Professional Documents
Culture Documents
T
he race is on, the competition stiff. Who will
break away from the pack is anybody’s guess.
Only one thing is certain – the automotive
industry is in the midst of the greatest revolution
in its history, with hordes of startup companies that
develop products worlds apart from those the major
automakers put out.
Much like the visionaries of a hundred years ago,
who built the forerunners of the modern automo-
bile, today’s entrepreneurs envision – and in some
cases build – vehicles that get the equivalent of 100
miles per gallon of fuel, produce zero emissions,
manuever through crowded streets and stopped
traffic, fit between parked cars and catch the eyes
of passersby.
“The Tango is the world’s fastest urban car and ar-
guably the safest,” boasts Rick Woodbury, president Oliver Kuttner, CEO of Edison2, in the running for the Automotive X Prize, hopes his Very Light Car will win the $10 million purse.
of Commuter Cars (CommuterCars.com).
Based in Spokane, Wash., Commuter Cars competing for the Progressive Insurance Automotive that showcased the latest electric vehicles and
manufactures the Tango, an all-electric vehicle that X Prize and one of seven competitors that were on technology.
features tandem seating for the driver and one pas- display along Electric Avenue at the North American The Automotive X Prize, much like the Explora-
senger, goes from zero to 60 mph in four seconds, International Auto Show in Detroit. tion X Prize that grabbed international headlines
can reach speeds of up to 130 mph in one gear and Electric Avenue, new to the auto show this year, when it was awarded to Burt Rutan, who built and
produces zero emissions. It is among 51 vehicles was a 37,000-square-foot exhibit on the main floor See ELECTRIC VEHICLES, page 12
Inside
Growth Report 2010
W
ith more than a half-trillion dollars from Before the recession hit in December 2007, he
16 Taking Aim at Detroit’s Big 3 the stimulus package unspent, economists explains, “For whatever reason, American business
agree that the economy will enjoy a got complacent and lost something of its manage-
Joseph J. White, chief operating officer of sustained recovery this year. It’s 2011 they’re not ment edge. People were employed but managed not
CT&T United Inc. of Korea, stands before so sure about. to produce at their full potential. Even though the
one of the 25 models his company brought “A lot of correction in the economy has already measured unemployment rate dropped to 4.4% in
to the North American International Auto taken place,” observes George Mokrzan, senior late 2006, the ‘true’ unemployment rate was higher
Show. New Asian automakers are setting economist at Huntington Investment Management because some of the potential of employed workers
their sights on the domestic market. Services, Columbus. “There’s a lot of government was not fully tapped.”
spending in the pipeline. Spending will rise astro- When the recession took hold, management
nomically in the next couple of years.” laid off workers then “figured out how to get more
While the recovery, which began last summer potential out of the remaining workers,” he says.
with the gross domestic product growing 2.2% in “The extra potential was there.”
the third quarter, will continue this year, the rate of The need to hire workers back is reduced, May-
unemployment will remain high. Employers, playing See RECOVERY, page 4
19 Credit Unions 111 Mortgages Toll-Free: 1.877.527.3423 www.drsllc.net We Build Strong Networks, Relationships and Trust.
4 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
Recovery: From Page 3 pattern of the last two recoveries and gains strength
only gradually, it may take longer for the virtuous
land continues, and with management discovering cycle of strengthening income, confidence and
they weren’t getting workers’ full potential, they spending to get going this time. ... And even if it
won’t return to previous levels of employment. does, it will take several years at least to re-employ
“Some jobs have been permanently lost.” all of the resources idled by this downturn.”
And unlike some previous recessions and recov- All economists see reason for mild optimism. The
eries, “the job cuts and rehiring will not [Mayland’s housing market has “stabilized,” their term for not
emphasis] be symmetrical.” getting any worse. “That’s a huge step,” Huntington’s
By the end of 2010, says Bill Stone, senior vice Mokrzan says. The prices of houses for sale have
president and chief investment strategist in Phila- fallen all they’re going to, providing both buyer and
delphia for PNC Wealth Management Institutional seller a sense of confidence.
Investments, the formal unemployment rate should While Americans are buying homes – sales are
drop to 9.6%. Growth for this year should be in trending upward (“Up five straight months,” May-
the neighborhood of 3% and growth for the fourth land notes, “and the sixth is flat) – most are moving
quarter of 2009 should come in at 2.8% (figures into existing houses or condominiums, not building
won’t be released until Jan. 29). new houses. So the only aspect contributing to GDP
“Less down is the new up,” he suggests. statistics, Mayland points out, are the real estate
Helping to sustain the recovery, Stone says, will agents’ commissions.
be the “greater availability of credit. It’s getting bet- New housing starts are at an annual rate of
ter,” he says. 500,000, Mayland notes, when “the nation can sus-
That would be welcome news to small businesses tain a 1.5 million or 1.6 million annual pace.”
in the Mahoning Valley where Lori Fuzo is a con- Bill Stone of PNC Wealth Management Institutional Investments Also contributing to the relative surge in home
sultant. Fuzo, a certified public accountant, reports believes growth this year should be in the neighborhood of 3%. sales are the income-tax credits Congress has pro-
most of her clients have yet to feel the recovery and simistically, [national] unemployment will remain vided most homebuyers. Without them, the market
remain frustrated at their bankers’ unwillingness to at 10% throughout the year.” would still be in the doldrums.
extend credit or restore their pre-recession limits. Whether the Labor Department’s figures released Consumer spending is rising, even leaving out
She does not expect any to rehire any time soon. Jan. 21 – against expectations, unemployment claims vehicle sales and gasoline, PNC’s Stone says.
“Businesses are still having a hard time getting rose to 482,000, an increase of 36,000 for the week “The savings rate has stabilized, even reduced,”
credit,” agrees A.J. Summell, assistant professor of ended Jan. 15 – is a blip or a harbinger is too soon Mayland adds. “The 90% who remain employed are
economics at Youngstown State University who to say. more confident.”
tracks the regional economy. “But it’s getting easier. Fourth-quarter GDP is expected to be somewhere “Consumer spending is picking up,” Mokrzan
It’s still a problem to get the credit they need but between 3% and 4%, Mayland, says, who projects says. “Some are returning to work.” He expects to
things will improve.” this year’s growth to end up just shy of 4%. “But I see “positive net payrolls” early this year.
Complicating the situation, he observes: “You always hasten to add that recovery does not mean With salaries and wages outside Wall Street
can’t force banks to make loans,” especially when a return to good times,” he cautions. “There’s still a expected to remain flat or grow only slightly, infla-
they are resisting re-regulation from Congress, the lot of unemployment.” tion is unlikely to threaten the economy this year,
scope and severity of which are both uncertain and In the Valley, still home to heavy manufacturing, the economists agree. “I regret to say there’s been a
unwelcome. With increased regulation comes banks’ employment should recover this year, Summell deceleration in the growth of wages,” Mokrzan says.
desire for more assurance they can lend profitably. says. Northeastern Ohio has reduced its reliance on “Year over year, the average hourly earnings have
The increased loan guarantees the U.S. Small manufacturing, Team NEO reports, citing the 30% risen only 2.2%. At the beginning of 2007, it was
Business Administration presented last February of the work force who depended on manufacturing near 4%. And we’re not at the bottom yet.”
were temporary. Still, they “had an impact,” Summell for their paychecks in 1981 to the 12% today. “We won’t see increases in real income until we
says. “They reduced small-business owners’ costs “I expect manufacturing employment to in- see a [significant] decrease in unemployment,” YSU’s
associated with loans. But how wise is it from the crease,” Summell says. “It will be more dramatic and Summell says. “As long as it’s above 8%, there’ll be
government’s perspective? You want to encourage happen more quickly than in the other sectors. ... no increase in real income.”
loan growth,” but should the government be as- Employment, pay and salaries, all will rise,” but not “With 10% unemployment, there’s a lot of slack
suming bank risk? The Federal Reserve Bank can’t enough to recoup all the jobs that disappeared. in the economy,” Mayland points out, and no incen-
reduce rates any lower, he says. The only bright spot in the unemployment pic- tive for employers to offer higher wages to attract
Investors’ allocations of their portfolios reflect ture he sees is, “In the last six months, job losses new workers.
the battering the first decade of this century inflicted stabilized. I expect employment manufacturing to Paradoxically, an economy in recovery may well
on stocks, Stone says, with most PNC clients more increase. It will be more dramatic and happen more spur the unemployed no longer counted in Depart-
interested in safety than return. “It’s 50% stocks, 50% quickly than in the other sectors.” ment of Labor statistics (long out of work and no
bonds at the moment,” he reports. “There’s still an Like Mayland, Summell sees some jobs lost for longer looking) to seek to re-enter the work force
eye on the risk out there.” good. “We’ll never get back all those jobs. To transi- and be counted as among the unemployed, Mokrzan
Huntington Investments’ Mokrzan expects to tion is neither easy nor pleasant,” he says, pointing says, thus making it appear that unemployment
see growth this year of 3.4% in what he describes to the need for more workers in the health and numbers are worse.
as a “moderate recovery.” He calls himself “more transportation sectors. That does not mean those Last October the rate of inflation fell 0.2% year
optimistic than most economists” as he see payrolls laid off from manufacturing can switch easily to over year but November’s numbers saw better than
and the labor market rebounding. “There was no another field that might pay less. a 1.8% increase over November 2008, Mayland says.
labor hoarding during the downturn,” he says with The most optimistic outlook comes from Joshua He sees a 3% rise in inflation this year. PNC’s Stone
intended understatement. N. Feinman, chief economist at DB Advisors, a concurs, noting, “The long-term average for inflation
November’s numbers buttress his optimism that subsidiary of the Deutsche Bank Group. He sees since the 1930s is a little over 3%.”
unemployment may fall more than most economists an annual growth rate this year of 2.5% the first Summell and Mokrzan agree that, as the latter
predict. “The weekly hours worked rose at their quarter, 3.2% the second, 3.5% the third and 4.0% puts it, “Inflation is not so much a near-term worry.
quickest pace since January ’06,” he points out. “This the last. And he predicts 2011 will start strong with ... Three to five years from now it could be.” Summell
confirms that the recovery is broad-based, covering 4.2% growth. says, “It’s not an immediate concern. Potentially, it’s
manufacturing and nonmanufacturing as well.” Fourth-quarter 2009 growth, he points out, “re- a major problem in the not-so-distant future.”
In the Mahoning Valley, Summell says, it won’t be flects a slower pace of inventory liquidation rather “Stocks have moved ahead of the economic
until 2014 “before we see 2007 employment levels. than an acceleration of final demands.” recovery,” PNC’s Stone says, “and so far the stocks
2012 is the earliest we’ll see 6% unemployment. Pes- Feinman notes, “If the labor market follows the have been right.”
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 5
� � � � �
����
Get a jump on the new year. Contact The Middlefield
� � � � � � � � � � � �
� � � � � � � �
� � � � � The Middlefield
�� �
� � � � � � Banking Company
� � www.middlefieldbank.com
888-801-1666
Cortland 330-637-3208
Main Office 888-801-1666 | West 440-632-1666
Chardon 440-286-1222 | Garrettsville 330-527-2121
Mantua 330-274-0881 | Orwell 440-437-7200 | Newbury 440-564-7000
2010 Priorities Ad
Business Journal - 9.25” x 5.375”
Proudly
Contributing
to the
Technology
Industr
in the Valley y
�������������������������������������������� ����������������
6 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
Growth
Akron-Canton Airport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Ohio Edison Penn Power Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Alcyon Wealth Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Orthopaedic Surgery Center at Beeghly Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Allegheny County Airport Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Packer Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Report
America’s Insurance Agency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Paisley House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
American Business Center Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Palo Creative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Associated School Employees Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Park Vista. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Augenstein, Gabriele and Mapes CPAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Penn-Northwest Development Corp... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
B.J. Alan Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Phoenix CPAs and Consultants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Basinger Auction Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Phoenix Systems Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Beatitude House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Polish Youngstown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Belleria Pizza and Italian Restaurant, Boardman . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Precision Manufacturing Institute. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Belleria Pizza and Italian Restaurant, Hubbard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Premier HR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Berner International Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 PRM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
2010
Best Western Penn-Ohio Inn and Suites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Prodigal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Bob and Chuck Eddy Chrysler Dodge Jeep. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Regional Chamber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Briarfield Health Care Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Reminger Co. LPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Bury Financial Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Salem Area Visiting Nurse Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Butler County Community College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Salem Community Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Butler Institute of American Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Home Savings and Loan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Sam Pitzulo Homes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
C. Tucker Cope and Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Humility of Mary Health Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Schroedel, Scullin and Bestic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Cafaro Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Huntington Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 SenSource . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Cailor Fleming Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 I-Conn Video Productions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Service Corps of Retired Executives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Canfield Computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 IDMI.net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Seven Seventeen Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Carney-McNicholas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Infinity Design Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Sharon Regional Health System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Castlo Community Improvement Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 InfoCision Management Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Sharon Regional Health System School of Nursing. . . . . . . . . . . 61
Cboss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Innis Maggiore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Shenango Valley Chamber of Commerce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Cerni Motor Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 J.P. Marsh and Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Retirement Services . . . . . . . . 63
Chappell’s House of Pictures and Frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Jameson Health System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Stambaugh Auditorium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Cohen and Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 JaneCo’s Sensible Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Stifel, Nicolaus and Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Columbiana County Port Authority. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 JFS Wealth Advisors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 TDDS School of Allied Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Come Stay and Play Pet Resort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Jolley Industrial Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 The FitNesst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
CommonCents Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Kent State University Trumbull Campus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Thiel College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Keynote Media Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Tri-County Tower Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Covelli Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Kiraly Tool and Die. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Trumbull County Planning Commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Cure-All Professionals.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Komara Jewelers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Trumbull County Tourism Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
DRS LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Kravitz Delicatessen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 UPMC Horizon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Drywall Barn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Kutlick Realty LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Valley Electrical Consolidated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Duncan’s Bath and Kitchen Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Lawrence County Economic Development Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Valley Office Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Eastern Gateway Community College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Lien Forward Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 VisitMercerCountyPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Empyra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Lyle Printing and Publishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 W3 Wealth Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Facial Plastic and Aesthetic Laser Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Mahoning and Columbiana Training Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Wallace and Pancher Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Fallsway Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Mahoning Chapter of the American Red Cross . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Warren-Trumbull County Public Library. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Farmers National Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Mahoning County Mental Health Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Westminster College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Farmers Trust. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Mahoning Valley Economic Development Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 William Price Heating and Cooling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Farris Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Mahoning Valley Electrical Contractors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Window World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Fastsigns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Mayflower Wollam Insurance Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Windsor House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
First National Bank of Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 McCarthy Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Woodlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
First Place Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 McDonald Steel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 WSI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Flex-Strut Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Meridian Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 WYSU 88.5 FM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Focal Point Coaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Method 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Youngstown Business Incubator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Gorant Chocolatier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 MetroPlex Hotel and Conference Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Youngstown Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Gordon Bros. Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Micro Doctor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Youngstown Orthopaedic Associates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Great Garage Doors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Middlefield Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Youngstown State University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Greenville-Reynolds Development Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Modern Office Products, Boardman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 YSU Williamson College of Business Administration. . . . . . . . . . 29
HD Davis Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Montessori School of the Mahoning Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Yurchyk and Davis CPAs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Hill, Barth, and King . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 MS Consultants Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
www.ysu.edu
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 7
BlackBerry Storm2™
Wi-Fi enabled,
ultra responsive BlackBerry Tour™
Blac
Fastes BlackBerry processor
Fastest
$
17999 NEW!
BlackBerry
erry Curve™
global capabilities
with g
$279.99 2-yr. price – $100
mail-in rebate debit card. Wi-Fi enabled
led with
support forr popular apps
$
9999
$199.99 2-yr. price – $100
$
49 99
9 mail-in rebate debit card.
