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COMPANY MARKS MILESTONE: Niles Building Products is celebrating its 50th anniversary in the Mahoning Valley this year. Incorporated in December 1973 in Niles, operations began in 1974 with one production line and four employees.

The family-owned and operated company has grown to manufacture metal and vinyl accessories for stucco, plaster and drywall applications.

The company has other locations in Texas and Florida.

Their trims and accessories have been used in an assortment of residential and commercial projects. Some notable work includes The Grand Del Mar Resort in San Diego, The Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan, and Universal Studios and Disney's Epcot Center in Orlando, Florida.

CHAMBER PLANS COLUMBUS EVENT: The Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber's annual Columbus Drive-In is planned for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Ohio Chamber in Columbus.

Past events have resulted in millions of dollars in state funding and key policies that help improve the Mahoning Valley.

The day will consist of 75 to 80 leaders from the region in meetings with influential state policymakers.

Attendees can drive down or sign up to ride a bus. Bus transportation may be canceled if there is not enough interest or participation. The chamber will host a reception 6 p.m. Feb. 6 at Latitude 41 at the Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel for anyone who is planning to be in Columbus the evening prior.

Register at regionalchamber.com under the Events tab.

LOCAL FIRM HELPS LAUNCH KOSAR'S COFFEE: iSynergy in Canfield has added Bernie Kosar's new coffee line, Kosar Coffee, to its client roster. Kosar Coffee infuses arabica beans with vitamin D and resveratrol, a patented process designed to boost the immune system, protect against chronic diseases and strengthen heart health.

iSynergy developed the new product's website, will manage social media profiles, produce media content and provide ongoing marketing strategy.

NOMINATIONS SOUGHT: Mahoning Valley Young Professionals is accepting nominations for its 25 Under 35.

For the last 13 years, the 25 Under 35 (previously the 40 Under 40) has recognized more than 350 outstanding young professionals who have greatly impacted the Mahoning Valley through the careers and time they give to various nonprofit organizations.

Submissions are due by Feb. 29.

Go to mvypclub.com/25-under-35 to nominate a professional.

DEALERS DONATES: Apostolakis Honda in Cortland and Shenango Honda in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, donated $2,900 to Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley and $1,800 to Mercer County Food Bank.

A campaign in December set aside $50 for every car sold from the dealerships based on each customer's choice of which local food bank would get the donation.

In addition, a food drive at each dealership collected 100 pounds of food at Apostolakis Honda and 119 pounds of food at Shenango Honda.

OHIO HUMANITIES FUNDS RESEARCH: Akron Children's Hospital has received a $20,000 grant from Ohio Humanities for the second phase of a study on the use of narrative medicine to help families who have a child in the hospital's pediatric critical care unit.

Narrative medicine uses the literary arts to help patients, families and providers tell and listen to stories. Parents will be invited to participate individually or in group settings to read poetry and literature, reflect, write and share their work.

Akron Children's Narrative Medicine Program began in 2019. It is one of three hospital-based narrative medicine programs in the country.

FARMERS NAMED AMONG BEST: Farmers National Bank has been named one of America's best regional banks by Newsweek.

The news outlet recently compiled a list of the country's 250 best regional banks and credit unions in 2024 using market data research.

Farmers National Bank is a community bank headquartered in Canfield. It has 64 banking locations throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania and a robust wealth management division.

New businesses

NEW BREW: Trek Coffee House, 1588 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown, is open.

A grand opening was held Jan. 13 and 14, and included several special events, from a ribbon cutting ceremony to coffee education workshop to yoga.

HAIR BAR OPEN: Blo Blow Dry Bar, a blow dry bar and blow dry bar franchise, has opened its second location in Ohio at 4559 Boardman Canfield Road, Canfield.

The new bar offers five signature styles on its hair menu, a la carte options, a variety of hair treatments, plus five signature makeup looks and a section of customized looks to provide inspiration.

UP AND RUNNING: Fleet Feet, a franchisor of specialty run stores, has opened a new location at 1449 Boardman Canfield Road, Unit 250. It is the fifth location in Ohio.

Fleet Feet Youngstown offers a wide selection of premium footwear and curated apparel, from brands such as Vuori, lululemon and Rabbit.

People on the move

FARMERS ADDS TO WEALTH MANAGEMENT TEAM: Canfield-based Farmers National Bank has expanded its wealth management division in western Pennsylvania with the hire of David Kraemer as banking officer, senior investment executive.

Kraemer has more than two decades of senior-level experience in wealth management and the public and private capital markets. Prior to joining Farmers National Bank, Kraemer spent 11 years in New York City with Merrill Lynch as a private wealth and business financial adviser.

Business News

Business briefs

717 CREDIT UNION RECOGNIZED: 717 Credit Union has been nationally recognized by Newsweek, which calls 717 "one of America's best credit unions."

