Business briefs
LOCAL MEN APPOINTED TO BOARD: The board of directors of Team NEO, a private, nonprofit economic development organization for the northeast Ohio region, has elected six new members, including three with ties to the Mahoning Valley.
The three are Robert Davis, president, Aqua Ohio’s Water and Wastewater Utility at Essential Utilities Inc.; James Gasior, senior executive vice president and corporate development officer, Farmers National Bank; and Charles T. George, chief executive officer, Hapco Inc., Strangpresse and Triptech.
Davis leads strategic, operational and administrative activities for Aqua Ohio’s 33 water and five wastewater treatment facilities, which serve approximately 500,000 residents. He previously worked as director of Warren’s water department.
Gasior previously served as president of Cortland Savings and Banking Company prior to its merger with Farmers National Bank in 2021. He also is a member of the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber board.
In 2007, George became chief executive and majority shareholder of Hapco Inc., the largest independently owned provider of industrial heat tools and extrusion supplier in the world. He also is chief executive of Strangpresse, which manufactures extrusion heads for the additive manufacturing industry, and chief executive of Triptech, which produces thermoplastic filament and welding rod used in the oil and gas, textile, 3D printing and additive manufacturing industries. He also serves on the Youngstown State University board and other various community organization boards.
EGCC PROGRAM GETS FUNDING: Eastern Gateway Community College campuses in Youngstown and Steubenville have received funding through the Regionally Aligned Priorities in Delivering Skills (RAPIDS) Grant from the Ohio Department of Higher Education.
The $224,000 grant partners the Youngstown campus with Youngstown State University while the Steubenville campus partners with Belmont College, Washington State and Zane State to improve local workforce efforts.
Both campuses are purchasing equipment for health care programs that impact in-demand jobs in Ohio and Mahoning Valleys. Educational mannequins will be utilized for multiple programs such as EMT / EMS, medical assisting, nursing, practical nursing, radiology and respiratory therapy.
FINANCIAL WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE: Credit Union of Ohio will offer several free virtual workshops this week.
At noon Wednesday, a brief workshop will help attendees learn how credit cards work, including covering important information about different types of cards, minimum payments, finance charges and how to be aware of hidden fees.
At 6 p.m. Wednesday, a workshop on learning how to select individual health care and insurance will take place.
On Thursday, one will be offered on Medicare to explain different options and answer questions. It is at noon.
Registration is required to attend each virtual workshop. Those interested can view Credit Union of Ohio’s full workshop schedule and get registered at cuofohio.org.
EGCC GRADS EARN PERFECT SCORE: Eastern Gateway Community College Spring 2022 Youngstown and Steubenville practical nursing graduates passed their National Council Licensure Examination with a 100 percent pass rate.
The exam is needed to enter the field of practical nursing.
The one-year certificate program in practical nursing at EGCC prepares students to specialize in providing basic essential care to patients.
LPNs work in long-term care facilities, acute care, home health and physician offices.
LAW FIRMS JOIN: Akron-based Brouse McDowell, which has an office in Youngstown, and Ekker, Kuster, McCall and Epstein have announced lawyers of Ekker, Kuster, McCall and Epstein will join Brouse McDowell on Jan. 1.
The combined firm will operate under the name Brouse McDowell LPA and will add eight attorneys, giving it nearly 90 attorneys in six offices, including four in Ohio — Akron, Cleveland, Toledo and Youngstown — and Sharon, Pa., and Naples, Fla.
FOUNDATION COMMITS $50K: The Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley is bringing back its monthlong Giving Tuesday campaign that will see donations to its agency funds matched up to $50,000.
Starting on Giving Tuesday on Nov. 29 and running through the end of the year, all donations made to any of the agency funds at the foundation will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $2,000 per fund. At the end of the campaign, any remaining funds in the $50,000 allotment will be divided between all nonprofits that received a donation, whether it was one or 100.
Last year’s match campaign brought in $76,048 in donations and $47,226 matching dollars to 15 agency funds, resulting in $123,274 being given to nonprofit organizations in the Valley.
Donations can be made online at CFMV.org/agency-funds or by mailing a check to the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, 201 E. Commerce St., Suite 150, Youngstown, OH 44503 with the agency fund’s name in the memo line.
People on the move
NEW CEO PICKED: GBS Corp, a national information solutions provider that has an office in Youngstown, recently announced Michele Benson has been appointed to lead the company as its new CEO effective Jan. 1.