Let a Small Business Specialist find you the right smartphones at the right price.
Beneath the streets of Youngstown is a vast steam network delivering dependable, cost effective heating and cooling solutions to many of downtown’s businesses
and buildings, including the YMCA, the Home Savings Building, YSU and the DeYor Performing Arts Center.
We offer dependable, cost effective thermal energy solutions... with a system that has proven itself over the past one hundred-plus years.
We hope you share our commitment to downtown Youngstown. To “cover” all of your heating and cooling needs, please call Youngstown Thermal at 330.743.7712.
������������������
���
�����
�������
���������������
�����
� ����������������������������������������
���������������������������������
���������������
��������������� ������������������������������������
10 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
���������������� �������������
���������������������� �������������������
�������� ���������� ���� ������� ���� �������� �������� ������� �����
����� ��������� ������������� �������� ����� ������� ����� ���� ���������� ���
��������� �������� ����� �������� ���� ��������� �������������� ���� �������
���������������������������������� ������ ���������� ��������� ���� ���
����������
������������� ���� ����� ���� ������ ������� ������ ������� ��� �������������
��������������������������������� ����������������������������������������
���������������������� ���������������������������������������
�������������
������ ���� ����� ��� ���� ������ ������� ����� �������� ����� ����������� ����
�������������������������������������� �������������������������������������
��������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������������
�������������������
��������������������������������������������������
������������������������ ���������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������
����������������������������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������
�������������������� �����
��������������������������� �������������������������
������������������������������������������������������
�����������������������������������������������������
������������������������������������������������������������������
������������������
���������������������������������������������������������� �������������������
������������������ ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������
�������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������������
��������
����������������������������������� �����������������
����������������������������������������������
�����������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������������
����������������� �������������������������������
������������������������������������������������������������������
������������
�������������
� ����������������������������������������
���������������������� ���������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������
������������������������������������������������������������
�����������������������������������������
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 11
A
merican automakers may have announced
plans to slash the number of models they
produce, eliminating some brands altogether,
but the global market is growing evermore crowded
as Asian companies, unheard of until just a few years
ago, target profitable markets in the United States
and Europe and map a plan to unseat the Detroit
Big Three.
Chinese automaker BYD, which stands for Build
Your Dreams, plans to sell the e6 in the United States
later this year, an early step toward becoming the
world’s largest automaker – a goal company leaders
say it plans to achieve by 2025.
Considering the company’s success so far, that
may not be an unreasonable expectation. BYD Auto
has achieved impressive benchmarks since BYD,
an electronic parts manufacturer founded in 1995,
acquired Geijing Jichi Car Module Co. Ltd. in 2003
to establish BYD Auto.
It unveiled its first new car two years later and
captured 68 of China’s top automotive awards within
CT&T’s amphibious concept car drew the attention of this reporter, who lingered long after the vehicle was unveiled.
10 months. The Chinese automaker developed its
first “pure electric car” in 2006, the same year it Beach, Calif. Three other assembly and sales centers will be shipped from Korea with final assembly
began exporting large numbers of its automobiles are in the works, one slated to open near Philadel- performed in the United States, White explains.
to Ukraine. phia later this year, with another 34 set to open Within two years, he adds, the company hopes to
By January 2007, BYD was selling more than throughout the country by 2012, reports Joseph J. source most of the parts required for its electric
10,000 units of its most popular model, the F3, each White, chief operating officer. cars from domestic suppliers near its assembly and
month and celebrated production of its 100,000th Young Gi Lee, a former executive at Hyundai sales centers.
unit that June – a milestone achieved in just 20 Motor Corp., established CT&T after becoming Target markets include coastal and retirement
months. This set a record for independent automak- frustrated because all of the golf cars in Korea were communities where small, low-speed electric ve-
ers in China, and sales have continued to expand at produced by foreign manufacturers, White says. hicles and recreational vehicles are likely to be in
an equally impressive rate. Today, CT&T, he notes, is the world’s largest manu- strong demand from residents, White says. Although
During a press conference at the auto show in facturer of electric vehicles. the vehicles can be registered and licensed for opera-
Detroit earlier this month, company leaders told The privately held company has manufacturing tion on public roadways, laws that restrict how fast
reporters that BYD had sold 450,000 new cars in sites in Korea and China with plans to add seven they can travel prevent them from using high-speed
China last year, up 160% over 2008. This year, they more throughout Asia and 30 regional assembly and thoroughfares.
reported, the goal is to sell 800,000 units, putting sales centers throughout Europe. This is in addition The car company is also targeting customers
the company on track to become China’s largest to the 40 assembly and sales centers it plans to open that could benefit by using electric utility vehicles
automaker by 2015 and the largest in the world in the United States. for commercial purposes: municipalities that could
by 2025. The regional assembly sales center (RAS) is an use them to patrol parking areas, postal services that
While BYD was the only Chinese automaker entirely new business model that locates manufac- could use them to deliver mail, amusement parks
with a full-blown display at the North American turing sites near target markets and eliminates chains and other entertainment centers that could use them
International Auto Show in Detroit this year – ap- of dealers, White says. Buyers visit the assembly to transport visitors, factories that could use them
pearing on the main show floor rather than the lobby plants, which also include a showroom and track to provide meal services to workers, companies that
where it exhibited last year – auto analysts have for test-drives, to order and pick up their vehicles. could use them to replace existing fleets of delivery
identified at least three other Chinese automakers Cars can also be ordered online. vehicles and the list goes on.
with the potential to become major players in the Not only does this greatly reduce costs – because Cost of CT&T’s electric cars range from $10,000
global auto industry. They include Geely Automobile vehicles need not be shipped long distances – White to $24,000 reports its president, CEO and founder.
Holdings and Chery Automobile – both exhibited says, but it allows managers to be more accessible Factor in federal and state tax credits designed
at the NAIAS last year – and Shanghai Automotive and responsive to customers. Buyers are also more to encourage consumers to buy environmentally
Industry Corp. likely to identify with and choose to purchase friendly cars – credits that range up to $7,000 – and
Korean automaker CT&T, founded in 2002, vehicles manufactured in their communities by final costs could be as little as $6,000 or $7,000,
made its first appearance at the Detroit show this companies that employ their friends, families and Lee says.
year with 24 models of its all-electric vehicles on neighbors. The greatest challenge Lee says his company
display, including three concept cars: a flashy sports Eash RAS in the United States is expected to faces in the United States is “educating Americans
car, a six-wheeled amphibian capable of going from employ about 100 hourly and 15 salaried workers to the benefits of electric vehicles.” In Korea, CT&T
land to water and vice versa, and its next-generation and produce 10,000 vehicles a year while operating has captured nearly 90% of the electric vehicle
passenger car. on one shift. market.
CT&T has already sold 5,000 of its cars in the CT&T began exporting vehicles to the United The company forecasts global sales of its electric
United States and is ramping up regional assembly States in October 2009. As the regional assembly vehicles designed for use in cities will generate $25
and sales centers in Atlanta, Duncan, S.C., and Long and sales centers ramp up, partially assembled cars billion this year and $250 billion in 2013.
12 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
Electric Vehicles:
From Page 1
flew the world’s first private vehicle into space in
2004, was developed to inspire “radical break-
throughs for the benefit of humanity,” says an X
Prize Foundation spokeswoman.
The Automotive X Prize, she explains, is designed
“to inspire a new generation of super fuel-efficient
vehicles” – cars that achieve the equivalent of 100
miles per gallon of fuel or better – and are safe,
produce little or no emissions, and are capable of
being produced in mass and sold at prices most
consumers could afford.
Winners, selected based on their performances
in a series of competitions and evaluations slated
to take place from April through August, will be
announced in September and awarded a share of
the $10 million purse.
“There are 140 million workers in the United
States and 106 million of them drive to work alone.
Commuting is a single-occupant job,” Commuter
Cars’ Woodbury observes.
Citing statistics from the U.S. Department of
Transportation, he reports that 90% of all automobile
trips involve a single occupant. For these trips, he
says, the Tango is ideal. It isn’t designed to replace
the family car, but to provide more efficient trans-
portation for commuters.
The Tango, its developer explains, is especially
suited for congested urban areas because of its size
and functionality. It is 8-feet, five-inches long, 39
inches wide and 60 inches high, making it more
comparable to a motorcyle than traditional auto-
mobiles. The EVI Special from EV Innovations Inc. is among several lithium-powered vehicles the Charlotte, N.C.-based company makes.
Much like a motorcycle, Woodbury says, the SABA Motors’ Carbon-Zero Roadster, is a sleek, technology and taken it to the max.”
Tango can park in tight spaces and maneuver 100% electric two-seater that goes from zero to 60 What that means is that engineers and designers,
through traffic easily. In communities where lane in five seconds, can reach a top speed of 105 mph using traditional methods and materials, have suc-
splitting is legal, he says, the advantages Tango of- and travels up to 140 miles on a single charge. cessfully reduced the weight and aerodynamic drag
fers can be “staggering,” reducing the time it takes The Carbon-Zero Roadster’s traditional styling of the vehicle to achieve extreme efficiencies.
to travel along congested roadways to a fraction of offers “mass appeal,” observes Chris Arcus, direc- The Very Light Car, Kuttner reports, weighs
what it would take to cover the same distance in a tor of electrical engineering at SABA Motors Inc. less than 1,200 pounds, can travel up to 100 miles
traditional car or truck. (SABAMotors.com). “It’s a very conventional-look- per gallon of E85, reaching speeds up to 110 mph
Some drivers may be hesitant to operate the tiny ing sportscar.” and going from zero to 60 in seven seconds. It can
car on the same roads and highways as large com- The Carbon-Zero Roadster consists of an aircraft- accommodate up to four passengers and has more
mercial vehicles, Woodbury acknowledges. But, he strength aluminum and steel frame and fiberglass than 10 cubic feet of storage space. So, unlike some
insists, the Tango “is arguably the safest” vehicle on shell and could be on the market within six months of the other X Prize contenders, it could replace
the road. It incorporates a racecar-style roll cage and if the San Jose, Calif.-based company is successful the family car.
four-point harness system, has four times more steel in securing funding. Arcus estimates $75 million Kuttner says his team chose to develop a vehicle
in its doors than an SUV and, Woodbury reports, would be required to begin mass production of the that could run on E85 rather than electricity for a
“so much acceleration you car, about one-tenth of number of reasons. First, he says, E85 is available.
can just squirt out of the “There are 140 million workers in the United what he says it would cost Many consumers, he notes, don’t have the facilities
way [of larger vehicles] in to ramp up production for to charge electric vehicles at their homes or places
a hurry.”
States and 106 million of them drive to work a steel-bodied car. of business and the infrastructure is not in place to
Thus far, Commuter alone. Commuting is a single-occupant job,” One of the require- open charging stations.
Cars has sold 11 Tangos, Commuter Cars’ Woodbury observes. ments contenders for the Second, electric vehicles may produce zero
the first in 2005 to actor Automotive X Prize must emissions but most electricity in the United States
George Clooney. The downside, Woodbury says, is meet, Arcus notes, is submission of a viable busi- – electricity used to recharge the batteries of electric
its price: $150,000 and cars are built to order with ness plan that demonstrates the feasibility of mass vehicles – is generated by burning coal and other
a $75,000 deposit. producing the vehicle. According to SABA Motors’ fossil fuels. So, describing electric vehicles as emis-
With enough capital to go into mass produc- plan, the price of the Carbon-Zero Roadster would sions-free is misleading, Kuttner explains. Further,
tion, Woodbury says the price could come down initially be in the mid-$40,000s and drop as produc- increased demand for electricity to charge vehicles
substantially. “With $50 million of capital we could tion increased. should they displace traditional vehicles would
build 5,000 units over two years and sell them for Yet another contender, The Very Light Car, built require substantial investment in power plant up-
$44,000,” he says. With $150 million, Woodbury by Edison2 (Edison2.com), based in Lynchburg, Va., grades and expansion of existing infrastructure.
says his company could build 30,000 units and sell stood out along Electric Avenue not only because of Finally, Kuttner says, electric vehicles are best
them for $29,000 apiece. its unique design, which loosely resembles a wing- suited to urban environments where commuters
The Tango can travel up to 60 miles on a full less airplane, but because it runs on E85. travel distances that remain within the range of a
charge using lead-acid batteries and more than 200 The Very Light Car “is extremely simple and ex- single charge.
miles using lithium-ion batteries. tremely reproduceable,” says Oliver Kuttner, owner Although Kuttner declined to say how much
Another contender in the X Prize competition, and CEO. “We’ve incorporated all conventional CONTINUES NEXT PAGE
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 13
MARKETING
SEE
both worlds to the development of your site.
EYE TO EYE
330.707.2088
prodigalmedia.com | idmi.net
14 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
Journal Opinion
Photographer Tony Mancino
Rate Comparisons Cara J. McClure
Sales Manager Janet O’Malley
Account Executives Gail S. White
Dan Gonder
Art Director/ Fred Sipe
Webmaster
Joining the Resistance
“I refuse to participate in the recession.” ter some 30 years is no miracle, but a testament
That simple message, on a button worn by a to prudent management, a work force that turns
visitor to Prodigal in late 2008, stuck in the mind out a competitive product, and being sufficiently
of Prodigal founder Jeff Hedrich. He recalled it as nimble to respond to changing conditions and op-
his company submitted its story for this, our 25th portunities.
Growth Report. Then there is this story, reported on Business-
T he Business Journal is published semi- The man knew all was not well with the economy. JournalDaily.com as Growth Report 2010 went to
monthly (twice a month) in Youngstown, Ohio. Pretending otherwise is a prescription for failure but press, of Michael Garvey of M-7 Technologies and
Copyright 2010 by Youngstown Publishing Co. don’t let bad times blind you to the opportunities Jack Scott of ASC2, who have pooled their resources
within reach, he was saying. Take some effort and to form Ohio Clean Technologies Group.
All rights reserved. Reproduction or use, with- develop a plan so you’ll emerge prepared for better Their venture will act as a “commercialization
out written permission, of editorial or graphic times ahead. engine,” as Garvey put it, for the green technolo-
content in any manner is prohibited. Or as George Bernard Shaw wrote in another gies expected to emerge from the Warren incubator
context: Others look around and ask, Why? I look under development. The businessmen plan to spend
Average Issue Readership: 45,000
around and ask, Why not? $1 million to start their venture, which includes
Mail Subscription Rates: $42 for 12 months; Another company, McDonald Steel, relates in its construction of a headquarters building to house
$77 for 24 months; $96 for 36 months. Growth Report how it has adapted to the crash it demonstration projects showcasing how these
Back Issues: If available, $4.75 apiece saw coming. CEO Timothy Egnot writes that his technologies work.
prepaid (mailed); $3.25 apiece prepaid management team identified and addressed potential Stories such as these are far from uncommon in
(picked up at our office). problems before they became insurmountable. The the Mahoning Valley, as readers will see in these
mini-mill continued to diversify its product mix. pages. Refusing to participate in the recession is
Submission Policy: News articles and photographs Among its new shapes are prototype door hinges simply having a strong work ethic and harnessing
may be submitted but cannot be returned. We reserve
the right to select and edit all articles and letters.
that will be used in a Volkswagen midsize sedan it to the innovative thinking for which this region
All submissions become the editorial property of The built in Chattanooga, Tenn. has been known.
