Business briefs
POWER COMPANY NAMED TO BEST-OF LIST: Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp. has been named to the inaugural 2023-24 list of Best Companies to Work For in the utility industry by U.S. News & World Report.
The recognition reflects FirstEnergy’s commitment to its team members through quality pay and benefits, career opportunities, professional development and more.
U.S. News & World Report’s latest list highlights 349 publicly traded companies spanning 20 industries. For the utility industry, FirstEnergy ranked sixth out of the 18 companies included.
Guided by a panel of experts, editors from U.S. News & World Report conducted an analysis of publicly traded companies in the U.S. with a minimum of 75 Glassdoor employee reviews from 2020-22 on six factors that are important to employee well-being. They were quality pay and benefits, work-life balance and flexibility, job and company stability, physical and psychological comfort, belongingness and esteem, and career opportunities and professional development.
BRAYDICH TO HELP VETS: Braydich Dental in Hubbard will offer free dental services to veterans across the Mahoning Valley throughout the week of Veterans Day, Nov. 7-10.
Veterans can choose from various dental services, including fillings, extractions, cleanings and denture adjustments.
To ensure personalized care and service, veterans must schedule an appointment in advance, with appointment slots available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. To schedule an appointment, veterans can call 330-964-2116.
NEW MARRIOTT TO OPEN: CTW Development Corp. and Kennsington Hospitality announced the completion and grand opening Wednesday of TownePlace Suites and SpringHill Suites by Marriott.
The property is the first prototype of these two brands designed by CTW Development and Marriott International. Featuring 101 extended-stay suites of the two Marriott brands under the same roof, the new suites are spacious and feature a modern design that allow guests to be productive and unwind while mixing business and pleasure.
The new facility is located in Canfield’s Westford Lifestyle Community, 4100 Westford Place.
FRANCHISE OWNERSHIP TOPIC OF TALK: Mahoning Valley entrepreneurs are invited to attend an upcoming seminar on franchise ownership hosted by the Youngstown Business Incubator, the Minority Business Assistance Center and Youngstown State University’s Excellence Training Center with Ron Taylor as special guest speaker.
The event will be 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Excellence Training Center in Kohli Hall. Participants can register at tinyurl.com/ybifranchise by Wednesday. Remote access also will be available.
The seminar is designed to educate entrepreneurs on the benefits of franchising. With Taylor’s 35 years of experience in the restaurant industry, he will speak on how choosing the right brand of franchising can help launch entrepreneurial careers compared to an independent business.
Taylor opened his first franchise with Edible Arrangements in 2006 and Simple Greek in 2017. He has gone throughout the years winning Franchisee of the Year and Top Sales Store in Franchise awards and became chief operating officer of franchise for Simple Greek in 2019.
People on the move
STEWARD BRINGS ON PHYSICIAN: Trumbull Regional Medical Center and Steward Medical Group have brought on Dr. Ravi Patel to Steward Primary Care, 2668 Elm Road, Building C, Cortland.
A member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, Patel’s clinical interests include pediatrics, women’s health and gynecology, and knee and shoulder injections for joint pain.
He earned his medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine and his undergrad from The Ohio State University, where he served as a post-doctoral researcher. Patel completed a family medicine residency with Western Reserve Health Education at Trumbull Regional Medical Center.
REALTOR JOINS FIRM: Coldwell Banker EvenBay Real Estate recently welcomed Realtor Phillip Fisher to the brokerage.
In 2023, Fisher received his Ohio real estate license and started to work in the Mahoning Valley. In addition to real estate, Fisher, who has a degree in business administration, works as an automotive parts salesman in the area.
He will provide real estate services in Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties.
NEW GM NAMED: American Industries, a wholly owned subsidiary of A. Stucki Co. and a provider of new and reconditioned railcar components and systems, has hired Jason Lhota as general manager.
Lhota brings with him more than 20 years’ experience in strategic supply chain and operations oversight, most recently with Howe Street Advisors, a business consulting firm in Pittsburgh.
Lhota holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. He is based at the Sharon facility and resides in Penn Township, Pa.
American Industries supplies new and reconditioned railcar components and systems from its locations in Sharon, Pennsylvania, and Jerseyville, Illinois.
Business briefs
PREMIER FINANCIAL CORP. NAMED TO LIST: Premier Financial Corp. has been named to the Piper Sandler Sm-All Stars Class of 2023, a list of the top-performing small-cap banks and thrifts in the country.