As GBS’ chief financial officer and treasurer, Benson has taken on a variety of roles and responsibilities throughout her 28 years with the organization.
Benson, who began at GBS in 1994 as a staff accountant, will lead the planning, development, implementation and direction of GBS’ operational and fiscal functions and performance as CEO.
GBS CEO / president, Eugene Calabria, will continue the role until his retirement Dec. 31.
JP Schippert was brought on in July as chief financial officer to replace Benson.
ATTORNEY JOINS FIRM: John Martynyszyn has joined Harrington, Hoppe & Mitchell Ltd. as an associate attorney. He will support the firm in multiple practice areas at its Warren office.
Martynyszyn graduated recently from the Capital University Law School in Columbus after earning his undergraduate degree at Ohio University in Athens. He is a Howland resident.
Harrington, Hoppe & Mitchell Ltd. is a regional law firm with offices in Youngstown, Warren and Salem.
FARMERS FORTIFIES DIVISION: Farmers National Bank recently welcomed two new hires to its Treasury Management division in Raymond Mahoney and Michael Mariano as assistant vice presidents, relationship managers.
In the roles, Mahoney and Mariano are responsible for developing strategies that manage and grow Treasury Management client relationships.
Mariano is a 15-year banking industry professional with experience in retail banking management. Prior to joining the team at Farmers, he served as a branch manager for a regional bank. He is based out of the bank’s Niles Main Branch.
Mahoney has 11 years of banking experience and most recently held positions as a payment adviser for Elan Advisory Services and branch manager with a national bank. He is based out of the bank’s Hudson office.
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
HOSPITAL EARNS REACCREDITATION: St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital again has achieved Magnet recognition, a designation that serves as a reflection of its nursing professionalism, teamwork and superiority in patient care. The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program distinguishes organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence.
With the credential, the hospital remains a member of the global community of Magnet-recognized organizations. Less than 10 percent of hospitals across the country and less than 40 hospitals in Ohio have achieved Magnet recognition.
To achieve Magnet recognition, organizations must pass a rigorous and lengthy process that demands widespread participation from leadership and staff. This process includes an electronic application, written patient-care documentation, an on-site visit and a review by the Commission on Magnet Recognition.
TURNPIKE CONTEST OPEN: The Ohio Turnpike’s second annual Name-a-Snowplow contest is open through Nov. 20.
To enter, go to www.ohioturnpike.org. Turnpike officials will select 50 names for a public vote, which runs Nov. 21 to Dec. 2. The eight snowplow names receiving the most votes will be declared the winners.
The winners will be announced on Dec. 9. Each winner will receive a $100 gift card.
Each name will be assigned to snowplow trucks in Pioneer, Swanton, Elmore, Castalia, Amherst, Richfield, Windham and Canfield along the 241-mile Ohio Turnpike.
Last year’s winners were, in order of votes, Snow Force One, Darth Blader, Plowy McPlowface, Snow More Mr. Ice Guy, Snowbi-Wan Kenobi, O-H Snow U Didn’t, Sir Plows-A-Lot and Ah, Push It … Push It Real Good!
PNC FOUNDATION HELPS LOCAL GROUPS: The PNC Foundation has awarded $100,000 in grants to the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley and the Youngstown Business Incubator to support financial empowerment to six neighborhoods and increase the level of entrepreneurship to minority and disadvantaged businesses.
The two-year $70,000 grant to the United Way will help provide financial education and job search skills along with free tax return preparation for residents.
A two-year $30,000 grant for YBI’s Minority Business Assistance Center will aid businesses and offer resources to grow and create additional jobs.
LAND BANK RELOCATES: The Mahoning County Land Bank has relocated to the City Centre One building in downtown Youngstown. Its new address is 100 E. Federal St., Suite 300, Youngstown, OH 44503.
The move became necessary when preparations began for renovation of 20 Federal Place, the land bank’s previous home.
AGENCY NAMED TO GROWTH LIST: Canfield-based 898 Marketing, a full-service strategic and integrated marketing agency ranked among Adweek magazine’s “Fastest Growing Agencies” list published this month.
The firm’s three-year growth rate of 191 percent earned a rank of 29th internationally, 23rd in the United States and 1st in Ohio. Adweek is one of the largest and most authoritative advertising and marketing industry news organizations, reaching more than 2.7 million industry professionals.