Business Journal. Submissions may be edited and Few industries have seen the turmoil that has af- We received a record number of submissions
may be published or re-used in any medium including flicted steel, and certainly not here in the Mahoning for Growth Report 2010. Such an outpouring, we
Business Journal television and radio reports and the Valley. Global competitors that don’t play fairly to believe, is a response to the economic environment
Daily Business Journal Online. reluctance by labor and management to acknowl- in which we all operate. Yes, there are challenges,
Locally owned by the edge the shifts in the industry are only two aspects markets have shrunk and some of our customers
of this turmoil. have gone out of business or gone bankrupt. But we
Youngstown Publishing Co. That McDonald Steel continues to operate af- survive to grow another day. And grow we will.
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 15
Impressions �����������������
���������������
Bullies Then and Now, ������������������������������������
In Their Bully Pulpits
From the schoolyard All of us have experienced some
form of bullying at one time or
to the workplace to another. Back when I was a sopho- ������ �����������
the media to politics. more in high school, the toughest, �����������
�
������ ������ ����������
�
meanest rogue senior, a fellow named
I ����������
n an early episode of the Andy Gary Schuster, bullied my good friend
Griffith show, a bully confronts Bill Wise and me. I dreaded arriving
Andy Taylor’s small son, Opie.
This much bigger
at school each morning wondering
what new form of
�����������������
and tougher kid There are big-time bullies in humiliation Gary
terrorized Opie our own country who use their would come up
and extorted his
lunch money every
bully pulpits to promote hatred with. One of us
might have to retie
morning. “Gimme against anyone with whom they his shoes, carry
that nickel or I’ll disagree. his cafeteria tray, ������������
punch you in the
eye,” the bully would threaten.
And with each threat, Opie reached
or serve as a look-
out so Gary could pull off some sort
of mischief.
������������
into his pocket for the money – that is, I still see him in my mind – a char- ����������������� ����������������
until Andy figured out what was go- acter right out of the movie version of ������������������������������������������������������������
ing on. After a pep talk when he told “Grease,” with his T- shirt, tight jeans
his son that the only way to end the and oiled hair in a D.A. cut. Gary ru-
threat was to confront the bully, Opie ined my sophomore year and I regret
did. Opie ended up with a black eye that I did not stand up to him. If I had,
but he stood up to his tormentor and though, I probably couldn’t brag today
the bullying stopped. See ZONA, page 16
BY GAIL WHITE
Commentary
¡Viva la Revolución!
W hen we launched our
new multi-media Web site,
BusinessJournalDaily.com,
last year, we thought it was a pretty
good idea.
Much like the Internet naysay-
ers, many thought the “picture box”
would be a passing fad.
Instead, television became a revo-
lution.
We were wrong. We l c o m e t o R e v o l u t i o n 2
It was an incredibly, stupendously (squared).
great idea! As a child, I remember life stopped
There was no way for us to antici- at 6 p.m. when Mom and Dad sat
pate the reaction to this brainstorm. down to watch the news. Unless the
Since the dawn of the Internet, house – or a sibling – was on fire, you
the media industry suspected that knew better than to disturb them.
this new communication outlet was Back then, nearly 100% of the homes
going to be a force to be reckoned that had their televisions on at 6 p.m.
with. were watching the local news. (Of
I liken it to the days when every- course, there were no other programs
one gathered around the radio every to watch back then.)
evening – and then television came According to most recent Neilson
along. See WHITE, page 16
16 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
Zona: Bullies Then and Now in Their Bully Pulpits Goldstein’s armies will attack Oceania,
From Page 15 who had no scruples about elimi- to leave the United States. its citizens were reminded daily. His
that I still have all my own teeth. nating anyone he even suspected One bright spot of that sordid force will attack and destroy what we
I visited my old school chum Bill a of thinking about challenging his time, still rerun on documentaries, have, Big Brother warned. It’ll be ever
little while ago. We reminisced about authority. was one man who publicly stood up so much worse.
our high school years and, yes, we Today we have such international to him, Joseph N. Welch, counsel When the Communists were a
discussed Gary Schuster. Bill con- bullies as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in for the U.S. Army during what have threat, voices in the media and Con-
fessed that in the summer after Gary Iran, Kim Jong Il in North Korea, and become known as the Army-McCar- gress focused on the menace from the
graduated, he got back at Gary for an assortment of others in nations thy hearings: “Until this moment, Russians, the Chinese and the North
both of us. Bill, armed with two eggs where dissent is equated with treason, Senator, I think I never really gauged Vietnamese.
and under cover of darkness, quietly no matter how noble-sounding their your cruelty or your recklessness. … Now that Communism is much,
approached Gary’s house. He found constitutions. Have you no sense of decency sir, at much less of a threat, a new boogie-
the bully in his back yard talking with I also feel strongly that there are long last? Have you left no sense of man had to be invented. The new
a friend. big-time bullies in our own country decency?” boogiemen are in our midst and have
Bill, who was a terrific baseball who use their bully pulpits to promote And of course, Joe McCarthy ex- adopted the guise of anyone on the
player, reared back and fired both hatred against anyone with whom ited the stage of history as have so other side of the political spectrum.
eggs at Schuster. Both hit their they disagree. many bullies in this country, before So we’re told.
mark. Screaming, “I’ve been shot and Sadly, there are people in the me- and since, once someone stood up to And what is so sad is that political
I’m bleeding,” Gary called out for his dia today who feel that the only way them. And we always ask, What took debate has been replaced by bullying
mother as Bill hopped on his bicycle that they can maintain their ratings so long? Why didn’t anyone stand up those of the opposing point of view.
and sped away. is by spreading fear of, and promot- or speak out earlier? No matter what form bullying takes,
“I did it for both of us,” Bill said. ing hatred toward, people who don’t In 1984, George Orwell laid out the only way to get rid of it is stand-
Incidentally, Bill is now a retired agree 100% with their political view- an ugly truth, that bullies try to keep ing up to it and saying, “Enough is
teacher, counselor and respected points. themselves in power by creating a enough!”
western Pennsylvania coach. I love history, particularly Amer- boogieman for the people to hate As Opie told his dad when Andy
Unfortunately, bullies exist in every ica’s 20th century. One of the most and fear. asked about his black eye, “Yeah, Dad,
facet of life, from the schoolyard bully, disgraceful chapters, though, was In Orwell’s dystopia, it was Gold- it’s a beaut. But you should see the
like Gary, to the to the workplace Sen. Joe McCarthy’s use of the fear stein. Let down our guard and traitor shiner on him!”
bully. There are corporate bullies of Communism to bully and destroy
and those who use their positions of
authority to coerce others so they can
the lives of many people to promote
himself. He even accused Charlie
White: ¡Viva la Revolución!
unfairly get their way. Chaplin of being a Communist sympa- From Page 15 Journal.
Josef Stalin was a political bully thizer and ultimately forced Chaplin Ratings for the Youngstown television Couple the Web news videos with
market, fewer than 45% of the house- daily e-mail blasts, distributing the
����
holds with their TVs on at 6 p.m. are day’s news to thousands of desktops,
� � ������������������������������������������������ watching the local news these days. and you have Revolution2.
� � � � ������������������������� Statistics like this prompt the Of course, all of this is just a fancy
question – Where are people getting schmancy newfangled idea unless
� � � � � � ������������ their news? it can positively affect the bottom
� � � � � � ������������ The answer to this question has
been studied for years and, quite
line.
It would be a lie to say we knew
frankly, is not rocket science. With this would be profitable. At best, we
��������
more news outlets and all-day news kind-of-thought it maybe-might make
programming, people don’t have to some money. Accounting blew a gas-
wait for 6 p.m. ket more than once in the early days as
�������
At The Business Journal, we chose the publisher submitted invoice after
to answer a different question: How do invoice while setting up our in-house
people WANT to get their news? video production department.
The concept of multi-media news We delayed going live with our
when you want it, for as long as you first video newscast to iron out the
������������������������ want it – and delivered to your desk- glitches; for one month the produc-
top – has struck a chord with our tion team rehearsed and revised to
readers (and viewers). ensure a flawless launch. But the mo-
When you visit our Web site today, ment the segments hit, we knew we
Melmor Associates, Inc. you can read local business news
stories that you may first have learned
had a winner.
Our eclectic readers know quality
“World’s Largest Since 1963
Material Handling about by reading our Daily Headlines news and from Day One that is what
Distributor” e-mailed to your in-box or watch they received from BusinessJournal-
���������
video segments on our daily newscast, Daily.com.
Baskets
Boxes
Cabinets
Carts
Dock Boards
Hoists
Hoppers
Lift Tables
��
��������
����������
the Business Journal Daily Buzz, and
on our “3 Minutes With…” interview
series. If the phone rings while you
are watching our video news, one
The dollars have followed, which
has eased the tension in accounting.
But more important, we are pleased
to provide more local business news
Casters Motors
Containers Paint Pots
������ click and the news is paused. One and more advertising opportunities to
Conveyors Racking ���������������� more click and our newscast or Mahoning Valley businesses.
Cranes Tote Pans interview resumes right where you The video production department
Call today left off. Then there is the most com- received a call from a paper in Indiana
840 Ann Street – PO Box 511 – Niles, OH 44446
for a FREE prehensive source of local business the other day. They wanted to know
330-652-1784 Phone – 330-652-1667 Fax catalog news you won’t find anywhere else, how we do this.
www.melmor.com
the print edition of The Business ¡Viva la Revolución!
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 17
�����
YOUNGSTOWN - WARREN
January 22,
2010 Interest Rates CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT PASSBOOK
www.carneyplastics.com / info@carneyplastics.com
STATEMENT
FINANCIAL INSTITUTION ANNUAL
in Ohio and Pennsylvania. CF BANK (formerly Central Federal S&L) 1 Year 1.50 — .10/
Personal, Professional Service. Wellsville 24 Mos. 1.75 — N.A.
1.50
HOME SAVINGS 12 Mos. Minimum $500 .35/
Youngstown 5 Year 2.75 — .35
Minimum $500
1 Year
1.85 —
1.15 — .50/
Cortland 13 Mos. 1.91 — .75
� � � � ���������
������������ 2 Year 1.91 —
� � � � �������
Youngstown 48 Mos. 1.25 — N.A.
��������������������
PNC BANK 1 Year .70 — N.A./
� � � � �������
Conneaut Lake, Pa. 5 Year 1.55 — .05
� � � � ������
Boardman 59 Mos. .10
���������������������� *Annual Percentage Yield Arrows tell whether rates rose or fell since last issue. Dashes indicate “unchanged.”
Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of The Business Journal compilations. Rates are subject to change without notice and should be
confirmed with the individual financial institution before entering into transactions. ©2010 Youngstown Publishing Co. All rights reserved.
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 19
January 22,
2010 Credit Union Rates
FINANCIAL CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT AUTO LOANS MORTGAGE LOANS
INSTITUTION Term APY Minimum Term Rate Type Down Payment Term Rate, 2-Wk Trend Fees
ASSOCIATED SCHOOL 1 Year 1.00 — $1,000 Up to 48 Mos. 5.25 Fixed 20% 15 Year 5.00 — 2+200
EMPLOYEES 2 Year 1.76 — $1,000 Up to 66 Mos. 5.50 Fixed 20% 20 Year 5.25 — 2+200
FIRST CHOICE COMMUNITY 1 Year 1.65 — $500 Up to 48 Mos. 5.65 Fixed 20% 15 Year 5.50 2+200
(formerly RMI CO. EMPLOYEES) 2 Year 2.00 — $500 Up to 60 Mos. 5.65
OHIO EDISON/ 1 Year 1.00 — $1,000 Up to 48 Mos. 5.70 Fixed 5% 15 Year 4.625 0+costs
PENN POWER 2 Year 1.76 — $1,000 Up to 60 Mos. 5.99 Fixed 5% 30 Year 5.25 0+costs
SEVEN SEVENTEEN 1 Year 1.00 — $1,000 Up to 48 Mos. 5.99 Fixed 5% 15 Year 4.375 0+costs
2 Year 1.75 — $1,000 Up to 60 Mos. 5.99 Fixed 5% 30 Year 5.00 0+costs
STRUTHERS FEDERAL 1 Year 1.00 — $1,000 Up to 48 Mos. 6.00 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A.
2 Year 1.51 — $1,000 Up to 66 Mos. 6.00
Arrows tell whether rates rose or fell since last issue. Dashes indicate “unchanged.” Rates are subject to change without notice and should be confirmed before entering into transactions.
©2010 Youngstown Publishing Co. All rights reserved.
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 21
L
ast year marked 30 years in Among the loan programs MVEDC includes sites ready for immediate the former Copperweld Steel complex
business for the Mahoning Valley spearheads are the state of Ohio 166 development. The two parks currently in Champion, French says.
Economic Development Corp., program and the Mahoning Valley have 25 tenants that collectively em- “Economic Development Rail Corp.
an agency devoted to job creation and Industrial Loan Fund. MVEDC as- ploy 950 people. and Economic Development Rail
economic diversification activities in sists Mahoning County and the cities The parks have been improved II Corp., both affiliates of MVEDC,
the Mahoning Valley. of Youngstown, Struthers, Niles and with utilities, roadways and railroads, experienced an active year of rail-car
As it looks ahead to the next 30 Girard by lending funds for business and are close to the interstate highway hauling of raw materials and finished
years, the agency is committed to expansions and retention. A micro- system. In addition, the parks offer a products to numerous companies in
further helping small companies loan fund was recently established to variety of existing structures for lease the Valley,” he reports.
take root or expand in the region, as assist the Youngstown Metropolitan
it improves MVEDC’s rail lines and
industrial parks, says its executive
director, Don French.
Housing Authority, or YMHA, to make
loans to businesses owned by YMHA
residents.
Development Network Tops
“MVEDC begins 2010 with a sub-
stantial amount of business develop-
ment work in progress and expects
The agency administers mini-
loan funds in both Columbiana and
Mahoning counties. The programs
Agenda at Shenango Chamber
2010 will be a productive year for
economic diver-
– funded by consortiums of banks
and governmental
sification in the During 2009, MVEDC assisted agencies – provide
Mahoning Valley,” 40 companies with loans total- s m a l l - b u s i n e s s
relates French. loans to individu-
T he Shenango Valley Chamber of
Commerce’s goal for 2010 is to
establish an alliance of Mercer
County development agencies to
bring more business to the county and
the leaders of the three agencies that
collaborated to form OH/PENN, the
first multi-state work-force develop-
ment alliance in the country. The
individuals recognized were Bert Cene
During the past ing $4 million through its own als and companies create more jobs for its residents. of Mahoning and Columbiana Train-
30 years, MVEDC funds and several public-lending unable to secure George Gerhart, executive direc- ing Association, Sam Gianetti of the
has directly assist- programs it administers. financing through tor, says major efforts by the chamber West Central Workforce Investment
ed 1,725 compa- traditional lending in 2009 included communicating Board, and William Turner of Trum-
nies, which collectively have invested sources, French says. with public officials about business bull County One-Stop.