To earn the status, companies needed to have a market cap below $2.5 billion as of Sept. 15 and clear numerous hurdles related to growth, profitability, credit quality and capital strength.
Premier Financial Corp. is one of 31 banking institutions, just 9% of all banks screened, that met Piper Sandler’s criteria for inclusion in the list.
SNOWPLOW CONTEST OPEN: The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission will take submissions for its third annual Name-a-Snowplow contest through Nov. 15.
Commission officials will select 30 names for a public vote. The voting period runs Nov. 20 to Dec. 6, and the eight snowplow names receiving the most votes will be announced as the winners Dec. 11.
Each winner will receive a $100 gift card, courtesy of the Ohio Turnpike. Winning names from the previous contests are not eligible.
The names will be assigned to snowplow trucks in service at the eight maintenance buildings on the 241-mile turnpike: Pioneer, Swanton, Elmore, Castalia, Amherst, Richfield, Windham and Canfield.
Go to ohioturnpike.org and click on the Media tab for details or to enter.
YSU GROUP AWARDED: The student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management at Youngstown State University has been awarded the 2022-23 Superior Merit Award for providing exceptional growth and development opportunities to its student members.
Winning marks the sixth time in seven years YSU SHRM Chapter has received the national recognition.
The SHRM award program encourages the development of student chapters and recognizes outstanding activities and projects. Chapters receive recognition based on operations, chapter programming and professional development of members, support of the human resource profession and SHRM engagement.
CPA FIRM HONORED: Packer Thomas has secured the top spot on AccountingToday’s 2023 nationwide Best Firms for Women list and a prominent position on the acclaimed Best Firms to Work For list.
According to Packer Thomas, the No. 1 ranking on the Best Firm for Women list “underscores the firm’s dedication to promoting gender equality and creating a diverse, inclusive and empowering workplace environment for all team members.”
Claiming a spot on the Best Firms list “reaffirms the firm’s commitment to fostering an exceptional workplace culture that values teamwork, innovation and continuous learning,” a release states.
The firm, which is marking its 100th year in business this year, has offices in Canfield and New Castle, Pa.
717 A TOP PLACE TO WORK: For the second year in a row, 717 Credit Union has been named a Northcoast 99 award winner by the Employers Resource Council.
The council chooses 99 northeast Ohio organizations for building and maintaining exceptional workplaces through policies, practices and benefits that attract and retain top performing talent.
Northcoast 99 winners participated in an application process and were ranked on how they address top-performer attraction, development and retention in the areas of organizational strategy, policies and benefits; talent attraction, acquisition and onboarding; employee well-being; employee engagement and talent development; total rewards; and diversity, equity and inclusion.
NorthCoast 99 covers a 22-county region of northeast Ohio. 717 was one of two companies in the Mahoning Valley to earn the distinction.
717 also was ranked a top 100 Credit Union in the U.S. and No. 1 in Ohio by S&P Global Market Insights for the second year in a row. Forbes also recently named 717 to their list of Best-In-State Credit Unions.
APPLICATION PERIOD OPEN: The application period for High School Tech Internship Intermediaries, which serve as the point of contact for businesses and education entities during the high school tech internship process, is open through 5 p.m. Nov. 3.
The High School Tech Internship program allows employers to receive reimbursement of up to $5,000 per intern for establishing a recruitment pipeline by hosting high school interns in tech-related roles. The goal of the program is to provide businesses with the tech talent they need while providing students with valuable work experience at an early age.
The selected intermediaries will allow the program to be administered more collaboratively between the state, educational entities and businesses. Examples of intermediaries include economic development organizations, workforce and education partnerships and other community-based groups. The selected intermediaries will have several responsibilities to support the growth and administration of the high school tech internship program.
Learn more at workforce.ohio.gov/hsti.
YSU CHEM DEPARTMENT GIVEN GRANT: The National Science Foundation has given an Early-Concept Grant for Exploratory Research award of $300,000 to continue Youngstown State University chemistry professor Doug Genna’s research, in collaboration with SUNY Albany, on recycling of lithium-ion batteries.
EAGER awards are a type of proposal to support exploratory work, but potentially transformative research, in its early stages.
Prior to this, the NSF awarded the lab a Research Undergraduate Institution grant of $350,000 for the study of metal-organic frameworks.