Earlier this year, 898 Marketing was honored for ranking on Inc. magazine’s list of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in America.
WRTA TO FEATURE LOCAL GROUPS: A dozen local organizations were chosen from more than 50 submissions to be featured in the 2022 WRTA Holiday Lights Campaign.
The 12 organizations will be featured in advertising and signs on WRTA buses through the end of the year.
The organizations are Yellow Brick Place, Youngstown Blue Coats, Glenwood Grounds, the Bummer Fund, National Alliance on Mental Illness of the Mahoning Valley, Cadence Care Network, Gateways to Better Living, Jewish Family and Community Services, Alta Care Group, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp., YoFresh Foods and Boys and Girls Club of Youngstown.
TURNPIKE RELEASES NUMBERS: The number of travelers, vehicle miles traveled and E-ZPass use on the Ohio Turnpike have increased through nine months of 2022, according to the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission.
The combined number of passenger cars and commercial trucks that traveled on the 241-mile toll road from January through September was 37.5 million, an increase of 1.5 percent compared to the same period a year ago. Passenger cars were up 1.3 percent and commercial trucks were up 2 percent.
Total vehicle miles traveled was 2.3 billion year-to-date through the third quarter, an increase of 1.7 percent compared to last year. Passenger cars traveled 1.3 billion miles, up 0.5 percent, and commercial trucks traveled 931.4 million miles, up 3.5 percent.
In addition, E-ZPass use on the Ohio Turnpike continued to increase. During the period, 63.2 percent of passenger car customers used E-ZPass, an increase of 2.3 percent compared to the same period a year ago; and 89 percent of commercial truck customers used E-ZPass, up 1.7 percent.
People on the move
WEAN ADDS STAFF: Fallon Peterson, health and social services program officer for The Nord Family Foundation in Lorain County, will join The Raymond John Wean Foundation in November as senior director of programs and operations.
In this newly created position, Peterson will provide thought partnership in planning and leading implementation teams for foundation-wide projects, including grantmaking, capacity building innovation and activating the facility as a civic space.
NEW BRANCH MANGER AT FARMERS: Canfield-based Farmers National Bank has hired Shane Scarbrough as branch manager at Orrville West High office, 1320 W. High St., Orrville.
Scarbrough has more than 15 years of experience in financial services, retail banking, customer service and branch management. Prior to joining Farmers, Scarbrough served as a business risk specialist for a regional bank.
STAFF MEMBER ANNOUNCED: The ALS Association Northern Ohio Chapter recently announced Laura Gray has joined the organization as the director of development.
In the role, Gray will work to strengthen a financial portfolio to meet the needs and improve the lives of those the organization serves in 33 counties in the state. She comes to the association with work experience from the United Way to General Electric and more recently with professional service firms.
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
CHAMBER EVENT SCHEDULED: The Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber will host A Taste of the Holidays 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8 at The Lake Club, 1140 Paulin Road, Poland.
It will feature themed drinks, a dessert table, heavy hors d’oeuvres, live music and a photo station, and maybe even an appearance by Santa Claus.
There also will be an ugly Christmas sweater contest.
The cost is $30 per member and $40 per nonmember.
NEW BUSINESS FILINGS: There were 14,037 new business filings in October, down 103 filings from October 2021 and down 456 filings from September, according to the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office.
So far this year, there have been 152,204 new businesses have been created, an average of 15,220 per month. There were 170,740 created at the same point last year.
New business filings are classified as forms filed with the Ohio Secretary of State that declare the formation of a business entity, including for profit, nonprofit and professional corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, limited partnerships and limited liability partnerships.
Filing as a business in Ohio does not guarantee the company will begin operations, be profitable or create jobs.
LOCAL CAMPGROUNDS RECOGNIZED: Kampgrounds of America, Inc. (KOA), the world’s largest family of open-to-the-public campgrounds, recently awarded Lake Milton / Berlin Lake KOA Holiday Campground the 2023 KOA President’s Award and the KOA Founder’s Award.
They were presented in Wednesday at KOA’s annual convention in Orlando, Fla.
The Founder’s Award is KOA’s highest service award. It is awarded to KOA campground owners and managers who attain world-class scores in customer service and KOA Quality Review.
