×

Business briefs

COMPANY FOUNDER HONORED: Tom Fleming, founder, chairman and CEO of Aim Transportation Solutions, a national leader in commercial fleet services, has been named to the 2024 Top Most Loved CEOs list.

The accolade highlights Fleming’s decades-long commitment to developing a work culture where everyone is valued, supported and inspired to excel.

The list celebrates exceptional companies worldwide that have rated their CEOs highest on the Love of Workplace Index, a system that surveys employees on various elements concerning employee satisfaction and sentiment, including the level of respect, support and sense of belonging they feel inside the company.

Earlier this year, Aim was named a Most Loved Workplace for the second year in a row.

Based on employee responses and feedback, the Most Loved Workplace certification is founded on rigorous criteria, including employee satisfaction, collaboration and overall workplace culture.

In the same survey, respondents were asked to rate their CEO, and the Aim employees gave Fleming five out of five stars, making him a Most Loved CEO.

UPCOMING CHAMBER EVENTS: The Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber will have its Lattes with Legislators and Taste of the Holidays Mixer in December.

Lattes with Legislators — 7:30 to 9 a.m. Dec. 9 at the Mahoning County Career & Technical Center, 7300 N. Palmyra Road, Canfield — will feature 58th District state Rep. Tex Fischer, R-Boardman.

On Dec. 11, the Taste of the Holidays Mixer is 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at The Lake Club, 1140 Paulin Road, Poland.

There will be themed drinks, a dessert table and heavy hors d’oeuvres.

Register for the events at regionalchamber.com under the Events tab.

People on the move

GROUP NAMES NEW LEADER: The Autism Society of Mahoning Valley has appointed Stacie M. Bacorn executive director.

With a background in nonprofit development, Bacorn has successfully led initiatives to secure funding, increase community engagement and implement impactful programs.

Bacorn steps into her role as the society continues to expand its programming and outreach. Her initial priorities include securing physical office space in the community, implementing strategic fundraising initiatives and strengthening the society’s largest annual event, the Mahoning Valley Warrior fundraiser.

STAFF ADDITION AT FIRM: Pecchia Communications has hired Nick Perry as art director. He leads the company’s print and digital design capabilities, adding value to initiatives in public relations, marketing, internal communications and organizational change management.

Before joining the agency, Perry was a print designer at Joe Mineo Creative in Youngstown. Prior to that, he served in design positions with rue21, a young-adult fashion retailer based near Pittsburgh, and the Youngstown State University Office of Marketing and Communication.

NEW HIRES / PROMOTIONS AT CREDIT UNION: 717 Credit Union recently brought on two new employees and promoted one who has been with the organization nearly 30 years.

• Melanie Christie recently joined as director of compliance and security.

In the role, she will assist with the development, maintenance and governance of 717’s compliance program to ensure conformity and adherence with all applicable federal and state laws, rules, regulations and internal policies.

• Jeovanna Padgett also was recently hired as information security officer.

In the position, she will manage the credit union’s information security program, assist in protecting member’s information and the credit union against cybersecurity threats.

• Lori Lambert, who has been with 717 for 29 years, was promoted to director of strategy and business process management.

As director she will oversee implementation of 717’s strategic plan. Lambert will continue to lead the business process department and document management in developing processes to improve the credit union’s efficiency and productivity.

To submit items for business briefs, new businesses or people on the move, email business@tribtoday.com.

Business briefs

DIGITAL JOBS TOOL LAUNCHED: America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, has launched a new education and workforce development digital tool, AMJobs.org, in collaboration with CAST, Inc., a nonprofit education research and development organization focused on designing equitable and inclusive learning experiences.

AMJobs is a free tool to facilitate access to a wide range of additive manufacturing careers, support the industry’s growth and foster talent development.

The platform was funded by the Ohio Department of Development.

HESCHMEYER AWARDED: The Association of Fundraising Professionals Mahoning-Shenango Chapter has selected Aundrea Cika Heschmeyer, founder of MARQUEE Creatives, as the recipient of the Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser Award for 2024.

Heschmeyer will be honored with other awardees at the National Philanthropy Day celebration Friday at Mr. Anthony’s in Boardman. The event is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The award recognizes individuals who demonstrate leadership skills in recruiting, coordinating, and motivating volunteers for fundraising projects. Recipients contribute personal time and effort to charitable causes and significantly influence a fundraising program’s financial success.

SHRM MEETING: The Western Reserve Society for Human Resource Management Chapter will have an event 5:30 to 7 p.m. Nov. 19 with Kaitlynn Kollar on “Best YOU Employee Wellness” at Double Bogey’s Bar & Grill at the Southern Park Mall, 7401 Market St., Boardman.

The cost is $21 for members, $25 for nonmembers and $11 for students.

Kollar is the owner of an online nutrition and wellness company.

She is a certified ACSM personal trainer, a Precision Nutrition certified coach, and a certified intermittent / extended fasting coach.