Genna used his initial findings of MOFs, a porous crystalline compound of metal clusters, to better understand the purification process of water, removing drugs, lead and simulated oil spills. With the EAGER award, he hopes to use these same methods to understand how to pull lithium back out of dissolved “black mass” from recycled lithium batteries, according to a release.
As a collaborative effort, half of the awarded funds will go toward researchers at SUNY Albany, where they will research the possibility of pulling other metals from the recycled material.
KOMARA MARKS MILESTONE: Komara Jewelers has reached its diamond 75th anniversary.
Stephen Komara opened the first Komara Jewelers in 1948 on State Street in Struthers. In 1977, his oldest son, Robert, opened the second Komara Jewelers in Cornersburg, and in 1985, Stephen’s youngest son, Tom, opened a third location in Boardman. In 1993, the Cornersburg location moved to its present location in the Coal Creek Plaza in Canfield. After many changes over the years, the Komara location in Canfield now is run by Robert’s children, Brianna and Rob.
In addition to jewelry in-store, Komara also offers custom designs, diamond recutting, jewelry appraisals, engraving, insurance and repairs and watch repairs.
BROUSE McDOWELL CERTIFIED: Akron-based Brouse McDowell, which has an office in Youngstown, has achieved Midsize Mansfield Certification, the goal of which is to ensure the path to leadership within the firm is open and transparent to all qualified lawyers.
It includes hiring and promotions to client pitch teams and committee appointments.
The Mansfield framework helps the firm take an inclusive, structured and data-driven approach to leadership advancement, and ensures the approach is consistent across offices and practice groups.
People on the move
WARDLE JOINS UNIVERSAL IFM: Universal IFM recently announced Mike Wardle as company president.
Wardle’s career spans more than three decades in HVAC and utility management. Starting in 1990 at Roth Bros. Inc., Wardle served as regional sales consultant, director of national service sales / marketing and director of operations.
When Roth was acquired by FirstEnergy, Wardle transitioned to business director for FirstEnergy Solutions, then became vice president of national services. Roth was later acquired by Sodexo, and Wardle became vice president of national solutions, developing a new division called Energy Efficiency. That division grew to become the most profitable for Roth Bros. Inc. in its 100-year history.
Universal IFM in Youngstown specializes in commercial HVAC, refrigeration, electrical, lighting and ground maintenance.
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Business briefs
STORE RELOCATES: The MiMe Global store has a new location at 2533 Belmont Ave., Youngstown, the former glass bank building at the Union Square Plaza.
It formerly was at the Eastwood Mall.
MiMe Global is a 3D printing company that creates full color, 3D printed figurines of customers in miniature. It also sells services 3D printing machines and sells 3D printer spare parts and supplies.
The company was selected as the winner of the Eastwood Mall Small Shop Showdown competition in 2019, and received six months of free rent, marketing and advertising from the Cafaro Company, which owns the Eastwood Mall Complex. The Cafaro Company also owns Union Square Plaza.
WORKSHOPS OFFER FINANCIAL, INSURANCE HELP: Credit Union of Ohio will offer two free workshops this month to educate the community on individual health insurance and Medicare options, and the financial impacts of different plans. Mike Gatteri of Healthmarkets will lead the virtual sessions:
Individual health care and insurance coverage 5:30 p.m. Tuesday — Learn about how health care reform works, how to maximize a subsidy in order to lower premiums, as well as addressing many little-known facts to save money.
Medicare workshop noon Thursday — This workshop will give a detailed explanation of Medicare, supplemental plans, and how to decide which plan is best. There will be discussions of Medicare advantage plans, Part D plans, and Medicare supplements, as well as how each works.
Registration is required to attend each workshop at cuofohio.org.
FARMERS’ BANKER HONORED: Juan Santiago, vice president, Community Reinvestment Act engagement leader at Farmers National Bank of Canfield, is being honored by the American Bankers Association as a recipient of its 2023 ABA Emerging Leader Awards.
The award recognizes the next generation of bank leaders who are committed to the highest standards of achievement and service to their industry and their local communities.
Santiago and 11 other winners will be recognized at the ABA annual convention Oct. 8 -10 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Santiago has been in the banking industry for 20 years, including eight with Farmers National Bank. In his role now, Santiago ensures the credit needs of low-to-moderate income individuals, small businesses and small farms are met in the areas in which the bank serves.
During his career, he has helped more than 100 families of Hispanic / Latino descent purchase a home through programs he has helped create. He also serves on the boards of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation, Farmers Charitable Foundation, Mercy Health-Youngstown and the Ohio Bankers Foundation.
