuyahoga, and Trumbull and Mahoning counties.

AKRON CHILDREN'S RANKS AMONG TOP PEDIATRIC HOSPITALS: Akron Children's Hospital has been named one of the top pediatric medical centers in the world, according to Newsweek's World's Best Specialized Hospitals 2022 rankings.

The system ranked 16th. This year was the inaugural ranking of pediatric hospitals on Newsweek's annual medical specialty survey. There were 150 pediatric hospitals included in the rankings.

Newsweek compiled the rankings to help patients and their families "know which hospitals or state-of-the-art facilities have the most accomplished physicians and diagnosticians and offer the highest level of care," according to Nancy Cooper, global editor-in-chief.

Together with Statista, Newsweek invited more than 40,000 medical experts in more than 20 countries to recommend and rank hospitals based on their expertise in a subspecialty.

In addition to the Newsweek ranking, Akron Children's is ranked as a top hospital for pediatric gastroenterology and GI surgery, pediatric neurology and neurosurgery, pediatric pulmonology and lung surgery and pediatric urology with US News & World Report's Best Hospitals Rankings for 2021-2022.

ATTORNEYS RECOGNIZED: Akron-based Brouse McDowell has announced Timothy M. Reardon, Jay M. Skolnick and Michael A. Gallo Jr. from the firm's Youngstown office were recognized by U.S. News and World Report's Best Lawyers in America 2022, while Brian A. Coulter, also in Youngstown, was recognized on the "Ones to Watch" list.

Reardon was recognized for bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights / insolvency and reorganization law; Skolnick for corporate law; Gallo for bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights / insolvency and reorganization law, as well as litigation -- bankruptcy; and Coulter for commercial litigation.

The 28th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America highlights the top 5 percent of private practicing attorneys in the United States.

CORTLAND BANCORP REMINDS SHAREHOLDERS OF DEADLINES: A vote of shareholders of Cortland Bancorp, the holding company for Cortland Bank, to merge with Farmers National Banc Corp, the hold company of Farmers National Bank, will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at Squaw Creek Country Club, 761 Youngstown Kingsville Road, Vienna.

Also, there is a 5 p.m. deadline today for Cortland shareholders to elect the form of consideration they wish to receive for their shares of Cortland common stock in connection with the proposed merger.

Shareholders of Cortland with questions regarding the special meeting may contact Advantage Proxy, Cortland's proxy solicitor, at 1-877-870-8565, or for banks and brokers, at 1-206-870-8565, or by email to ksmith@advantageproxy.com.

CASSIDY ADDS CLIENT: Canfield-based Cassidy Advertising & Consulting, LLC has added NIMBUS Advanced Process Cooling, an inductotherm group company as the firm's newest client.

NIMBUS Advanced Process Cooling develops and manufactures economical cooling equipment that reduces energy consumption and health risks.

The company offers many products, but the most popular are hybrid adiabatic cooling systems that are designed to release freshwater into the air to lower the temperature and increase the heat rejection capacity of the unit.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP BOOMING: Ohio's remarkable year of new business filings continued in September, as the Ohio Secretary of State's Office reported 14,543 new business formations for the month.

Through the first nine months of 2021, 156,600 new businesses have formed in the state, a 21 percent increase over the same period last year.

There were 171,073 new business filings in 2020, beating the previous record of 130,621 set in 2019.

People on the move

FIRM ADDS REALTOR: Coldwell Banker EvenBay Real Estate has added Realtor Amanda Wood to its team of real estate professionals.

Wood, who grew up in Mecca, received her Ohio Real Estate License this year. In addition to real estate, she is a property manager with more than six years of experience, managing everything from mobile homes to multifamily properties.

She will work in Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties.

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 News

Business briefs

LOCAL AGENT RECEIVES AWARD: Realtor Deborah Barber of Youngstown was recently honored as the Ohio Realtors 2021 Realtor of the Year.

The announcement of Barber's selection was made at the organization's 111th annual Convention and EXPO last month in Columbus.

Barber was nominated by the Youngstown Columbiana Association of Realtors and is affiliated with Altobelli Real Estate. She has been a Realtor since 1986.

Judging of the Realtor of the Year award is based on professional achievements, local Realtor board / association activities, service in the Ohio and National Association of Realtors, as well as business and education experience and civic activities.

At the local level, Barber has served on and chaired a variety of board committees, including legislative, RPAC and professional standards. She also has a regular presence at all events and programs held by the local board.

Barber on the state level has been an active participant in Ohio Realtors governance meetings as a director, as well as serving as a member and chairing a host of committees, including professional standards, issues mobilization, legal issues forum, government forum, legislative and RPAC fundraising.

She has served as the National Association of Realtors federal political coordinator for U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Howland, since 2013.