She will give an overview of nutrition and wellness, discuss workplace wellness and how health and wellness relate to a successful business, and how to implement a workplace wellness strategy.

Register at wrc-shrm.ohioshrm.org under the Events tab.

FREE FINANCIAL SEMINAR: Warren Community Financial Fitness will host a free seminar 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 23 at Community Family Outreach Complex, 2165 Highland Ave., Warren.

It will highlight life insurance, retirement planning, financial literacy and responsible credit

usage.

The speakers are Dr. Fareedah Goodwin-Capers, Brooke Moore with PNC Bank, Shelley Taylor with Paige & Byrnes Insurance and Kimberly Walker, an agency owner.

Register at financefit-capersmoore.com.

YSU STUDENTS PLACE IN COMPETITION: Students from the Williamson College of Business Administration’s Student Investment Fund placed third at the Indiana State University Student Managed Investment Fund Consortium.

The Youngstown State University team made its debut at the event, held Oct. 2-3 in Chicago. The team secured a $700 prize after competing against more than 140 universities from across the country.

The fund’s officers, President James Kover, Vice President Zakria Chandio, Secretary Alison Martin and Treasurer Simon Iwanonkiw, analyzed Nvidia’s business segments, conducted an intrinsic valuation and provided a comprehensive investment recommendation that impressed the judges.

They also visited the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the Chicago Board of Options Exchange.

The student investment fund started in 2008 with $250,000 provided by the YSU Foundation’s endowment fund. From 2009-13, the fund received an additional $50,000 each year from the foundation to invest.

It manages an equity portfolio valued at $3.4 million. Over the five-year period ending in 2023, the SIF portfolio generated a cumulative return of 127%, outperforming the S&P 500 by 37% during the same period.

AIM NAMED TOP COMPANY: Aim Transportation Solutions, a provider of commercial truck leasing, rentals, maintenance, logistics and other services, has been named a “Top Company for Women to Work in Transportation.”

The award is from Redefining the Road, the magazine of the Women in Trucking Association.

Aim is one of 134 companies selected for the honor. Aim was selected because of several defining characteristics, including a corporate culture that supports gender diversity, competitive pay and benefits, flexible scheduling and work policies, as well as opportunities for professional development and career advancement.

To qualify, Aim also had to meet the standards set by the association’s Index, a key industry measure that tracks the percentage of women in essential transportation roles.

LOCAL ATTORNEY RECOGNIZED: Canfield attorney Nils Peter Johnson, managing partner at Johnson & Johnson, is a district winner of the Ohio State Bar Foundation’s 2024 Community Service Award for Newer Attorneys.

The award recognizes attorneys under age 40 or with less than 15 years of practice who dedicate time and effort to local social service, civic, artistic or cultural organizations. The service must be outside the recipients’ practice of law and provided without compensation.

Johnson focuses on estate planning and real estate law. He is involved in the Canfield community, serving as past president of the Canfield Rotary Club and on the board of the OH WOW! Children’s Center for Science and Technology. Johnson also participates in the Mahoning County Bar Association’s grievance and ethics committee.

New businesses

SUB SHOP OPEN: Jersey Mike’s Subs was to open Wednesday at 2170 Millennium Blvd., Cortland.

Franchise owner Cedartown Foods, LLC will hold a grand opening and fundraiser through Sunday to support Lakeview Local School District. Customers who receive a special fundraising coupon distributed through a grassroots effort prior to the opening can make a minimum $3 contribution to the district in exchange for a regular sub. Customers must have a coupon to be eligible.

The restaurant’s hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.

LATE NIGHT COOKIES: Insomnia Cookies has opened its first store in Youngstown at 135 Lincoln Ave., near Youngstown State University.

It is the company’s 15th store in Ohio and 305th location in the U.S.

It is open noon to 1 a.m. Sunday, 11 a.m to 1 a.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday and Friday, and noon to 3 a.m. Saturday.

The store will deliver to YSU and throughout surrounding neighborhoods.

People on the move

717 ADDS STAFF: 717 Credit Union recently announced Dorian Smith has been added as its senior vice president of business development.

In the role, he will lead efforts to cultivate relationships in the community that will lead to new workplace partnerships and membership growth.

Smith was the owner and principal of MarLee Strategies, a leading business development and strategy consulting firm. He previously served as senior vice president of business development for American Heritage Credit Union in Philadelphia. There he directed sales activities and funding initiatives for one of the top 100 credit unions in the United States in assets and membership size.

AUDIT COMMITTEE MEMBER NAMED: Kris Wilster was recently appointed to 717 Credit Union’s supervisory audit committee.

The committee is responsible to help assure, for the benefit of the credit union and its members / owners, the safety of deposits, the soundness of management and fairness to all members.

Wilster is a director of environmental health at the Trumbull County Combined Health District.

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

Starting at $2.99/week.

Subscribe Today