AWARD BESTOWED TO REALTORS: Fourteen realtors with Burgan Real Estate have been named President’s Sales Club Award winners with the Youngstown Columbiana Association of Realtors for 2023. The award is presented by the Ohio Realtors to real estate agents with at least $1 million in home sales for the year.
Burgan agents with at least $2.5 million in sales were Karen Ament, Stacie Maston, John Burgan, Zach Struharik, Traci Hardy, Lisa Goclano, Melissa Birmingham, Haley Luckage and Brett Green.
Agents with at least $1 million in sales were Jill Herock, Julie Mills, Steve Rogers, Liz Salcedo and Kathy Battisti.
NOMINATIONS BEING ACCEPTED: The Western Reserve Transit Authority is again putting a spotlight on organizations that Light Up the Valley all year with the 2023 WRTA Holiday Lights Campaign.
Nominations are being accepted through 5 p.m. Oct. 20. Twelve area organizations chosen from the nominees will be honored at a special event Nov. 15. Those picked will be featured on WRTA television and social media as well as signs on WRTA buses and the giant digital sign above Federal Station in downtown Youngstown. One organization, chosen by drawing at the event, will also receive a year-long social media campaign.
Nonprofit organizations, public agencies and private companies that include charitable giving, volunteering and other good works as part of the culture can apply.
Nomination forms are available at wrta online.com from the Holiday Lights link in the News section.
The co-chairpersons for this year are Barb Ewing, CEO, Youngstown Business Incubator; Shari Harrell, president, Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley; and Vince Brancaccio, CEO, Help Network of NEO.
YSU MAJOR RECERTIFIED: The human resources program at Youngstown State University has achieved recertification by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
Since 2015, YSU has aligned its bachelor of science in business administration major in human resources program with the SHRM human resources curriculum guidebook and templates. As of September, YSU’s program alignment has been renewed and the certification is valid through 2027.
The YSU curriculum focuses on the integration of all aspects of human resources with one another, as well as other business functions. Students receive hands-on experience working with actual organizations in addressing human resources challenges.
The curriculum guidebook and templates were developed by SHRM to define the minimum human resources content areas that should be studied by students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
People on the move
AIM APPOINTS NEW COO: Aim Transportation Solutions, a family-owned and -operated provider of commercial fleet service that’s based in Girard, has appointed Matt Svancara to chief operating officer.
In the position, he will oversee the six essential arms of the business: sales, maintenance, rental, marketing, ProShop and asset purchasing.
Svancara has been with Aim for nearly three decades, starting his career in sales and climbing to his most recent station as executive vice president of sales and marketing.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s of business administration from Baldwin Wallace University.
Also, he has been awarded the honor of qualifying for NationaLease’s Masters Club for 10 years in a row. He was also inducted into the NationaLease Masters Club Hall of Fame.
PROMOTIONS AT 717: 717 Credit Union has announced the promotions of three employees.
Sherri Sayre, who has been with 717 for four years and has more than 20 years of lending experience, has been promoted to assistant loan servicing manager. Her primary role is to assist the loan servicing manager in overseeing all activity related to the servicing of member loans.
Keri Davis was promoted to teleservices manager, and has been with 717 for seven years. In her new position, Davis will manage staff and direct the daily operations within the credit union call center.
Brittany Scott has been promoted to assistant fraud manager. In the position, Scott, who has been with the credit union for five years, will assist the department manager in the development, management and oversight of programs to help detect and deter fraud and reduce the risk of loss to the credit union and its members.
STAFF MOVES AT iSYNERGY: iSynergy, a Canfield-based digital marketing agency, has added Morgan Sebastian to its staff as an inbound marketer. Sebastian’s duties include social media management and inbound marketing efforts for iSynergy clients and those of its sister company, Lift Marketing.
Prior to joining iSynergy, Sebastian, a native of New Waterford, worked in human resources for a nonprofit organization. She obtained a degree in marketing management from Youngstown State University and graduated magna cum laude.
Also, the company announced Becky Bertuzzi has been promoted to vice president of technology. In the role, she will lead the technology team while streamlining internal workflows and client initiatives.
A native of Warren, Bertuzzi graduated from YSU with a degree in advertising and public relations. Previously, Bertuzzi served as director of operations with iSynergy as well as art director for Lift Marketing.