$867 million while creating and pre- “MVEDC can also assist companies concerns relative to legislative issues, Recipients of the chamber’s annual
serving over 19,000 jobs, he reports. located anywhere within the state of such as the proposal to levy tolls on Phoenix Awards included Anytime
Through its affiliates and various Ohio as well as Beaver, Lawrence and Interstate 80, federal health care leg- Fitness, a startup; Minuteman Press,
lending programs, MVEDC assisted Mercer counties in Pennsylvania, with islation and the proposed “card check” entrepreneur; Cross IT Services and
67 companies with development funding through programs sponsored organized labor would use to recruit. Solutions, innovation; Crosstex In-
projects in 2009. These companies by the U.S. Small Business Adminis- “Local issues with which the cham- ternational, growth, small manufac-
represent a broad range of industries, tration,” French relates. ber was involved and supported in- turing; Dean Dairy Products, growth,
which together created and preserved The Technical Procurement Cen- cluded consolidating some school dis- large manufacturing; Buhl Mansion
over 1,350 jobs in the Mahoning Val- ter, jointly operated by MVEDC and tricts and changing the city of Sharon’s Guesthouse and Spa, growth, small
ley, French says. the Eastgate Regional Council of form of government,” he says. service; Wallace and Pancher, growth,
During 2009, MVEDC assisted Governments, assisted 18 companies The chamber welcomed 40 new large service; Community Action
40 Mahoning Valley companies with last year to obtain $10.1 million in members last year but also lost some Partnership of Mercer County, non-
loans totaling $4 million through its contracts for the sale of goods and due to the economy, Gerhart says. profit/service organization; and Ava-
own funds and several public-lend- services to various agencies of the Chamber events included its Busi- lon Golf and Country Club at Buhl
ing programs it administers. Total federal government. This activity ness Expo and banquet, during which Park, beautification.
investments by these companies will created and retained 288 jobs in the Jack Laeng, CEO of the Primary Other activities promoted by the
be $12.2 million and 1,057 jobs will Mahoning Valley. Health Network, was honored as per- chamber included Leadership Shenan-
be created or preserved. These lend- The Youngstown Commerce Park son of the year. go and various networking events and
ing activities also leveraged additional located in Jackson Township and the Also given special recognition were informational workshops.
A
tour of Lawrence County yields Allegheny County Jail.
snapshots of business activity In Shenango Township, the 15
and new projects in the midst tenants in Shenango Commerce Park
of a very difficult economy, reports continue to manufacture a variety of
The U.S. Small Business Linda Nitch, executive director of products ranging from Berner Inter-
Administration (SBA) the Lawrence County Economic national’s air curtains to Ferguson
Recovery Act has made Development Corp. Perforating’s metal products. About
“During the past 12 months, 300 people are employed at these
improvements to its Lawrence County’s residents and companies, Nitch says.
7(A) program, including businesses cre- In the city of
eliminating fees and ated many op - Ellwood City is working on a New Castle, the
portunities while insurance com-
providing a 90 percent living within the capital improvement project pany Treloar &
bank guarantee. constraints of the that will transform the down- Heisel is redevel-
global economy,” town business district. oping a building
Since SBA program details she says. on East Washing-
are often complicated for In Mahoning Township, sewer ton and Mill streets into new, modern
business owners to navigate, improvements are under way for offices for its 30 employees.
residents there as hopes run high that “Richardson Cooling Packages
First Place Bank has Centaur LLC could secure sufficient is another bright star shining in
appointed John Yurchison financing through bankruptcy court New Castle,” Nitch adds. The com-
as our SBA banker. to begin construction on Valley View pany started seven years ago in a
John Yurchison Downs, one of the largest potential rented building and then moved to
SBA Lender With over 25 years’ banking commercial development endeavors the New Castle Commerce Park,
to hit the region in decades. where it has expanded over the last
Vice President experience and 7 years “With the success of Washington three years.
First Place Bank specializing in SBA lending, County’s Meadows Racetrack and In Union Township, retail activity
John has the expertise to Casino and the Rivers Casino now remains strong. A new arrival in the
open, Valley View Downs is poised township, Beaver County Commu-
help local small businesses to capture the gaming dollars of the nity College at Lawrence Crossings,
Call today take advantage of new community and the region,” Nitch marked its first year in its new 25,000-
at 330-726-3623 national SBA initiatives says. square-foot building. The school has
In the southern part of the county, experienced “unprecedented growth
or 1-800-997-9856 on 7(A) loans. Ellwood City is working on a capital and is planning for additional stu-
or e-mail John at First Place is dedicating improvement project that will trans- dents,” Nitch says.
form the downtown business district Traveling northeast, many of Ne-
jyurchison@fpfc.net $10 million to assist local into an avenue lined with trees, side- shannock Township’s businesses con-
thriving small businesses walk cafes, and anchored by a com- tinue to do well. IPEC, the Interna-
through the SBA Recovery munity plaza, Nitch says. Meantime, tional Plastics and Equipment Corp.,
a number of initiatives stand to benefit continues to grow, largely because of
Act. We’re proud to this part of Lawrence County in terms the owners’ decision to reinvest profits
introduce John as the of job creation and retention. in infrastructure improvements, Nitch
small business community’s The Horsehead Corp. recently pur- says. Axion Power, which has opera-
chased locally operated International tions at the former New Castle Battery
advocate in boosting the Metals Reclamation Co., or Inmetco, sites as well as in Neshannock Busi-
local economy. for $35 million, she says. Inmetco em- ness Park, is poised to take advantage
ploys 97 people and operates the only of green technology, providing new
secondary smelter in North America products to the auto industry.
dedicated to recycling nickel, chromi- Neshannock Township last year
um and other metals from hazardous completed a sewer installation provid-
and nonhazardous wastes. ing Millennium Technology Park with
In addition Appalachian Lighting trunk lines and a lift station capable of
Systems Inc. located its corporate handling more than 800,000 gallons
®
headquarters in Wayne Township. of waste per day, Nitch says.
“This company is in the vanguard In New Wilmington, Westminster
of producing LED lighting that can College is a strong catalyst for the lo-
www.firstplacebank.com save at least 70% of energy consump- cal economy, she adds. With its 1,900
tion and produce a brighter, longer- students and faculty, its economic ef-
Member FDIC
lasting light for business and govern- fect is estimated at $96 million with
ment,” Nitch relates. Appalachian $32 million spent locally.
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 23
American Stroke Association Get With The GuidelinesSM Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. American Heart Association Get With The GuidelinesSM
2009 Stroke Silver MIDAS+ Platinum Quality Awards 2009/2010 Heart Failure
Performance Achievement Award St. E’s and St. E’s Boardman are among 28 hospitals/ Gold Performance Achievement Awards
The Silver Performance Achievement Award recognizes medical facilities nationwide to be recognized for The Gold Award represents more than two years of at least
St. E’s commitment and success in implementing a excellence in clinical health care. 85 percent adherence to the program guidelines.
higher standard of stroke care.
Interactive Health Solutions Thomson Reuters American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
Healthiest Companies in America 100 Top Hospitals®Cardiovascular Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence®
HMHP named one of the Benchmarks for Success Award Recognizes the St. Elizabeth and St. Joseph
“Healthiest Companies in America” for 2008. Recognizes the excellence of St. E’s cardiovascular clini- Surgical Weight Loss Center for a demonstrated track
cal and management teams as one of the top in the na- record of favorable outcomes in bariatric surgery.
tion.
27
2009 Outstanding Five-Star Awards
Employer of the Year in 2009
executive director,
industrial park will receive a clean bill
of health and open the way for new
development opportunities.
��� ����
William D. DeCicco. Two new companies entered the
Castlo Industrial Park in 2009, South-
By Sarah V. Lown
Vice President of Park Management
side Environmental Services and Aesir
Metals. Future plans call for con- ����������������������
C
astlo Community Improvement structing a 30,000-square-foot green
Corp. is looking forward to a energy complex in the park. �������������������������������������������
productive 2010 as it strives to Castlo’s mission is to promote �������������������������������������
expand its 120-acre industrial park, industrial, economic, commercial
refurbish buildings and promote and civic development in Campbell, ��� ��� ������� ���������� ������� ����� �������� ����� ����
development opportunities along the Struthers, Lowellville and Poland and �������������������������������������������������������
Mahoning River. Coitsville townships. This is done by ����������������������������������������������������
The Castlo industrial park serves creating jobs in the industrial park, as- �������������������������������������������������������
as a model for regional development sisting Castlo communities in market-
efforts undertaken throughout north- ing and developing new industry, and ���������������������������������
eastern Ohio. Currently, 17 companies promoting regional development.
are operating in the park and collec- Among these regional efforts, Cas-
tively employ 130 people. This effort tlo is involved with is the Mahoning �� ����������������������������������������������
couldn’t have been realized were it River Corridor Initiative, or MRCI. ��������������������������������������������������
not for the vision and capable leader- Administered by the Youngstown ������������������������������
ship of William D. DeCicco, Castlo’s State University Center for Urban
founding executive director. and Regional Studies, the initiative
Last year, Bill retired after nearly 30 expands on the idea of the Mahon- �� ��������������������������������������������
years of hard work and dedication, and ing River Corridor of Opportunity,
which focused on pooling the re-
���������������������������������������������������
was honored with the Youngstown/
Warren Regional Chamber’s Business sources of core urban communities ����������������������������������������
Advocate of the Year award. Attorney along the river to accelerate regional
Michael Hoza was retained as execu- growth.
tive director on a part-time basis. The initiative identified 18 sites in �� ����������������������������������������������
Castlo continues its efforts to re- the nine cities and townships along �������� ����� ���� ������� ����� ���������� ������������
furbish and revitalize every building the Mahoning River in two counties. ��������������� ���� ������ ���������� ��������
and every acre of the industrial park. This 31-mile stretch of land employs
In 2009, stimulus funds were awarded more than 17,000 and generates more ��������������
to Castlo to remove five abandoned than $700 million in annual payroll.
storage tanks from the property. Castlo and the MRCI came together �� ����������������������������������������������
And last year, Castlo was granted Nov. 11 to showcase the development
a covenant-not-to-sue on 43 acres on opportunities along the river and its ����� ����� ����������� �� �������� ��������� �����
the western end of the park. By the host communities with 100 commu- �������������������������������������������
end of this year, with the assistance of nity leaders attending the event.
������������������������������������������������
���������������������������
Inquiries Up at Trumbull Tourism Bureau
The Trumbull County Tourism Trails Animal Park in Vienna, re- �� ������������������������������������������������
Bureau, a destination marketing ported increases in attendance last �����������������������������������������������
organization based in Warren year, Sferra says. Also, the number
and funded by the hotel lodging of visitor requests for information ���� ���� ���������� ���� �������� ��� �������� ����
tax, took a severe hit last year as on Trumbull County increased last ��������������������������������������������������
revenues dropped by $35,000, year to 15,341 from 5,341 in 2008.
reports Stephanie L. Sferra, execu- Most of those inquiries came from
���������������������������
tive director. Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, In-
The purpose of the bureau is diana, Illinois, Kentucky and New �������������������������������������������������������
to promote the area’s attractions, York, Sferra says.
outdoor activities, shopping op- Much of this increase, Sferra �����������������������������������������������
portunities and dining and enter- adds, can be attributed to the
tainment venues. organization’s media advertising ������������
Two of Trumbull County’s major campaign. A total of $57,000 was
attractions, the National Packard spent, translating to a per-inquiry �����������������������
Museum in Warren and Wagon cost of $3.69.
26 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
��������������������
��������������������������������������������������
������
��������
����������������
� ��
������������������������ � �
�������������������� ��
��������������������
�����������������
��������������������
���������������������
�������������������
������������������������
��������������������
���������������������
����������������������
������������� ������������������������������������
���������������������������������������
������������������������������
����������������������� �� ��������
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 27
�� ��������������������
��������������
�� �������������������
�� �������������������
�� ���������������
���� ������
���� �����
����� �����
�����
����
��
���������������������������
�����������������������������������
�����������������
������������������
������������������
�����������������������
���������������
28 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
������������������
Youngstown State Grows
��������������������� With Enrollment Gains,
���������������������� Campus Development
YSU designates ‘Centers of Excellence,’ plans
for transition to urban research university.
By Ron Cole
the previous year.
Director of University Communications
Since 2000, grant fundsing, much
Y
oungstown State University of it for faculty research, has more
continued to grow and broaden than tripled. The university identified
its reach in 2009 and set the four centers of excellence: materi-
stage for more of the same in the als science and engineering, applied
decade to come. chemical biology, international busi-
����������������������������������������� Enrollment increased by more than ness and the Rich Center of Excellence
7% last fall, bringing the total number for the Study of Autism. And, the
���������������������������������������������������� of students on campus to 14,682. It’s campus began planning for the tran-
���������������������������������������������������� the first time in 16 sition to an urban
years that enroll- The success of YSU faculty and research univer-
������������������������������������� ment has exceeded
the 14,000 mark.
staff in receiving outside grants sity, as designated
by the Ohio Board
Since 2000, the also reached record levels. of Regents.
����������������������������������������������������� number of stu- Campus devel-
����������������������������������������� dents has increased by 2,895, or nearly opment plans also moved forward
������������� 25%. And the future looks bright as this past year, led by the start of
applications for fall 2010 are ahead construction on the new home for
of last fall’s level. the Williamson College of Business
The diversity of the student popu- Administration, a project that more
lation also continued to increase. closely connects YSU to downtown
Minority enrollment reached record Youngstown.
levels last fall with nearly 2,900 mi- The YSU Board of Trustees ap-
nority students enrolled. Since 2000, proved issuing $24.5 million in
minority enrollment has more than bonds for phase two of the Centennial
doubled. Campus Master Plan, including major
��������� The university continued to reach
out to extend educational opportuni-
renovations to Kilcawley Center and
Wick Pollock Inn, construction of
�������������� ties in the region. The YSU College in
High School Program, for instance,
the new WATTS Center and planning
for a new building for the College of
�������������������� expanded to Trumbull and Colum- Science, Technology, Engineering and
��������������������������� biana counties, allowing more high Mathematics.
�������������������������� school students to take classes for The university also took steps to
������������������������ college credit. make the campus safer, implementing
�������������������������� YSU opened a new office of veter- the YSU Alert and mass notification
����������������������� ans affairs to help the growing number systems aimed at improving commu-
�������������������������� of returning military veterans make nications in the event of an emergency
������������������������ the transition to university life. As a or crisis.
������������������������� result, G.I. Jobs magazine designated In the fall, YSU partnered with
YSU as a “military-friendly” campus, AT&T to flip the switch on the new,
���������������������������
and in the fall the university dedicated lighted “YSU” logo atop the 180-foot
������������������������ Armed Forces Boulevard on the west AT&T tower on campus, which now
��������������������������� side of campus. can be seen from all approaches to the
������������������ And, in an effort to attract more city.
������������ students from across the state line, The campus welcomed new deans
������������������������� the university unveiled the Western for the Bitonte College of Health and
Pennsylvania Advantage, a program Human Services and the College of
that drastically reduces tuition for Fine and Performing Arts and a new
students from counties in the western chief of human resources. Eric Wol-
part of the Keystone State. ford was hired as the Penguins head
The success of YSU faculty and football coach to help lead the pro-
������������������������������� staff in receiving outside grants also
reached record levels. The university
gram back to national prominence.