SOUTHWOODS, HUMANA HAVE AGREEMENT: Southwoods Health signed an agreement to expand local access to in-network, quality health care for Humana members.

The agreement, effective Oct. 1, is for Humana's Commercial, Medicare Advantage (HMO, PPO, PFFS) and Ohio Medicaid health plans.

With the agreement, Humana members can access Southwoods' network of physicians to The Surgical Hospital at Southwoods and services, including Southwoods Imaging, Southwoods Pain & Spine Center, Southwoods Sleep Centers and Southwoods Express Care.

The relationship helps ensure in-network benefits apply to the professional and technical services provided by Southwoods Health. Services at The Surgical Hospital at Southwoods include inpatient, outpatient and robotic-assisted surgery, as well as endoscopy services.

AGENTS WIN AWARDS: For the fourth consecutive year, Burgan Real Estate led all real estate agencies affiliated with the Youngstown Columbiana Association of Realtors (YCAR) by having the most agents, 23, who earned the distinguished President's Sales Club Award for 2021.

The award is given by the Ohio Realtors to agents in the state who generated at least $1 million in home sales for the year.

Winners of the Award of Excellence, representing at least $5 million in sales, were Dennis Gonatas and Tibitha Matheney.

Winners of the Award of Distinction, representing at least $2.5 million in sales, were Valerie Park, Karen Ament, John Burgan, Julie Mills and Jill Herock.

Winners of the Award of Achievement, representing at least $1 million in sales, were TC and Julie Bunevich as Team Bunevich, Rhonda Rance, Traci Hardy, Zach Struharik, Amanda Hamilton, Liz Salcedo, Steve Rogers, Kim Sauerwein, Joani Zarlenga, Kathy Battisti, Maggie Garland, Mandie Dillon, Stacie Maston, Lisa Goclano and Christine Gallaugher.

GOODWILL AUSTINTOWN OPENING: The Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries is inviting the public to attend a ribbon cutting to celebrate the grand opening Tuesday of its newest retail location at 6009 Mahoning Ave., Austintown.

The Junior Group, Goodwill's volunteer organization, will host a sidewalk jewelry sale 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. that day, offering a selection of handpicked, donated jewelry that customers can purchase. The group has assisted Goodwill for nearly 30 years through its fundraising and community efforts, and, like Goodwill's store sales, all proceeds will stay local and directly support the nonprofit's mission.

Youngstown Goodwill announced its plans to relocate its Austintown in the spring. The new store at 24,000 square feet is nearly twice that of the former location and one of the largest in the network.

People on the move

AIM FILLS ACCOUNTING ROLES: Aim Transportation Solutions, the largest privately held truck leasing company in the U.S. filled the positions of assistant controller and credit manager.

Justin Battisti of Struthers, is Aim's new assistant controller. He graduated from Youngstown State University in 2010 with a bachelor's degree in accounting and obtained his CPA license and began work with a Cleveland-based multiwealth management firm in 2015.

Newly appointed credit manager, Aaron Baker, is from Newton Falls. A 1992 graduate of Ohio University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in communication, he began his career in 1993 as a manager at a consumer lending agency and later worked for Wells Fargo, Hoover / Dirt-Devil and most recently, Olympic Steel.

SWEENEY JOINS HOSPITAL: Dr. Aaron Sweeney recently joined Akron Children's Hospital Pediatrics at the Boardman office.

The practice at 6505 Market St., Building A provides pediatric primary care for infants, children and teens.

Sweeney earned his medical degree from Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown. He also earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Youngstown State University. He completed his residency in pediatrics and his sports medicine fellowship at Akron Children's Hospital.

AGENCY EXPANDS: Coldwell Banker EvenBay Real Estate has add Jill Mayfield as office administrator and recruiter.

Mayfield will handle the day-to-day operations of the office, as well as play a crucial role in the company's recruiting efforts.

Most recently, Mayfield was a career counselor at Mahoning County Educational Service Center, and a gift processing coordinator for the Youngstown State University Foundation. Before that, she worked more than 34 years at First Place Bank, where she was assistant vice president as well as corporate recruiting officer.

HOSPITAL WELCOMES PEDIATRIC OPTOMETRIST: Sarah Guillette, O.D., recently joined Akron Children's Hospital's Vision Center as a pediatric optometrist.

She will oversee a new clinic that specializes in fitting scleral contact lenses, specially fitted lenses that cover the sclera and cornea. The clinic will serve patients who do not tolerate soft contact lenses well, have inadequate vision with soft lenses or have ocular conditions that necessitate the need for scleral lenses.

The Vision Center specializes in the comprehensive evaluation, coordinated care and treatment of eye disease and visual system disorders in infants, children, teens and adults who have remaining vision disorders due to childhood eye diseases.

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.