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Business briefs
LEARN HOW TO START A BUSINESS: Junior Achievement of Eastern Ohio, in partnership with the Eastwood Mall, will host a JA Start My Business workshop 10 a.m. to noon Friday at the community room at Boscov’s at the mall.
This free, experiential learning workshop aims to guide students through the process of starting and operating their own small business. This workshop is recommended for students 8 to 14 years old, but younger and older students are welcome to attend.
A JA staff member will guide students and their parents through the Start My Business program, and answer any questions about the materials, which cover topics on market research, budgeting, advertising, and creating a business plan. Students who register for the workshop will receive a copy of the JA Start My Business Youth Entrepreneur Workbook.
Select participants of the workshop will be able to then sell their product or service to the public during the Eastwood Mall’s Family Fun Day: Youth Market Day from noon to 3 p.m. Nov. 4.
DOCTOR WINS AWARD: The High-Risk, High-Reward Research program, supported by the Common Fund at the National Institutes of Health, has awarded a $1.95 million grant to Dr. Ronald R. Seese, a developmental neurologist at Akron Children’s Hospital and an associate professor of pediatrics at Northeast Ohio Medical University.
The 2023 NIH Director’s Early Independence Award is across five years for Seese’s project, titled “Defining the Autonomic Cerebellum in Autism.”
Dysautonomia is a prevalent and disabling neurologic disorder that affects more than 70% of children with autism. There are no targeted treatments to reduce the dysregulated autonomic responses, or dysautonomia, that affect patients. Seese aims to test if modulating the adrenal-related cerebellum alters autonomic physiologic responses.
His studies have the potential to identify specific cerebellar regions to target with new treatment approaches that aim to reverse refractory dysautonomia in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The proposed work could ultimately transform how dysautonomia in ASD and other disorders associated with cerebellar abnormalities are managed.
GRANT WILL HELP WORKFORCE EFFORTS: The Ohio-Penn Interstate Regional Collaboration received a $954,708 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor in September that will be used in large part to build out a workforce development entity serving Lawrence and Mercer County, Pa., manufacturers.
The funding is part of the Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities initiative, which engages local communities in the Appalachian region to develop strategies to prepare workers for good jobs in high-demand industries.
The Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition, which has been involved in planning the creation of the new coalition, will receive a portion of the grant funding for career pathway training to connect jobseekers to quality manufacturing jobs.
The Ohio-Penn group was the first interstate collaborative recognized by the labor department, and has won five grants that have benefited MVMC and its members.
MEIJER ANNOUNCES ACHIEVEMENT: Michigan-based Meijer, which has stores in Niles and in Boardman, has announced its customers have diverted 10 million pounds of potential food waste through the Flashfood app, making it the first retailer nationwide to reach this milestone with Flashfood. Since the program’s expansion across the Meijer footprint in 2021, customers have purchased 10 million pounds of food on Flashfood, which offers deep discounts on groceries nearing their sell-by dates, preventing it from potentially entering landfills.
Meijer launched Flashfood as a pilot program in November 2019 at a handful of its supercenters in metro Detroit. After reducing in-store food waste by 10%, Meijer expanded the offering to all its stores in 2021. Today, 264 Meijer stores offer the program, including all the retailer’s supercenters and grocery stores.
DOCTOR NAMED FELLOW: Mercy Health-Youngstown Dr. Dwight Heron has been named a fellow of the American Society for Readiation Oncology. He will receive the designation at an awards ceremony Tuesday in San Diego
With more than 15 years of experience, Heron has led large oncology programs and has managed several hundred junior- and mid-level physicians, residents and medical students. He’s also invested in finding a way to reduce the burden of cancer by leveraging state of the art comprehensive care. He’s done so by authoring more than 600 articles, chapters, monographs and abstracts, along with investing in remote treatment planning and clinical pathways.
The award, given annually since 2006, recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to radiation oncology through research, education, patient care and / or service to the field.
REVENUE REPORT: The board of directors for Pittsburgh-based Howmet Aerospace, which has a production facility in Weathersfield,have declared a quarterly dividend of 5 cents per share on the outstanding Common Stock of the company to be paid Nov. 27 to holders of record at the close of business on Nov. 10. The quarterly dividend represents a 25% increase from the third quarter 2023 dividend of 4 cents per share.
The company focuses on engine products, fastening systems, engineered structures and forged wheels. It operates a titanium mill in Weathersfield, the Niles Ingot & Mill Products Operations, 1000 Warren Ave.