And, David C. Sweet announced
received $11.7 million in grants in that he would retire June 30, after 10
������������������� �� ����������������� �� ������������� �� ��������������������
fiscal 2009, up nearly $5 million from years as president of YSU.
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 29
C
. Tucker Cope & Associates, a design/build of metal buildings. mast 20-metric-ton stacker crane.
general contractor based in Columbiana, This Patriot construction project, one of the larg- The manufacturing complex will produce spe-
says it felt the challenges of the economy’s est in the Mahoning Valley for many years, consists cialty steel-alloy forgings for a variety of industrial
downturn like most everyone else. of several structures, each containing a step in the sectors including aerospace, oil and gas, defense
But a $75 million project under way in North advanced manufacturing processes required for and energy production, reports Robert Dimitrieff,
Jackson represents substantial growth during a pe- the new specialty steel manufacturing operation, Patriot’s assistant project manager.
riod when most companies are downsizing, relates Cope says. “Key to the North Jackson facility is the first
installed hydraulic radial-forging machine in the
United Sates,” says Dimitrieff. “This technology
represents a significant development in the forging
industry in North America.”
Dimitrieff calls the new plant a “historic move”
for the industry and company, and praises the work
of C. Tucker Cope and the contractor’s reliability to
see the project through.
“In more than 30 years as a metal-building con-
tractor, Cope is honored to include this project on
its resume of metal building projects, which range
from large enclosed college recreation facilities to
complete ethanol plants,” Cope says.
C. Tucker Cope supplies, erects and has the
capability of taking the lead role as a design/build
contractor of metal buildings. The company has an
in-house engineering department complemented
with a skilled work force, which enables the com-
pany to perform most construction phases.
WHOOPS. HE AD INJURY IN
SK ATE ZONE HIGH SCHOOL GAME
11 MINUTES AWAY. AT YSU STADIUM.
5.32 MILES AWAY.
M I D L O T H I A N B LV D . ( R T. 6 2 5 )
9 MINUTES FROM
THE TR AMPOLINE IN THE
SMITH’S BACK YARD.
M A R K E T S T R E E T ( R T. 7 )
S O U T H E R N B LV D .
SOUTH AVE N UE
INDIANOLA ROAD
CHEMIC AL BURNS
IN SCIENCE L AB AT 680
GIR ARD HIGH SCHOOL.
22 MINUTES AWAY.
Pediatric Emergency Room.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
CLIPPER MISHAP
IN GR ANDMA’S
ROSE GARDEN.
6 MINUTES AWAY.
OUCH. MY ANKLE.
NEWPORT L AKE FIRST TIME ON SK ATES
HIKING TR AIL S AT ICE ZONE.
6 MINUTES AWAY. 3.25 MILES AWAY.
B E E G H LY C A M P U S | 6 5 0 5 M A R K E T S T R E E T , B O A R D M A N | 3 3 0 . 7 4 6 . 8 1 0 0 | W W W . A K R O N C H I L D R E N S . O R G / M V
been part of the Eastwood Expo
company leaders Center, OTN Performance caters to
named co-presidents. baseball and softball players of all
ages. Instructors use sophisticated
By Joe Bell technology to analyze and correct
The Cafaro Company players’ hitting and pitching.
Inside the Eastwood Business Cen-
Director of Corporate Communications
ter, a publicly funded agency found a
R einvention and reinvigoration
were the key words for The
Cafaro Company in 2009.
It was a process
new home. The Area Agency on Aging
11 provides services to senior citizens
in Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning
and Columbiana
that played out at a Reinvention and reinvigoration c o u n t i e s . T h e
variety of the com- agency moved
pany properties were the key words for The from downtown
over the course Cafaro Company in 2009. Youngstown to its
of many months, new offices inside
then was capped off in the waning the mall in April, attracted by a central
days of the year, with a dramatic location, ample free parking, and rent
change at the top. that will save the agency $300,000
On Dec. 31, Anthony Cafaro Sr. over the course of its lease.
retired as president, formally handing The result of this “re-tenanting”
the reins his sons, William A. Cafaro effort at Eastwood was an occupancy
and Anthony Cafaro Jr. They now rate well above the national norm. At
share the title of co-president.
In actuality, these third-generation
three other Cafaro malls, it’s extensive
renovation that’s stimulating growth.
company leaders have been guiding Frenchtown Square Mall, near
day-to-day operations for some time. Monroe, Mich., was built in 1988,
Managing corporate growth in 2009 and was showing its age. Millions of
gave them a chance to demonstrate dollars were invested in new skylights,
their skills in a challenging environ- ceiling treatments, flooring, entrance
ment. features, landscaping, soft-seating
Despite the anemic (some might areas, exterior lighting and an all-new
say scary) condition of the retail real food court.
estate sector, Cafaro was able to push The transformation was so dra-
ahead with an agenda of capital in- matic that it warranted a new name
vestment that created new excitement for the property: The Mall of Monroe.
at shopping complexes in Virginia, One week after a the “Grand Reopen-
Michigan and Washington. ing” celebration in Michigan, Cafaro
Closer to home the emphasis was celebrated another in Washington
on maintaining a robust mix of mer- state. South Hill Mall, in Puyallup
chants, restaurants and services at the (just south of Seattle), had been un-
Eastwood Mall Complex. This is no dergoing a similar renovation on an
small task, considering the fact that even grander scale.
the complex encompasses roughly Across the country, in Fredericks-
three million square feet, making it burg, Va., an even more ambitious
the largest shopping complex in the expansion was being completed at
United States. Spotsylvania Towne Centre. As part
Keep in mind, the nation’s recession of a $100 million, multi-year project,
forced many retailers into bankruptcy The Village at Towne Centre was
and caused others to scale back the welcoming its first tenants. It is an
size of their operations. Even relative- outdoor shopping district adjacent
ly healthy companies were shelving to the enclosed mall, with the look
their expansion plans. Nevertheless, and feel of a Colonial-era town. The
Eastwood remained an attractive place Village has attracted the attention of
at which to do business. a variety of high-end retailers.
The real estate leasing staff at Ca- Substantial financial investment in
faro has been in the forefront of an a down economy certainly comes with
industry trend to seek out nontradi- a good dose of risk, but it also holds
tional mall tenants. They found one the potential for tremendous rewards.
in the unique concept of a sports in- It already appears to be creating new
structional school that quietly opened growth at a time when few would
its doors in January. expect it.
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 33
T
he Great Recession, aggravated by the near of UCFC says. awareness about the responsible use of credit and
meltdown of the U.S. financial system, caused Home Savings remains deeply involved in service the importance of saving money.
the Home Savings and Loan Co., a subsidiary organizations, charitable causes and public efforts. Home Savings was awarded the 2009 WWR Out-
of United Community Financial Corp., to formulate “Our employees are active members of many civic standing Community Partner Award, sponsored by
and adhere to its strategy of retrenchment, which has groups, economic development programs, educa- Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co. L.P.A., in partnership
been succeeded by a strategy for recovery. tional projects and urban revitalization efforts,” with the Community Bankers Association of Ohio
During retrenchment, “We simplified our bal- McKay says. for its efforts to improve financial literacy.
ance sheet, reorganized our lending and credit Home Savings is working to meet “the growing Home Savings, with assets of $2.6 billion at Dec.
administration functions and focused our resources need for financial literacy programs, so [we have] 31, operates 39 full-service banking offices and six
on efficiency, risk management and capital ratio committed resources to developing and implement- loan production offices throughout Ohio and west-
enhancement,” says Douglas M. McKay, chairman ing education programs for today’s youth and adult ern Pennsylvania. It has 600 employees.
and CEO of UCFC. “We are entering our recovery
phase, which we expect to be characterized by a
slightly stronger economy, a flattening in the level
of loan delinquencies, a more vibrant residential and
Butler Acquires Pollock, Rescues Mural
commercial real estate market and a return to health The Butler Institute of American Art benefited plete in downtown Pittsburgh. Architect William
and strength within the local economies in each of from more than 200 acquisitions in 2009 – paint- Lescaze commissioned the site-specific work.
the markets we serve.” ings, drawings, sculptures and photographs – but The Oliver building was sold last spring and
In addition, McKay continues, Home Savings two stand out, says its executive director and the new owners wanted it removed. Enter the
plans to increase its participation in small-business curator, Lou Zona. Butler, which was informed it could have the
lending to help local businesses, which he describes They are Jackson Pollock’s “Silver and Black,” mural consisting of 294 tiles for the expenses
as “the backbone of our communities.” painted in 1950 and today valued at $2 million, involved in restoring it. Other art museums in
Despite a moribund housing market in 2009, and the Butler’s recovery of the Pierre Soulages greater Pittsburgh had been invited to reclaim
Home Savings experienced its strongest year since mural measuring 14 by 20 feet that adorned the the mural but “none was willing to undertake
2006 in residential mortgage lending with a close One Oliver Place building in Pittsburgh. the daunting task,” Zona says.
to 40% increase in volume over 2008. As a result, The Pollock is a gift of William and Linda The reclaimed and restored Soulages is valued
12 loan originators were inducted into Home Sav- Roemer. William’s parents, James and Helen at $1.5 million.
ings’ Mortgage Elite Group, an honor recognizing Roemer, paid $3,000 to acquire the art in 1958. “Pivotal to the effort of saving the life of the
them “for their exceptional level of mortgage loan “Silver and Black” is the first Pollock to grace mural was Butler trustee Vincent Bacon, a retired
production” within Home Savings’ market areas, the Butler and the second to be acquired by a Youngstown engineer, who organized the removal
McKay says. museum in Ohio. with assistance from Larry Mobley, a Michigan
For over 120 years, Home Savings has taken its Pollock was known for his drip method of tile restoration expert,” Zona says.
role as a community bank very seriously, McKay applying paint from a variety of tools to create The life mural will be installed in a glass-
emphasizes. “Through good times and bad, we have an energetic pattern over the surface of a canvas, fronted room specifically built to house the mas-
always remained dedicated to both giving back to Zona notes. “Silver and Black” incorporates hi- sive piece in the Trumbull branch of the Butler in
and strengthening the communities we serve,” he eroglyphic-like characters, a structure based on Howland Township. Construction of the Soulages
says. the letters of the artist’s name. gallery is set to begin this spring and scheduled
In light of an economy only now beginning to Zona, a recognized authority on mid-20th cen- to open this summer.
recover, Home Savings believed it more important tury art, calls Pollock “a troubled genius whose Soulages expressed his delight over the Butler’s
than ever to maintain this commitment, McKay says, magnificent art has engaged generations.” initiative when he learned of it, Zona says, and
and “hold true to our mission of reinvesting in local Last July the Butler was called on to rescue and gratitude that his work was not destroyed. “The
neighborhoods by providing financial support from restore the mural the French painter Soulages creat- piece,” Soulages said, “is a significant part of my
the Home Savings Charitable Foundation.” ed in 1968 when One Oliver Place was nearly com- life’s work … very dear to me.”
While income from investments the foundation
���������������������������������������������
���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
�������������������������������� ������������������
��������������������������������������������������������������������������� � �����������������������������������������������������
���������������������������������������������������������������������������
������������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������
�������������������
� ��������������������������������������������
��������������������� ������������������������������������������������
�� ������������������������������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������
�����������������������������������������������������������������������
����������� ��������������������
�� ��������������������������������������������������������������������� � ��������������������������������������������������
���������������������
��������������������
�� �������������������������������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������������������������� � ������������������������������������������������
������������������������������������������������
�������������������������������������������
�� �����������������������������������������������������������������������
��������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������
���������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������������
������������������������������������
����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ��������
����������� ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� �����������
������������������ ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ��������
�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� �����������
����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� �����������
��������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������� �����������
�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ������������
���������������������������������������������������������������������� ��������
�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ������
T
he focus at Huntington Bank in 2009 was backpacks in Trumbull 10 savings tips to help
lending to small businesses and philanthropy and Columbiana counties, and Lawrence, Mercer families reduce their back-to-school shopping bills
that improves the quality of life in the and Erie counties in Pennsylvania. The distribu- and teach children about managing money.
communities the bank serves.
Looking ahead, the president of the Mahoning
Valley Region, Frank Hierro, says, “The prospects for
2010 are much improved and all of us at Huntington
look forward to a positive year.”
Expressing pride in the performance of the 600-
plus Huntington Bankers who serve the Mahoning
and Shenango valleys, Hierro says, “During unprec-
edented economic challenges, our colleagues con-
tinued to provide outstanding service and assisted
customers in meeting their unique financial needs.
Our bankers are prepared to be essential partners
for our current and new customers.”
The Columbus-based Huntington Bank’s com-
mitment to small business is reflected in it ending
the federal fiscal year as the seventh-largest small-
business lender in the country, as reported by the
U.S. Small Business Administration, Hierro says.
According to the SBA, Huntington made 992 loans
that totaled $141 million for fiscal 2009. The U.S.
fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30.
Small businesses are the backbone of the econ-
omy, Hierro says, noting they employ more than
half of the U.S. work force and account for nearly
65% of all jobs created. By focusing on small busi-
ness, Huntington understands its role in sustaining
their communities, including those in the Valley,
he says.
Huntington was the top SBA lender in four of the
five states where it has a physical presence, Hierro
points out. It was the No. 1 SBA7(a) lender in the
number of SBA loans and dollar amount of such
loans in Ohio and West Virginia. It was also the No. 1
lender as measured by the number of SBA7(a) loans
in Indiana and Michigan.
To better understand the needs of small busi-
nesses, Huntington surveyed small-business own-
ers in the Mahoning Valley and throughout the five
states it serves to find out how they are staying afloat
during the recession and nascent recovery.
Respondents were divided on when they saw
themselves rehiring.
While 24% said they would rehire in the second
quarter of 2010, 22% said they would not hire until
2011. Another 16% said they would never again
reach their previous levels.
Regarding how they have survived the downturn,
42% said they had enough cash to cover the decrease
in revenues and 55% of business owners said their
customers continue to do business with them. As
for maintaining their levels of employment, 29%
said they laid off staff, 34% said they froze salaries
and 33% said they reduced staff hours, the survey
found.
Huntington’s other major focus, giving back to its
communities, saw it donate more than 1,100 back-
packs containing school supplies to area agencies,
36 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
F
all 2009 enrollment at the Kent State accounting – who had 20-some years in with an and beyond contacted the Trumbull campus for
University Trumbull Campus was up 27% over employer and now found themselves in a situation further information on the program including
fall 2008, creating the highest enrollment the they never expected but knew the value of educa- associated costs and the parameters used to help
Champion Township campus has ever experienced, tion and what returning to a university could do maximize the funds available so they could emulate
reports Dean Wanda Thomas. for their future.” the program, she says.
“While the recession is a factor in the enrollment
increase, clearly the fact that students selected Kent
State Trumbull over other local and regional options
is no accident of the economy,” she emphasizes.
The dean says she expects that the spring 2010
semester will maintain the enrollment increase seen
during the fall.
“As of the first week in January, spring semester
enrollment was tracking at a 28% increase over the
same time frame last year, Thomas says, adding that
to date, 2,464 students have enrolled and more are
expected.