A study that analyzed more than 9,400 banks and regional credit unions across the U.S. awarded the top 250 credit unions and top 250 regional banks. In order to receive such a top designation, the banks and credit unions had to meet certain scoring criteria that look at stability, profitability, risk exposure during uncertain times and the overall health of the organization.

WILLIAMSON AT YSU TO HOST OPEN HOUSE: The Williamson College of Business Administration at Youngstown State University will host an open house for prospective students and guests 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 27 at Williamson Hall on campus.

Attendees can tour the facilities, which include tech-enhanced classrooms, financial services lab and auditorium. Tours of the television studio, audio production facilities and podcasting studio in Bliss and Meshel Halls also will be available.

Lunch will be provided. Tours of the campus and residence hall also are available.

Register at ysu.edu/williamson-college-business-administration. Free parking is available on Wood Street near the southern entrance to Williamson Hall.

CHAMBER TO HOST EVENT: The Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber and partner, the Youngstown Business Incubator, will host "Supplier Diversity Boost: Connecting minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses" 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 31 at Stambaugh Auditorium, 1000 Fifth Ave., Youngstown.

The networking event is designed to increase supplier diversity by encouraging partnership from minority-, women- and veteran-owned companies.

Register at regionalchamber.com under the Events tab.

WORKSHOP OFFERS HELP TO IMPROVE FINANCES: Credit Union of Ohio will offer its free Financial Fitness Boot Camp virtual workshop noon Thursday. Attendees will learn tips to increase their credit score, live within a budget, build a savings plan and stay accountable to financial goals.

Credit Union of Ohio will offer a variety of free virtual workshops in 2024 that are open to the general public. View the full schedule and get registered at cuofohio.org.

New businesses

REAL ESTATE CONSULTING FIRM OPENS: Boardman native, Zach Struharik of Columbiana, has started Struharik Real Estate Consulting.

The firm offers consulting services in interior design, real estate buying and selling, and new home construction consulting.

Struharik's background includes multiple years in the home construction and improvement industry and real estate.

RIBBON CUTTING: A ribbon-cutting ceremony for Harmonic Egg Wellness, 70 W. McKinley Way, Poland, was scheduled for Tuesday.

Owned by Sonya Diaz, Harmonic Egg promotes mental, emotional, physical and spiritual healing and wellness using geometry, light, color and sound frequencies.

FITNESS STUDIO OPEN: HOTWORX-YOUNGSTOWN, 1301 Boardman-Poland Road, Suite H, Youngstown, held its grand opening recently.

The studio, the first HOTWORX in the Mahoning Valley, is a 1,600-square-foot fitness studio with seven saunas, FX zone and retail items. Its training method combines heat, infrared energy and exercise. All workouts are taught by a virtual instructor enabling members to book workouts 24 / 7 through an app.

People on the move

WEAN FOUNDATION ADDS STAFF: The Raymond John Wean Foundation in Warren has brought on Ashley Burgess as associate of operations and facilities.

In the role, Burgess coordinates the activities of the foundation's building to ensure the facility is safe and functions at peak performance, including maintaining day-to-day facility operations, facilitating room reservations, supporting organizational needs during meetings and events, and assisting staff with resolving any operational concerns or problems.

Burgess most recently served as operations manager for David's Bridal in Lyndhurst and has nearly 10 years of customer service and sales experience.

CFMV HIRES DIRECTOR: The Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley has hired Shawntae Burton as philanthropic services director.

In the new position, Burton will partner with fundholders / advisers to support their philanthropic goals and to connect them with community needs. She'll also work with people interested in opening funds to align their goals with the foundation's priorities and connect with professional advisers to educate them on fund opportunities.

The role also will partner closely with other foundation directors to ensure the work done by the foundation keeps with the new strategic plan, which focuses on centering the people and organizations doing important work to improve the Mahoning Valley, as well as including community leaders in CFMV work.

She most recently was an outreach coordinator at Youngstown State University, where she helped create the Assured Digital Microelectronics Education and Training Ecosystem program.

NEW MEMBER AT MAYO: Mayo Realtors has added Theresa Colella to the agency's professional sales team.

She has experience in banking and insurance and is involved in the Hubbard community, including the Hubbard Jr. Garden Club.

Submit business briefs, new businesses and people on the move to business@tribtoday.com.

Business News

Business briefs

BUSINESS SEMINAR SCHEDULED: The Business Resource Center at Valley Economic Development Partners will hold a lunch and learn event on business and accounting principles 1 to 2:15 p.m. Thursday at the Wean Foundation, 147 W. Market St., Warren.

The presentation will feature Tim Petrey, managing partner at HD Davis CPAs, CEO at White Glove Payroll and founder of the Penguin Collective. He will discuss the importance of financial management, understanding financial statements and how they correlate to a business's success or failure, and success stories and lessons learned.