The President’s Award is presented to campgrounds meeting exceptional quality standards and ones that receive high customer service scores from their camping guests.
MVMC MEETING: The Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition will host its next all-members meeting 2:30 to 4 p.m. Dec. 15 at Penguin City Brewing in Youngstown.
Planned for the meeting is a presentation from Dave Stillwagon of Community Corrections Association to learn about the local justice-involved population and services available to them to help overcome barriers and updates Youth Outreach, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Earn and Learn and Ohio To Work programs.
After the meeting will be a networking mixer at the brewery.
YOUTH MARKET DAY WINNERS: Junior Achievement of Eastern Ohio in partnership with the Eastwood Mall hosted Nov. 5 a one-day Youth Market featuring young entrepreneurs who offered their products and services for sale to the public.
Mall shoppers were encouraged to visit the students’ tables and vote on their favorite businesses. The participants were responsible for their table setup, signage, product sales and customer interactions. Judging and prizes were awarded at the end of the event.
The winners of $50 mall gift cards were Krafty Kyra for Best Product Award; To God’s Glory Arts, Best in Show Award; and The Lynnee Twins, LLC, won the People’s Choice Award.
FREE FINANCIAL WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE: Credit Union of Ohio will offer a free virtual workshop noon Tuesday on financial health checkups.
Financial coach Cindy Walker will give attendees a checklist of steps they can take to build healthy financial habits. Attendees will also work on creating their own definition of financial health as well as developing financial goals.
Membership is not required to attend this free workshop, but advanced registration is required. View Credit Union of Ohio’s full workshop schedule and get registered at cuofohio.org.
SCHOOL TO HOST JA PROGRAM: Struthers Middle School today will host JA-In-A-Day, a one-day presentation of Junior Achievement of Eastern Ohio’s programs.
Students in seventh and eighth grades will receive lessons in financial literacy taught by volunteers and employees at Huntington Bank, which donated the funding to hold the event.
Seventh grade students will be presented JA It’s My Future, which provides information to help prepare them for the working world. Students develop the personal branding and job hunting skills needed to earn a job, as well as research potential careers, create basic resumes, recognize appropriate behavior for an interview and differentiate between soft and technical skills.
Eighth grade students will be presented with JA Economics For Success, a program that encourages students to explore their skills, interests and values to make informed education, career and life decisions. Students will work on developing their knowledge of personal finance to apply financial-management skills regardless of income brackets.
PNC FOUNDATION GIVES: The PNC Foundation is awarding more than $57,000 in grants to seven local organizations in support of PNC Grow Up Great, a bilingual multi-year initiative that helps prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life.
The organizations that have been awarded grants are:
• Akron Children’s Hospital — $7,000 to support “Reach Out and Read,” utilizing pediatricians and nurses to discuss and encourage reading with their patients and families and to distribute a free book to all children during their regular pediatric checkups.
• Alta Care Group — $7,500 to support the Head Start program to provide early childhood mental health consultants.
• Holy Trinity Orthodox Christian Academy — $3,000 to support its “Hands On STEM” curriculum.
• Millcreek Children’s Center — $4,000 to support its “Exploring Math” through a field trips program.
• Oh Wow! The Roger and Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science and Technology — $8,811 to support the “United Way Success by 6” program through science engagement.
• United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley — foundation grants totaling $45,000, including a $25,000 grant in support of the “Success by 6” initiative that provides a pre-kindergarten summer readiness camp to hundreds of students throughout the Mahoning Valley.
• YWCA Mahoning Valley — $2,500 to support its early education program.
People on the move
REALTOR JOINS AGENCY: Coldwell Banker EvenBay Real Estate has added Realtor Michael Platt to the agency’s staff.
Platt, who received his Ohio real estate license, in 2020 previously worked in law enforcement for 20 years. He received the Ohio Realtors President’s Sales Club Award of Distinction during his first full year in the business.
Platt lives in Trumbull County with his wife and three children.
AGENTS JOIN FIRM: More Options Realty has brought on two new licensed agents, Sophia Fennell and Amanda Douglass, plus multiple people who have started taking classes at the firm’s training center in Boardman to take their state exam to become a real estate agent in Ohio.
Those people are Skyler Greeneisen, Cameron Durig, Caleb Durig, Ian Hull, Carlie Lattanzio, Amanda Douglass, Natalie Firth, Kelly Flowers and Troy Kachelries.
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.