“The carryover of such an increase is not typical,
but certainly welcome,” she points out. “Generally, THE CBOSS CENTRAL PAYMENT PORTAL
A 360° Tool for Revenue Management
Fall 2009 enrollment at the Kent State Uni-
versity Trumbull Campus was up 27% over
fall 2008, creating the highest enrollment Take control of your revenue cycle with the flexible online payment solution
the campus has ever experienced. that can shorten your revenue cycle, simplify the payment process and grow
with your operations. From your total web solutions partner… CBOSS.
for almost every university, the enrollment in a
spring semester is slightly less than in the fall. You Web Portals – Design & Development
lose some students – for a variety of reasons – and
you just don’t enroll a sufficient number of new E-payment Processing/E-commerce
students to overcome the deficit.” Business Process & Workflow Solutions
Still, Thomas says, “Given the unique circum-
stances our economy and job markets are facing, Custom Programming
we’re seeing a number of people enroll who either Hosting & Managed Services
are looking to complete a degree they had previously
started at one point in time, or who are looking at a Consulting
new career path that will provide them with a greater
likelihood of employment in the near future. It’s a
real mixture.”
Many classes are offered online, thus providing
maximum flexibility for individuals from all walks
of life whether they are new or returning students or
active members of the work force, Thomas notes.
“Students no longer have to select between
school or work,” she says, adding that the online
environment is a big part of the campus’s future.
“Being able to take classes on your own time al-
lows people not to have to choose between school
and work – they can have both employment and
education.”
Adding to the Trumbull campus’ mixture of tra-
ditional and nontraditional students are those who
took part in the innovative “Fresh Start” initiative,
which also contributed to Kent Trumbull’s recent Contact Us for a Free
enrollment increases. Demo in Person or Online.
The program began in the spring semester 2009
as a tuition assistance program for recently laid-off
w w w. C B O S S . c o m
workers who had not attended college in the previ- P. 8 6 6 . 72 6 . 0 4 2 9
ous three years. Using income generated from four cppsales@cboss.com
gas wells on campus property, Kent Trumbull was
able to provide tuition awards for 197 credit and
noncredit new students. ©2009 CBOSS INC., BOARDMAN, OH 44512
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 37
Commercial Banking
Stop by your local Huntington banking office to talk with a member of our team today.
Greenwich Associates is a leading worldwide strategic consulting and research firm specializing in financial services. Excellence award selection was based upon the results of the 2007 and 2008 Business Banking Studies conducted
by Greenwich Associates. Banks recognized with an award had to have a significantly higher percentage of “excellent” ratings than the mean for banks at a 90% confidence level. Recognition received from high scores based on
Phoenix-Hecht 2009 Middle Market Quality Index.
Member FDIC. �,® Huntington® and A bank invested in people® are federally registered service marks of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. ©2009 Huntington Bancshares Incorporated.
38 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
T
he global economic downturn hit Columbiana individuals received tuition funding in 2009. strategic plan. More than 150 stakeholders attended
and Mahoning counties hard in January 2009. MCTA received a total the summit. The competi-
Unemployment rates soared, leaping to 12.8% of $3.5 million in federal The number of visits of individuals seeking tiveness council that sets
and 13.48%, respectively, from 8.9% and 8.4% in stimulus funds of which
December 2008. $1.5 million funded the
services rose more than 50% over the num- direction for the inter-
state region, has begun
In addition, many of those still employed suffered Summer Youth Work Ex- ber of visits recorded two years earlier. work on implementing
a reduction in pay or hours or both. Some companies perience Program that put the plan.
shut down permanently. The area was plunged into to work more than 500 Mahoning and Columbiana The first Oh-Penn Interstate Region Job Expo was
the throes of the toughest economic climate since County youth ages 16 through 24. held Sept. 9 at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown.
the steel mill closings of the 1970s. While responding to the challenges of high un- Nearly 5,000 job seekers participated along with 65
The One-Stop Workforce System of Columbiana employment, the One-Stop system never lost sight employers and 29 training providers. The event was
and Mahoning Counties met the challenge of job of the need for services by employers. The Business hosted by the Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana
seekers flooding into its facilities. The number of Resource Network, a business retention and expan- One-Stops with PA CareerLink of Lawrence and
visits of individuals seeking services rose more sion program, completed its first year of operation. Mercer counties. Once again, the host organizations
than 50% over the number of visits recorded two During 2009, the Business Resource Network inter- partnered with The Business Journal for a Job Expo
years earlier. viewed 39 companies and presented 20 proposals. A Extra that contained helpful tips for job seekers
With the help of American Recovery and Rein- customer satisfaction survey found companies were and the event’s program. It was distributed to all
vestment Act (federal stimulus) funds, the One-Stop satisfied and pleased with the network’s services and Job Expo participants as well as to The Business
system expanded services, office hours and staff 87% planned to implement proposals offered by the Journal subscribers.
to assist job seekers whose visits to the One-Stops Business Resource Network. The year was capped with the Area 17 Workforce
exceeded 40,500 in 2009. The Mahoning County In Columbiana County, all public libraries were Investment Board, which governs the Mahoning and
One-Stop expanded into an adjacent space to create brought on board as One-Stop Express Sites and Columbiana County One-Stop System, being named
a new business services area. several libraries in adjacent counties were added to the Outstanding Workforce Investment Board in
Stimulus funding that came to Mahoning & Co- the One-Stop network. As One-Stop Express Sites, Ohio for the third consecutive year.
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 39
D
espite the challenges associated with the themselves, to make changes, to attack competitors’ on positioning.
recession, Innis Maggiore was able to hold its inherent weaknesses, and to promote their position The year’s highlights included the well-attended
own as marketing activities paid off with the while their competitors are quiet.” “Breakfast With Jack Trout” in Akron, launching the
unusually high number of requests for proposals, Last year, Innis Maggiore hosted a regional busi- monthly “PositionistView” collection of essays about
reports Dick Maggiore, CEO of the Canton-based ness marketing event, launched an e-newsletter marketing and positioning, and a fourth quarter that
advertising and public relations agency. that has thousands of subscribers, and responded featured more inquiries than any previous three-
“While many are overwhelmed by the chal- to a record number of requests for proposals, month period in the agency’s 35-year history.
“The Jack Trout event was an informational and
networking service to the business community in
northeast Ohio and ultimately served as a spring-
board for our own 2009 marketing efforts,” Maggiore
����������������������
explains. ‘PositionistView’ was conceived as a way to
share knowledge with marketing decision-makers,
and our subscription list has grown since Day One.
�����������������������������������������
�����������������������������������������
Gordon Bros. Water
��������������
Celebrates 65 Years
Gordon Bros. Water, Salem, is slated to celebrate
65 years in business this year.
“Gordon Bros. continues to be a family-owned
business and is now being operated by the third
generation of the Gordon family,” says its president,
Ned Jones.
® Lloyd M. Gordon established the company in
1945 to help consumers in the region address con-
cerns over their water quality. Today, the company
����������������������������������������������� provides water purification and treatment products
to consumers throughout 10 counties in Ohio,
northern West Virginia and western Pennsylvania,
Jones says.
���������������������� “Many businesses faced challenges in 2009 due to
uncertain economic conditions,” he relates. “Water
�������������� was among them.”
The company responded to these challenges with
value-added services, technologically advanced
������������������������� products and new, affordable programs, he says.
�������������� Still, Jones says even in the most difficult eco-
nomic times, customers want water that’s free of
additives and chemicals. “We saw improvements
�������������� to the company’s bottom line during the third and
fourth quarters,” he says.
������������������������� The company is a distributor of Kinetico water
filtration systems and retained its position as a Top
�������������������������������������������������
10 Kinetico dealer in 2009, Jones reports.
These systems, Jones says, “lower home energy
� �����������������������
������������������ �
costs, cut cleaning costs and are better for the envi-
ronment than bottled water.”
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 41
NeilKennedy:Layout 1 12/4/09 9:38 AM Page 1
42 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
��������
��������������
����������������������������
��������������������������������������������������
���������������������������
��������������������������������������������
�������������������������������� ���������������������
������������� ��������
���������������������������������
������������������������������������������ ��������������������������������
��������������������� �������������������������
�������������������
������������������ ��������������������
�������������
�������������������������������������������
��������������������������
������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������
����������������������������������������
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 43
Kravitz Delicatessen
Begins Its 71st Year The success of your business is just as important to us as it is to you. We are dedicated
As Kavitiz Delicatessen begins its 71st to providing you with the personalized financial expertise you need and the exceptional
year, its owner, Solomon J. “Jack” Kravitz, is service you deserve. Our goal is to exceed your expectations . . . every time!
working with the Rust Belt Brewing Co. to
make the deli part of a “bar crawl” through
downtown Youngstown and having the deli’s Contact one of our local business development team members today!
signature corned beef a feature of the crawl at
the B&O Station.
Sales at the delicatessen grew by 30% dur- Business Checking & Deposit Services Business & Commercial Loans
ing the year, Kravitz reports, adding that sales
have grown 300% since he took over the family Matt Connelly l 330.507.8589 Nick Berardino l 330.742.0224
business in 2006. Bob Swauger l 330.856.1940 Stan Magielski l 330.742.0641
Since both the deli and the new Wal-Mart
that opened in Aug. 19 are located on state
Route 193 in Liberty Township – the deli first
opened in 1939 – Kravitz initiated a special
promotion that day, offering the corned beef
sandwiches for $1.93 each. “More than 2,000
sandwiches were sold that day,” he says. “We
had to close at 3 p.m. because we ran out of
corned beef.”
Other successful promotions during the
year included naming sandwiches “after people
and places that make the Valley great,” Kravitz homesavings.com
notes. Namesake sandwiches included judges Subsidiary of United Community Financial Corp. Equal Housing Lender Member FDIC
Economus and Belinki, Phil Kidd, National
College and the Cafaro Co. On St. Patrick’s Day,
the deli expanded its offerings to include beer
and entertainment in an outdoor tent.
44 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
B
y mid-2008, the management of McDonald construction near Chattanooga, Tenn. McDonald wheel rims). The truck rim and off-road rim markets
Steel, recognized that national and global Steel also will supply hinge shapes to VW’s Mexican were down a combined 33% in 2009. Our over-road
economies were crashing and so we shifted plant and its operations in Germany. rim tonnage consists mainly of exports to Colombia
our focus to reducing costs, decreasing capacities With two of our markets – truck rims and auto and Mexico. The global economic slide had a serious
and strengthening our balance sheet. hinges – severely depressed, others held up very impact on those customers. Off-road rims depend
These tactics resulted in the company maintain- well. For example, our railroad market outper- primarily on construction, mining and agriculture.
ing profitability and generating a positive cash flow, formed 2008 by 25% as we recaptured business Manufacturing of heavy wheeled equipment serving
keeping us in good stead with lenders and suppliers. lost to China. those economic sectors came nearly to a halt.
Measured by percentages, McDonald Steel fared Energy conservation played a big role in surviv- There is no indication of an uptick soon in either
much better than many larger steel companies rela- ing the recession. In January, electricity rate stabili- the over- or off-road rim business. Truck and auto
tive to net sales, net income and price per ton. Key to zation ended in Ohio. In anticipation, management door hinges should show a modest rebound.
that success was holding a strong pricing discipline: effected an aggressive program that drove down The bridge and reinforced concrete pipe spigot
We kept prices nearly unchanged across the board electric power consumption 29%. markets held up well with bridge sales down 6%
and our directors declared a cash dividend of 35 We also invested substantially in plant and from the year before and spigot sales up slightly.
cents per share to shareholders of record July 1. equipment. Repairs and improvements were made These markets were not sustained by new govern-
When sales declined 16% and operations slowed to roofs, cranes, motor generators, pump-house ment stimulus money, but were the result of projects
to half capacity, the company applied stringent pumps, hot beds and the water tower. funded before passage of the American Recovery and
controls: reining in receivables, effecting aggressive The financial conditions in all of our markets and Reinvestment Act last February. We anticipate some
energy conservation measures, reducing inventories, our customers’ ability pay their bills were closely business improvement this year in these markets
ramping-up product development, and maintaining monitored. Outstanding receivables, which we as an outcome of that act, but based on discussions
day-to-day market diversification. began to rein in during 2008, showed significant with our customers, the $154 billion allocated to
The lifeblood of the company – new section de- reduction in our exposure by 2009. infrastructure rehabilitation is woefully inadequate
velopment – was fully sustained. (McDonald Steel A major saving grace is our work force. We to address these aging systems – and the release of
is a global leader in producing engineered hot-rolled commend these loyal men and women for their stimulus funds is not occurring quickly enough.
steel shapes.) During the year, a record nine new perseverance and productivity. Bottom line for 2010: visibility poor. Long pull:
sections (or “shapes”) were designed, rolled and Looking ahead, we are feeling our way when it our markets will rebound, albeit slowly.
shipped to the automotive, railroad and construc- comes to increased orders and when recovery takes McDonald Steel Corp., founded in 1980, is lo-
tion industries. Among these developments are door a better hold. Lead times are shorter: customers cally owned. We employ some 100 people.
���������������������
�������������������������������������������������
����������������
����������������������������������������������
������������
���������������������������������������������������
������������������������������������������
������������������� �����������������
������������������� �����������������
��������������������������� ���������������������������
���������������� ����������������
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 45
�����������������������������������������
������������������������������������������� �����������������������������������
�����������������
�����������������������������������������������������������
������������������
����������
����������������������������������������� ������������
��������������������������������������
��������������
�������������������������������������������������������������������������
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 47
P
acker Thomas was named one growth in the firm’s IT support and
of the Best Employers in Ohio forensic accounting and consulting
�������� ������������� ��������� ������������
last year and in 2008, and this niches in 2009. ������������������������������������������������������������ ���������������������������������������������������������
��������� ������������ ������������� ����� ������ ���� ���
year, the hope is to repeat the honor Nicole Ferraro and Cindy Wollet ��������������������������������������������������������
������������������������������������������������������� ���������
for the third time by continuing recently accepted the role of Account- �������������������� ������������
to enhance benefits and work/life ing and Auditing Practice leaders, Gett
policies, says Greg Gett, president of says. Their responsibilities include
the public accounting firm. assuring that the firm is up-to-date
Packer Thomas, established in pertaining to recent accounting and
1923, has more than 50 employees auditing requirements and to ensure
in offices in Youngstown and New that Packer Thomas produces a quality
Castle, Pa. product that complies with applicable ��������� ����������� ��������� ��������������
“Best Employers in Ohio is a cel- accounting and auditing standards. ������������������������������������������������������ ��������������������������������������������������������
������������ ��� ���� ����� ���������� �������� ��� ��������� ��� ������������������������������������������������
ebration of the state’s elite employers The firm’s success, Gett says, comes ����������� �������������������� ������������
who have proven that they know in no small part because of the com- �������������������� ������������
��������
“The monumental shift from tra- nuts.com, SpartanTailgate.com, Nit-
���
��������������� �������� Sharon Regional Health System diology Foundation’s Silver Achieve-
� Marketing & Community Relations ment Award (in conjunction with
�����������������������������������
����������� the American Heart Association) in
S
������������������������������������������ haron Regional Health recognition of efforts to implement
System’s Cancer Care Center a higher standard of care for patients
in Hermitage, Pa., experienced suffering heart attacks.