FUNDS RAISED FOR JA: Junior Achievement of Eastern Ohio raised more than $29,000 during their Maker’s Mark Private Select Barrel Experience event Sept. 19 at The Lake Club of Ohio. The event brought the distillery experience to Youngstown, and gave attendees the chance to be part of a tasting panel for the first-ever Maker’s Mark Private Select Barrel made specially for The Lake Club, and they were able to vote on their favorite custom bourbon recipe.
This one-of-a-kind bourbon is set to be barreled, aged, bottled, and wax dipped with a custom Lake Club label at the Maker’s Mark distillery in Loretto, Kentucky. Attendees were also given the opportunity to purchase a bottle of the custom bourbon during a silent auction, with proceeds benefiting Junior Achievement.
PREMIER JOINS CAMPAIGN: Premier Bank has joined the American Bankers Association and banks across the nation to promote #BanksNeverAskThat, an industry-wide campaign educating consumers about the threat of phishing scams.
The Federal Trade Commission estimates consumers lost $8.8 billion to phishing and other fraud in 2022, an increase of more than 65% compared to 2021. To combat phishing, the campaign uses humor and other engaging content to empower consumers to identify bogus bank communications asking for sensitive information like their passwords and social security numbers. Throughout the month, Premier Bank will share questions, videos and consumer tips on social media designed to highlight the most common phishing schemes.
FIRM BRINGS ON NEW CLIENT: Cassidy Advertising & Consulting, LLC, in Canfield, has brought on Synergy Consulting Group, Inc. in Uniontown as a client.
Synergy Consulting Group provides IT recruiting and Information Technology outsourced contractors for various industries.
People on the move
BOARDMAN NATIVE APPOINTED: Feazel Roofing, a provider of roofing solutions, has appointed Boardman native George Limbert as chief administrative officer.
In the role, Limbert will oversee critical administrative functions, play a pivotal role in strategic decision-making and contribute to the company’s continued growth and success. Before joining Feazel, Limbert was chief executive and president of Red Roof.
Established in 1988, Feazel is a roofing, siding, gutters, and windows contractor. The company serves 11 markets, primarily in the Midwest, and owns and operates Shanco, operating in Maryland and Virginia; Kearns Brothers, operating in Michigan; and Music City Roofers, operating in Tennessee. All companies specialize in roofing replacements and repairs.
VANSUCH JOINS STIFEL TO LEAD YOUNGSTOWN MARKET: Stifel Financial Corp. has announced Stephen C. VanSuch joined the firm’s Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Inc. broker-dealer subsidiary as managing director / investments and branch manager in Canfield. In the role, he will work with Ralph Fajack, branch manager, to lead the Youngstown market.
VanSuch comes to Stifel after spending 24 years as a managing director at Merrill Lynch, where he was responsible for approximately $500 million in client assets and previously served as a senior resident director.
Stifel’s history in the Mahoning Valley dates back decades, furthered by its 2008 acquisition of Youngstown-based Butler Wick & Company, which was founded in 1926. Stifel also gained a private client group office in Canfield in 2009 as part of its acquisition of 56 UBS Financial Services offices. With the addition of VanSuch, Stifel now has 24 financial advisors across its two Canfield locations.
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Business briefs
CHAMBER PLANS FORECAST BREAKFAST: The Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber is planning its annual Economic Forecast breakfast for 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Nov. 2 at Waypoint 4180, 4180 Westford Place, Canfield.
The event brings members together to view the economic outlook on local, regional and national levels.
This year’s event will include a presentation and in-depth look at the regional and national economies by Ahmed El Nokali, managing director and head of capital markets at First National Bank.
El Nokali, who has more than 20 years of financial services experience, oversees FNB’s syndications, debt capital markets and interest rate management functions.
In addition, chamber President / CEO Guy Coviello will discuss the region’s business successes and growth.
Also, the event will feature the presentation of the seventh Excellence in Manufacturing Award, given to a deserving manufacturer in partnership with MAGNET.
The cost is $40 for chamber members and $50 for non-members. Register at regionalchamber.com under the Events tab.
RESTAURANT ADDS BANQUET CENTER: Salvatore’s Italian Grill in Howland, a full-service restaurant with traditional Italian cuisine, recently announced the addition of a new banquet center large enough to host up to 150 guests and caters.
The center is attached to the restaurant, 8720 E. Market St., Warren.