Lunch will be provided.

RSVP by 3 p.m. Tuesday to Matt Longmire at matthew@valleyedp.com or 330-759-3668, Ext. 111.

VALLEY STEM TO HOST INNOVATION DAY: Valley STEM + ME2 Academy will host STEM Innovation Day, a hands-on event designed to inspire and engage students in grades six to eight in the world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The event is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 27 at the academy, 7300 N. Palmyra Road, Canfield.

The day will be an engaging and educational experience for middle school students, providing them with hands-on activities and the opportunity to explore the academy and all it has to offer.

The event is free and includes lunch for all attendees. Due to limited space and resources, interested participants are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible to secure their spot.

To register, visit www.mahoningctc.com or contact Jessica Cene at jessica.cene@mahoningctc.com or 330 729-4000, Ext 1214.

HIGH SCHOOL TECH INTERNSHIP OPEN: The High School Tech Internship program is now open for Ohio students to enroll. The goal of the program is to provide Ohio businesses with the tech talent they need while providing students with valuable work experience at an early age.

To enroll, students or school districts must contact the intermediary in their region to be connected to a business that is hosting an internship experience.

Interns will perform job duties similar to what is expected of an entry-level employee in technology roles that focus on software development, data, cloud and IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, broadband / 5G, advanced mobility and other tech-focused roles.

Ohio employers hosting interns will be reimbursed up to 100% of the wages paid to interns, up to $5,000 per intern. Employers are also eligible to earn bonuses for each student who earns certain industry-recognized credentials. Interested businesses can contact the intermediary in their region to apply to host summer interns.

Intermediaries allow the program to be administered between schools and businesses.They also support the growth and administration of the internship program, including helping place students with participating employers.

Last year’s program created the opportunity for 510 Ohio students to participate in internships with 141 employers across the state.

The northeast Ohio intermediary is Youth Opportunities Unlimited. Email to edillenbeck@youcle.org.

FIRM SOUGHT MORE THAN $19M IN DECEMBER: KO Consulting in Youngstown announced they applied for $19.1 million in funding for their clients in December. The funding that was applied for is applicable to a wide range of clients,including school districts, municipalities and nonprofit organizations.

The firm consults business owners, nonprofits and government entities with economic development tools and strategies that will make project planning and development successful.

The grant funding is only a portion of the value we applied for throughout 2023. The firm will announce in early January the total amount of funding applied within the year.

New businesses

RIBBON CUTTING: A ribbon cutting to mark the grand opening of Las Casa Mexicana, 7334 Market St., Boardman, was scheduled for Wednesday.

Las Casa Mexicana offers authentic Mexican food and drinks.

People on the move

NEW DESIGNER: Jo Reese Coupland and Jackie Dell of Reese Floral Art, 49 Vienna Ave., Niles, welcome Bill Billion as a new designer to the more than 70-year-old business.

Billion is a graduate of Warren Western Reserve High School and the horticulture program. He has 41 years of experience in the floral and greenhouse business.

Billion began working at age 16 at Kunkel Florist in Warren, then associated with Higley’s and Creative Design in Niles. Billion has been associated with Michael’s Arts and Crafts in Niles since 2001.

Billion has been on board of directors and past president of the Niles Historical Society, Friends of the McKinley Memorial Library Board, Partnership for a Greater Niles and is board chair and board member of Niles Community Services since 2002.

RICHBERG JOINS CHAMBER: Vernard Richberg has joined the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber as director of economic opportunity and inclusion initiatives. In the role, he will drive initiatives that provide economic opportunities for businesses, particularly among diverse groups.

Richberg will collaborate with stakeholders to design and implement programs that foster economic growth, job creation and entrepreneurship; be an advocate for transformational change; and foster a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. He will also spearhead strategic projects and programs, creating a more inclusive workplace while unlocking economic opportunities for existing and potential members.

Having served as chair of the chamber's DE&I Committee since 2020, Richberg will continue to convene and oversee the efforts of the group and serve as a liaison to the chamber's staff, board and community partners. He will assist with public outreach campaigns; provide technical assistance, resources and relationship management support for diverse businesses as a chamber member benefit; create new member benefits for diverse businesses; and oversee an ambassador program for diverse business owners to network at chamber events.

Richberg, founder & CEO of digital technology company Micro Solo Digital and founder of EntreNetwork Entrepreneurial e-Learning Management Platform, is a certified business advisor who has dedicated much of his career to supporting minority-, women- and veteran-owned startups and small businesses.

He worked for more than five years at the Youngstown Business Incubator as managing director, director of supply chain diversity and regional director of the Youngstown Minority Business Assistance Center, after prior opportunities that included the position of financial advisor at Morgan Stanley for 10 years.

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