������������������������ significant volume increases in fiscal The Commission on Cancer of
�� �������������������� ����������� year 2009. the American College of Surgeons
�� ������������� � �������������������� This resulted in awarded Sharon
�� ������������������ ���������������� the approval of a Cancer Care Center’s $4.6 Regional’s Can-
�� ������������� ����������������� $4.7 million, two- million expansion includes $2.2 cer Care Center
phase expansion a three-year ap-
program that in- million linear accelerator for proval with com-
������������������������� cludes a new $2.2 radiation therapy. mendation.
�� ��������������������� ���������������������� million linear ac- Unison Health
� ����������������� ������������������ celerator for radiation therapy along Plan presented Sharon Regional with
�� ������� ���������������� with additional building expansion for two quality awards in recognition
support services. of its low hospital-acquired infec-
The Heart and Vascular Institute tion rates and the performance of
Co mmitted to You
welcomed four new cardiologists: J. its Level II nursery. Sharon Regional
Ronald Mikolich (a cardiac CT/MRI also earned an award for eliminating
specialist), Nicola Nicoloff, Michael symptomatic catheter-associated uri-
Burley and Brandon Mikolich. nary tract infections and made a major
A $376,000 upgrade was added to improvement in scores that measure
the MRI unit at the Diagnostic and Im- inpatient satisfaction.
aging Center in Hermitage to provide To advance the clinical capabili-
advanced cardiac MRI studies. ties of its Advanced Wound Recovery
Sharon Regional announced plans Center, the health system installed
for the new Hubbard Diagnostic the first hyperbaric oxygen chamber
and Specialty Center, a $1.7 million in Mercer and Lawrence counties and,
satellite medical center that will oc- based on use, then installed a second
cupy 11,500 square feet in the former unit at the center.
Nemenz/IGA food store at 880 West To accommodate a new cancer
Liberty St. Longtime Hubbard family genetics program and other physi-
practice physician Howard G. Slemons cian specialists, 2,000 square feet of
also joined Sharon Regional’s staff additional space was completed at
during the year. the diagnostic and imaging center.
An education is a solid investment in your future providing a lifetime of return. That’s why Sharon Regional experienced a The expansion comprised five patient
the Thiel Commitment includes: 10% increase in outpatient revenues, exam rooms, two physician offices, a
�� An affordable, high-quality education �� A ninth-semester tuition waiver for a 1% increase in routine admissions, breast nurse office, and an additional
and a 12.4% growth in net patient patient waiting room.
�� Programs that can be completed in qualifying students who study abroad revenue. The school of nursing enhanced
four years or intern—valuable experiences that The growth in net patient revenue its technology through a new simula-
was the third-largest percentage tion laboratory along with a learning
�� Guidance for “undecided” majors set you apart when looking for your
growth of any acute-care hospital in center for online learning.
�� Career services for life first job! western Pennsylvania, according to Sharon Regional also developed a
a survey published by the Pittsburgh new sports injury clinic in Hermitage
Discover the Thiel Commitment today! Business Times. The revenue growth with Keith Lustig, orthopedic sur-
For more information: www.thiel.edu/commitment moved Sharon Regional to the eighth geon/sports medicine specialist, and
position of the 25 Largest Pittsburgh- welcomed back orthopedic surgeon
Apply Today!
Area Hospital Organizations and fifth Brian Shannon following the comple-
THIEL COLLEGE among all hospitals based on fiscal tion of a spine surgery fellowship at
75 College Ave. � Greenville, Pa. 2009 net income. Harvard Medical Center, and received
800-24-THIEL � www.thiel.edu Sharon Regional was one of only full accreditation for its breast care
93 hospitals nationwide in 2009 to center.
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 49
���������������������������
�����������������
��������������������������������������������������������������������
������������������������������������������������������������������
����������������������������������������������
�� ���������������������������������������
� �� �����������������������������������
� �� ����������������
� �� ������������������������������
� �� ������������������������������
� �� �������������������
���������������������������������������������������������������������
�����������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������
������������������������������������
����������������������������������������������
����������������������������������������
�����������������������
��������������������������
�����������������������
50 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
D
uring a year in which the domestic auto across the country and two in the Mahoning Valley course of the year, dealership owner Chuck Eddy
industry experienced serious challenges and enabled the Eddy showroom to purchase more in- shuttled between Detroit and Washington, D.C., as
setbacks, Bob & Chuck Eddy Chrysler Dodge ventory, hire seven service employees, and add three a regional representative of the National Automobile
Jeep, Austintown, expanded its operations. sales representatives from closed dealerships. Dealers Association, or NADA.
The dealership at 4850 Mahoning Ave. boosted To accommodate its expanded service depart- While in Washington, Eddy met with members
inventory by 100% in 2009, reports Paul Shuger, ment, the dealership purchased a building next to of the Auto Task Force in an effort to convince them
sales and leasing consultant. “Through the end of its Mahoning Avenue showroom. that closing dealers would in the long run be detri-
mental to the industry, communities and Chrysler.
Eddy continues to sit on NADA’s board and is also
on the Chrysler Dealer Council Board.
Dealers across the country were helped by the
federal government’s “Cash for Clunkers” program,
and the Eddy showroom was no exception, Shuger
says. The program awarded consumers vouchers of
up to $4,500 to turn in their older models for new,
more fuel-efficient vehicles. “We had tremendous
success during the Cash for Clunkers,” he says.
In November, the dealership became the first Mo-
tor Trend Certified Advantage Dealer in Ohio. “Less
than 7% of all the auto dealers in the nation will have
the opportunity to obtain this,” Shuger says.
Four sales executives – Shuger, Rita Fercana,
Mickey Katchmer and Travis Dale – all sold more
than 100 vehicles in 2009, which qualifies them as
Chrysler Sales Master Certified professionals.
V
liday reports. alley Office Solutions Inc., see where they might be bleeding and
support area industry. PMI’s mission is to help make lo-
cal industry more competitive and
Boardman, is expecting 2010
to “be equally as good or even
not realize it.”
Among the milestones the com-
�����������������������������������
�����������������������������������
�������������������������������������
724-656-4220.
��������������������������������������������������������
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 53
330-743-0920
January. To ensure a seamless transi- Group is expecting a strong 2010, says
tion for customers, former A & B employ- Nancy K. Hart, operations coordinator.
ee Mike Thomas joined the Boardman Last year, the company increased
Fastsigns team to assist with database marketing effor ts through billboards,
and graphic file consolidation. mall intercepts, community events and Hours:
As a result of rapid growth and to radio ads with beneficial results, she Monday-Friday 10:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m.
better accommodate customers, the adds.
company relocated in August to a larger, Phone traffic also increased as a Located in the YMCA Building
3,600-square-foot building on Southern result of people “tightening their belts”
Boulevard that tripled the size of its and looking for ways to save money on 17 N. Champion St. • Downtown Youngstown
previous operation. “The new location insurance, Hart says, which brought the
features a larger showroom, customer agency more business.
Also last year, the firm opened an
NEW MENU EVERY DAY
ser vice and production area and an
indoor vehicle bay for vehicle graphic office in Newton Falls, joining existing
projects,” Summer reports. offices here and in North Jackson.
54 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
S
aying 2009 was a challenging year for businesses only one mortgage.
and consumers is an understatement. This was
We completed 2009 both pleased and All eight of our banking
Regulators closing offices saw good growth
especially true for the banking industry. banks put pressure on satisfied that we foreclosed on only one but we were especially
Hardly a day went by that we did not hear sto- the Federal Deposit Insur- mortgage. pleased with the growth
ries about the struggles of our industry. Whether it ance Corp. to both raise experienced by our two
was banks receiving Troubled Asset Relief Program premiums and impose a special assessment last year. newest offices, Newbury in Geauga County and
money, or regulators closing more than 140 banks The industry bore the cost of these failed banks, not Cortland in Trumbull County. Both offices continue
across the country that failed, our industry came the taxpayer. The special assessment and increased to surpass our expectations.
under intense scrutiny. premiums were an added expense that reduced our As I look back on 2009, I know why we were suc-
The Middlefield Banking Co. was not one of those net income. Understanding that it was our responsi- cessful. We are a true community bank with a dedi-
problem banks. Quite the contrary, we enjoyed a bility to support our industry, we chose not to charge cated and professional staff committed to the values
successful year relative to many other banks. Al- our customers a special fee to offset this unexpected of the bank, a commitment that extends well into
though we were never involved in activities that expense. Rather, we worked to improve our margins the communities we serve. We are actively involved
caused the larger banks problems, we had our share and our staff worked diligently to identify areas of within these communities through participation in
of challenges. cost savings through expense reductions. service clubs, service to schools, churches and com-
Most resulted from the worst recession since It was inevitable that the actions of some within munity organizations. Our employees are involved
World War II and its impact on businesses and the industry led to calls for tighter regulation. because they live and work in the community and
consumers. One of our first areas of concern was Although we were never part of the problem, you understand the value of a successful community.
the increased level of loan delinquency that resulted can be assured we will be dealing with the new Being a community bank allows us the flexibility
from customers losing their jobs or having their regulations that Congress is weighing as it works to and agility to react to the economy and address our
hours cut back. prevent a recurrence of the housing bubble and how customers’ needs. As long as we continue to focus on
We took steps to get in touch with these custom- consumers use their credit cards. This will no doubt our commitment to our core values, we should con-
ers to ascertain what we could do to help. add additional costs to our operating expenses, and tinue to grow profitably as we have for 109 years.
���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
�����������������������������������������������������������������������������
�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010
117557.DirectDepBJ.AD.1.10 1/19/10 4:02 PM Page 1 55
I
accounts, health savings accounts and n a time when small-business and capital positions,” Sant says.
PRM, a third-party administrator health reimbursement arrangements, owners have been resentful, and By year-end, 1st Bank’s Tier 1
based in Youngstown, rose above dif- as well as worker compensation pro- the government critical, of banks leverage ratio had improved to 9.11%,
ficult conditions in 2009, retaining grams. These allow for the flexible for not extending commercial loans, well above the 5% regulators consider
clients and controlling the rising costs plan design and control PRM clients 1st National Community Bank is “well-capitalized.”
for health-care coverage. had come to expect, Blasko says. an exception, says Stephen R. Sant, Helping to improve the ratio was
Meritain Health, Buffalo, N.Y., the Clients welcomed the expanded president and CEO of the bank. the $3 million preferred stock the
nation’s largest independent health program offerings, he says, especially “We grew our business loan bal- parent of the bank, Tri State 1st Banc,
benefits administrator, acquired PRM the wellness and disease management ances by 17% for the year,” Sant re- issued the Treasury Department in the
in 2008, bringing both hope and programs. “In fact, one PRM client, ports. “Our lending staff worked very first quarter. The $3 million allowed
uncertainty to PRM employees and Farmer’s National Bank, was honored hard with the business community to the bank to increase its allowance for
clients, says Ron Blasko, PRM vice with an award for its corporate well- meet their credit needs.” possible loan losses to 1.36% of total
president. ness program,” Blasko notes. Moreover, 1st National Community loans.
Despite the uncertainty, Blasko says This year, two major hurdles PRM is one of the few community banks in 2009 was also a year when 1st Bank
PRM sustained employee satisfaction faces are the implications of national Ohio to offer full trust services to its completely upgraded its information
and experienced both growth and a health-care reform and a still uncer- customers. With more customers tak- technology systems, Sant notes.
high client retention rate throughout tain economy. ing advantage of its trust products, 1st The recession placed stress on the
the transition. The outcome of the ongoing de- National’s trust department increased bank’s loan portfolio as evidenced by
After the acquisition, PRM gained bate and its affect on the insurance its assets to $46 million, a 400% in- increased costs of collecting debt and
access to insurance management pro- industry, and how employers respond crease over 2008, Sant says. greater losses. Moreover FDIC insur-
grams and worksite screenings to help to economic conditions mandate that 2009 was a year of significant ance premiums and special assess-
employers lower health-care costs, PRM continue to educate its clients progress, he reports, but also one ments resulted in 1st Bank paying the
reduce abenteeism, impove employee about how to adjust their plans to best fraught with challenges for his bank. FDIC $308,645 in premiums last year,
health and increase productivity. manage costs, Blasko says. It showed “a very respectable profit of a 431% increase over 2008.
������������������������������������������������������������
������������������������������������������������������������
���������������������������������������������������������������
��������
�����������
��������
All of these things have helped Stifel Financial Corp. grow to become the
7th-largest investment firm in the country, with approximately
1,900 Financial Advisors. ������
In fact, Stifel Financial was recently named to Fortune magazine’s annual
100 Fastest-Growing Companies list, ranking #2 in the financial services ����������� ����������������
�������� ����������������������
industry, #16 among U.S. firms, and #25 overall.
See www.stifel.com for full details.
���������������������������������������������
������������������������������������������� ���������������������������
��������������������������������������������� ���������������������������
������������������������������������������������������
���������������������������������������� ������
���������������������������������������������
����������������
Experienced advisors interested ������������������
in a career at Stifel Nicolaus can ��������������������
call Mike Paterchak/Ohio Valley
Administration at (330) 599-4735. ������������
P
ark Vista experienced a successful 2009 tested nursing assistants. Denise Creator, who initiated the support group, was
with positive operating results and census During fiscal 2009, Park Vista provided $170,690 the first winner of the Helen Stambaugh Innovators
remaining steady at 95%, reports Brian in charitable care through its Life Care Commitment Award, established to recognize employees who
Kolenich, executive director. program, made possible through the Ohio Presbyte- create programs or services that improve residents’
With a 9.7% increase in staffing over the previous rian Retirement Services Foundation. Park Vista also experiences and produce cost savings or generate
year, Park Vista employed 269 residents from the provided charitable programs and services valued at new revenue.
Mahoning Valley area, he notes.
New this year will be a 1,400-square-foot warm-
water aquatic therapy pool, for which ground
was broken last October. Murphy Construction is
Merger Highlights 2009 at HD Davis Associates
expected to begin the project in early March, and HD Davis Associates, Liberty, began 2009 by The Davis firm’s plan going forward is to of-
completion is anticipated in 150 days. merging with J. Newman Levy CPA’s. fer small business consulting, accounting and
The Youngstown-based Park Vista, founded in “We installed a new computer system, phone tax services.
1947, provides independent-living, assisted-living, system with new office furnishings,” says “We are emphasizing QuickBooks accounting
memory care, skilled-nursing and rehabilitation Harold Davis, certified public accountant and systems, which is now 87% of the accounting
services to some 300 residents and is a member of president. “The staff, which now totals eight, has software market, but will continue to service
Ohio Presbyterian Retirement Services. adjusted well as we have become a cohesive team Peachtree clients,” notes Donna Mark, the firm’s
The Rehab Center at Park Vista experienced an ready for the 2010 tax season.” QuickBooks Pro adviser.
8% increase in clients in 2009, and a quarterly survey This year, Davis says, should be one of major “QuickBooks’ newest feature, ‘Accountant’s
of residents found that 100% would recommend the growth for most of the firm’s clients. Copy,’ is changing the entire client-accountant
Park Vista program to their friends, Kolenich says. “I’ve been meeting with several area banks re- relationship. This new feature allows us to fix
This year, the speech department will implement cently,” he reports. “They seem to be opening up our client’s QuickBooks data while the client
a new therapy technique for those with Alzheimer’s for new commercial loans, which are going to be at continues to work on his or her live data. It
and other dementia. The technique is called Spaced record low interest rates for now. The recession has eliminates sending in backups or laboring with
Retrieval; it is a method of transferring short-term created a lot of opportunities for businesses that journal entries and saves a load of time and ag-
memory into long-term memory, Kolenich says. keep their eyes open and balance sheets clean.” gravation.”