Salvatore’s Italian Grill also has a location in Austintown and a pizzeria at the Eastwood Mall.
VALLEY COMPANIES PARTNER: Girard-based Aim Transportation Solutions, through its Aim Integrated Logistics division, will support Millwood, Inc.’s shipping operation in Vienna, also home of their corporate headquarters, by providing, in part, trucks, drivers and operational support under a new partnership.
The partnership between the two family-owned companies “is a testament to our shared commitment to excellence, innovation and customer satisfaction,” a release states.
Aim has more than 100 locations and operations, servicing more than 11,000 vehicles throughout the U.S., with a reach as far west as Utah and as far east as upstate New York.
Millwood Inc. recently opened its 39th location, this one at the Ohio Commerce Center in Lordstown. It provides pallets, unit load technology, custom-engineered material handling solutions and erosion control products, as well as services for tracking, retrieval, reuse, recycling and removal of packaging products across the U.S.
COMPANY NAMED TO TOP 100 LIST: Aim Transportation Solutions in Girard has been named to Newsweek’s list of Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces for 2023.
The list recognizes companies that have created a workplace where employees feel respected, inspired, and appreciated, and who are the core of the business model.
Aim is owned and operated by the Fleming family, including Tom Fleming and his two sons, Co-Presidents Scott Fleming and Geoff Fleming. The company has existed for 120 years.
In collaboration with the Best Practice Institute (BPI), a leadership development and benchmark research company, the results for Newsweek’s list were determined after surveying more than 2 million employees from businesses with workforces of 50 to 100,000. Employee sentiments and emotions indicating how engaged employees are, how positive they feel about their workplace, and how committed they are to the organization’s success were analyzed to identify the top 100 workplaces.
SURGERY A FIRST AT TRMC: Dr. Ali Kimyaghalam, vascular surgeon at Trumbull Regional and Sharon Regional medical centers, completed the first Transcarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR) in Trumbull County.
TCAR is a clinically proven, minimally invasive procedure that treats Carotid Artery Disease, which is the narrowing of blood vessels in the neck caused by a buildup in plaque. The blood vessels carry blood from the heart to the brain and when they are blocked can cause a stroke, the fifth leading leading cause of death and leading cause of disability in the U.S.
During the procedure, blood flow is temporarily reversed, so that any bits of plaque that may break off are diverted away from the brain. Standard treatment is an open surgical approach.
SPEAKERS EVENT ANNOUNCED: TEDxYoungstown will hold its next inspirational speaking event March 8 at the Spotlight Theater at Youngstown State University’s Bliss Hall.
Speakers will be announced later this year. Past events have included topics ranging from breastfeeding and sexual identity to business success and personal growth.
TEDx is a local, independently organized version of the TED Talks conference.
NADA ACADEMY GRADUATE: Robbie Fellman, fixed operations director at Boardman Subaru and son of owner, Rob Fellman, recently graduated from the National Automobile Dealers Association Academy in June.
Fellman completed a year-long educational program that focused on six disciplines essential to successful management and leadership in the retail automobile industry.
The academy prepares dealership leaders to maximize each department’s efficiency and customer service while examining how new technology and innovations reshape the industry. Classes are taught by industry experts in-person and online, with hands-on practical applications in each area of the dealership.
Fellman is the second in the family and the dealership to graduate from the academy. John Stanko, vice president of Boardman Subaru, graduated in 2017.
People on the move
STAFF ADDED AT FARMERS: Canfield-based Farmers National Bank has grow its mortgage lending team with the recent hire of Troy Toth as a mortgage loan officer out of Strongsville.
Toth has been in the mortgage business for more than 25 years, during which he has helped countless clients achieve their goal of home ownership. He has extensive knowledge of conventional, FHA, VA and new construction loans.
DeSALVO HIRES: DeSalvo Construction in Hubbard has brought on Joseph Sebest as a project engineer.
In the role, Sebest of Campbell, will help the company with estimating and project management responsibilities.
New business
SANDWICH SHOP OPENS: Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop has opened at 6442 S. Raccoon Road Suite B, Canfield.
The menu includes American Wagyu, hot and cold turkey subs, cheese steaks with vegetarian options, other sandwiches and salads.
The second Capriotti’s location in Ohio, it is owned and operated by a native Trumbull County family, the Walleys, including Amber Walley, her brother, Preston Walley, and their mother, Susette. The family has nearly 75 years combined experience in business and hospitality management.
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