The therapy department continued use of the lat-
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 59
60 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
I
n some parts of the country, revenues in the Some of that growth can be attributed to the unique in northeastern Ohio as it is a fully integrated
cosmetic surgery industry have shrunk by as opening of Gentile’s third office last March. The of- aesthetic practice with its own state-of-the art state-
much as 40% since the onset of “the current fice, known as the Aesthetic Technology Institute, licensed and nationally accredited surgical center.”
economic meltdown,” says Richard D. Gentile, a serves the Cleveland area and specializes in mini- Gentile, a past officer of the American Academy of
board certified facial plastic surgeon with offices in mally invasive procedures such as dermal fillers and Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, founded his
Boardman, Fairlawn and Cleveland. At his offices, laser treatments for skin disorders. It also provides practice 22 years ago and is recognized internation-
however, business is on an upswing. consultations and pre- and post-operative care for ally for his contributions in minimally invasive and
laser-assisted facial cosmetic procedures and laser-
assisted lipolysis. In recent years, he reports, half of
his patients have come from outside Ohio – from 13
The professionals at other states and three foreign countries.
He introduced skin rejuvenation techniques to
Hill, Barth & King the area in 1994. Some of those early lasers, he notes,
uncertainty.
results, Gentile recalls. Introduction of more power-
our Business Advisory ful ablative fractionated lasers, he says, allows for
significant improvements in sun-damaged, wrinkled
Services. or acne-scarred skin after just one treatment.
The popularity of and patient satisfaction with
these treatments is high, and Gentile says he has
Contact us today to
performed hundreds of these procedures since he
began offering them. His patients, he notes, have
experienced minimal adverse side effects.
learn more! The Facial Plastic & Aesthetic Laser Center serves
as an international training center for advanced laser
lipolysis techniques. Gentile, who is included in the
Consumer’s Research Council of America’s Guide
to America’s Top Plastic Surgeons for the third year
in a row, has trained nearly 50 surgeons in lipolysis
techniques. Some of the surgeons, he notes, have
come from as far as Korea and France.
���������������
�������� downtime to ex- solar panels.
��������
plore green energy initiatives, install- “There’s nothing more gratifying
ing one of the area’s first solar panel to a business owner than when one
arrays at the company’s new office and small idea, such as going green, turns
������������ warehouse at 121 E. Calla Road. into an opportunity to keep people
����������� The 10.75 kW solar system will employed and possibly hire on new
provide 60% of the building’s energy staff,” McCarthy says. “Keeping
������������������������
needs and gives McCarthy Systems people working has always been one
���������������������� Co. an opportunity “to lead by ex- of my top priorities.”
������������������� ample,” the company president says. McCarthy plans to host a grand
����������������� Phase II of the green energy project, opening and open house this spring
�� slated for next year, will provide for to show area residents and business
�����������
�������� the remainder of McCarthy Sytems’ owners the solar array in operation.
��������� energy needs, resulting in a net-zero “Unlike most people in northeast
utility bill, McCarthy reports. Ohio this winter, we will be soaking
By taking advantage of federal and up the sun,” he chuckles.
state grants and other energy incen- McCarthy Systems was founded in
tives, McCarthy says he expects this 1972 with a handful of employees who
investment in green energy to pay for specialized in construction mainte-
itself within four years. It may also nance and renovations. It began serv-
prompt the company to expand. ing as general contractor for wireless
There are many opportunities for telecommunications projects in the
growth in green energy, McCarthy mid-1990s. The company continues
says, and this year his company will to provide construction and telecom-
begin offering “sun studies” to cus- munications services in Ohio and
tomers to determine if they could neighboring states for companies such
benefit from solar energy systems. as AT&T, Verizon, General Electric
“What people don’t realize is our and Giant Eagle.
��������������������������������������������������
���������������������������������������������������������
�����������������������������������������������������������
����������������������������������������������������
���������������������������������������������������
�
�������������������������������������������������
�������������������������������������������������������
���������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������
�����������������������������������������������
� ��������������� ������������� ����������������
� ������������� ������������� ������������
��������������������������
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 65
SKILLED PROFESSIONALS.
of two small firms in Florida.
In the Mahoning Valley, the HBK office in Board-
man, which also serves as its headquarters, has led
PRODUCTIVE RESULTS.
the firm in revenue growth the last three years, says
HBK spokeswoman Amanda Fire. The building
also houses several departments including quality
control, tax, report, information technology, human
resources and marketing.
I
In the Boardman office, Craig Steinhoff was ad- f you care about quality – commit The Builders: Teamwork. Safety. Manpower.
mitted last year as a principal in the quality control to using the best contractors in
department, Frank Balog Jr. joined as a supervisor this region’s construction industry: Choose Smart. Choose the Builders.
and Bill Baxter was hired to add depth to the IT Members of The Builders Association of
THE UILDERS
department.
Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania.
The Youngstown office grew last year when the
health-care business solutions department relocated We are skilled professionals who offer
from Boardman and hired Laurie Garman. The productive results.
A S S O C I A T I O N
S K I L L E D P R O F E S S I O N A L S . P R O D U C T I V E R E S U LT S .
department supplies health-care providers with “a
vast amount of specialized services from revenue We are veteran craftsmen who complete To obtain a list of association
cycle review to accounts receivable aging analysis jobs on time, on budget and in a members please call 330-539-6050
in addition to core accounting and tax services,” customer-friendly manner. or visit our website at:
Fire says. www.TheBuildersOnline.com
HBK was named as one of the Top Employers We support the local construction
in Ohio by The Ohio Society for Human Resource industry with training and
Management State Council and Inside Public Ac- resources so that our project
As
counting recognized the firm as an IPA All-Star Firm. owners get skilled, expert our n k about
in
“These recognitions were achieved because of our workmanship. Every day. Cu e-poin
Bill o stomer t
f Rig
hts!
New Life for MetroPlex
The new owners of the MetroPlex in Liberty
Township say 2010 will be a banner year for the
hotel as it secures a new franchise and embarks
on millions of dollars in renovations.
AGHA LLC purchased the MetroPlex Hotel and
Conference Center in November, inheriting an
operation with just 10% occupancy.
“We’ve signed a contract with Clarion brand
franchise to be a Clarion hotel and conference
center, and we expect to increase our hotel oc-
cupancy to 30% to 40% by the end of 2010,”
says Indira Sammy, a principal in the new owner-
ship group.
The MetroPlex’s banquet hall, one of the
largest in the area, is undergoing extensive reno-
vations and there are plans for a grand reopening
in spring. The newly renovated hall is expected
to boost banquet sales by 50%.
The hotel is negotiating with tour groups from
Canada, Europe and Asia to include a stop on
their way back from Detroit to New York.
“Our goal is to increase international tourist
business to 50% of our total business,” Sammy
says.
68 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
G
rowth plans at NewBold communities,” Newbold says. “Our inpatient expectations and increasing says. Other services added to the
Technologies, East Liverpool, region is a perfect fit for rural sourcing staff to meet demand. Beeghly Campus include preventive
include an expansion of because many of our small towns are The pediatric hospital served cardiology and endocrinology.
marketing and outreach efforts on located within a 50- to 100-mile ra- nearly 20,000 inpatients in 2009, Akron Children’s opened the Mc-
regional and national levels, reports dius of major metropolitan areas, thus more than the 15,000 that administra- Family Respite Center in March, with
Craig Newbold, founder. providing the best of both worlds.” tors estimated, says its CEO, William the help of Ronald McDonald Chari-
“The goal is to educate U.S. compa- Communities such as East Liv- Considine.The emergency department ties. In December, the hospital opened
nies who are considering outsourcing erpool have infrastructure that sup- averaged about 60 visits a day, he adds, a special care nursery to handle over-
information technology services to ported populations of up to 30,000 augmenting the strong demand that flow of less critical newborns.
countries like India or China that we but have fallen to less than 10,000 enabled the hospital to increase staff. The hospital’s development depart-
can do a better job, at competitive today, Newbold notes. “This surplus “Expectations for our first year ment launched Kids Crew, a commit-
prices, right here in the heart of the capacity enables an IT factory of sev- have been surpassed both from the tee of community volunteers, says its
Rust Belt,” Newbold says. eral hundred people to exist in remod- perspective of the community as well director of development, JoAnn Stock.
The company has served the IT eled buildings costing much less than as from the standpoint of patient The department also held its first
needs of organizations of all sizes in metropolitan areas.” volume,” Considine says. “When we Miracles and Promises radiothon.
since 2004. Still, Newbold says, its Other benefits of rural sourcing opened the Beeghly Campus in 2008, “The radiothon event was a won-
mission is not well known, hence include costs comparable with off- we had just over 300 employees in the derful success and raised over $90,000
the greater emphasis on marketing. shore vendors, simplifying project Valley. We now have 420 employees at to benefit needy children, specifically
By using an IT “factory” in a rural management and communication, our five locations in the Valley, includ- in our Mahoning Valley service area,”
community with a low cost of doing reducing overhead and travel ex- ing 377 at the Beeghly Campus.” Stock says. “We greatly appreciate
business, the savings is passed along penses and helping to revitalize local The hospital added Air Bear service the support of Clear Channel for this
to customers, he explains. communities. last year, its dedicated pediatric medi- heartwarming weekend event.”
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 69
F
r o m Wa s h i n g t o n t o t h e has pushed HMHP to the forefront and
Mahoning Valley, how health the hard work of our physicians, staff
care is delivered and paid for is and employees has earned the system For
changing and Humility of Mary Health numerous notable awards: Corporations,
Partners is at the forefront in providing • The Ohio Department of Job and Partnerships, Proprietorships
the care our community needs. Guided Family Services named HMHP the
by the mission of caring set forth by 2009 Outstanding Employer of the
the Sisters of the Year. Serving
Humility of Mary, We are strong financially, thanks • The Premier 444 N. Main Street Eastern Ohio
HMHP continues Healthcare Alli- Hubbard, Ohio 44425 &
to grow in strength to the leadership of our board, ance recognized
and service. our management team, our staff St. Elizabeth as (330) 534-0001 Western
Pennsylvania
In 2009, the in- and donors. a winner of the
creased demand Premier Award for www.jpmarsh.com since 1978.
for services at St. Elizabeth Boardman Quality, one of just 23 in the nation
prompted the addition of 20 beds at so recognized.
our hospital in Boardman. • Thomson Reuters recognized
In addition, the demand for emer- St. Elizabeth as one of the Top 100
gency care prompted the expansion of hospitals in the country for cardio-
both the Boardman campus emergen- vascular care.
cy department and the St. Elizabeth • St. Elizabeth and St. Elizabeth
Emergency and Diagnostic Center in Boardman were among 28 hospitals
Austintown. nationwide to receive the Midas Plati-
In Trumbull County, St. Joseph num Quality Award for excellence in
Health Center opened a new long- clinical health care.
term acute-care hospital on its main • HM Home Health Services, winner
campus in partnership with Select of the HomeCare Elite award, was once
Medical. The new Select Specialty hos- again identified as one of the Top 500
pital, on the fifth floor of St. Joseph, home care agencies in the nation.
offers another level of service to pa- The awards our hospitals, clinics
tients and physicians. St. Joseph also and services garner are testament to ��������
expanded operations with the opening the exceptional health care. �����������
of new office space for physicians and As we look to the future, HMHP
an expanded urgent care center with will continue to focus our energies �������������������
digital imaging in Howland. on delivering today’s state-of-the-art �������������������
Last year ground was broken in health care and building the future of
����������
Austintown for Partners for Urology health care for the Mahoning Valley.
Health – a joint venture by HMHP, We are strong financially, thanks to the ������������������
NEO Urology Associates and Ad- leadership of our board, our manage- ��������������
vanced Urology. When it opens later ment team, our staff and donors.
this year, this center will provide urol- Our success will continue to be ����������������
ogy services previously unavailable in grounded in the quest for excellence �����
our area. and our ability to navigate through the �����������������
St. Elizabeth Boardman was the first challenges that have crippled other
hospital in the Mahoning Valley to of- providers of health care. �������������������
fer custom fit total knee replacement With the guidance of our local �����������������
and St. Elizabeth’s Robotic Surgery board of directors, we will continue
Center, the area’s only robotic surgery to make the best decisions for HMHP ����������������
center, continued to expand. and for the nine-county market we �������������
The Mahoning Valley knows serve, decisions that will enable us ������������������������������
HMHP as a member of a “Top-10 to fulfill our mission as we have the ������������
Health System” in the country and last 99 years.
70 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
Stambaugh Auditorium
������� ���������� Applauds ‘Great’ 2009
������������������������������� State grant helps fund and other private affairs. We plan on
capital improvements. advertising more heavily this year to
make residents of the Mahoning and
Shenango valleys more aware of our
By Phil Cannatti
venue for such events.
Stambaugh Auditorium Exec. Director It is also the site of the Good-
B
oth financially and artistically, will Industries auction, Sundays at
������� ���������������� ���������� ����������� The Stambaugh Auditorium Stambaugh, Theaterworks school
�������������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������ enjoyed a great 2009. performances, concerts offered by
�������������������� ������������ ����������
�������������������� ������������
A grant of $925,000 from the Ohio Youngstown State University’s Dana
Cultural Facilities Commission al- School of Music Concert Band as well
lowed us to add 210 spaces to a new as the YSU band. The U.S. Army Field
parking lot, make repairs to our cop- Band & Chorus Concert was at Stam-
per roof and gutters, add to our $1.3 baugh last year. And the fraternity and
million Skinner Organ restoration sorority system at YSU continues to
project and initiate a state-of-the-art hold its Greek Sing competition here
��������� ����������� ������ ����������������������
rigging system to the main stage. each spring.
����������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������� This year we are increasing our Still to come this year are per-
�������� �� ��������� ������� �� ������ ���������� ����� ������ ���������������������������������������������������������������
��������������������� ������������������������������������������������������� relationship with Senior Employment, formances by the Stambaugh Youth
�������������������� ������������ �������������������� ������������
which allows us to add part-time Concert Band and Theatre Freedom
workers. Train school.
Artistically, the Stambaugh family Dr. Jane Goodall, internationally
– Monday Musical Club, Opera West- known anthropologist, will deliver
ern Reserve, the Stambaugh Youth this year’s YSU Skeggs Lecture in April
Concert Band, the Stambaugh Chorus and the university’s Dana School will
and Ballet Western Reserve – added to perform Orff’s “Carmina Burana.”
����������� ������������� ���������������� ��������������������������� our performance mix. May will prove a busy month as the
������������������������������������������������������������ �������������������������������������������������������
���� ��������� ���� ����� ������������ ���� ��� ������� ����� ���� �������� �������� ������ ������� ���� ������ ��� ������ ���� Stambaugh Auditorium remains auditorium is the site of many high
�����������������������
�������������������� ������������
���������������������������������������������������
������������������������� ������������������������������������
busy throughout the year as the host school proms.
of dance competitions, wedding New signs along Interstate 680
ceremonies and receptions, religious and the Madison Avenue Expressway
services, birthday parties and balls direct visitors to the auditorium.
2010 brings the completion of the the hospital unveiled two new surgery
surgical services revitalization proj- suites to accommodate advanced lapa-
ect that began three years ago at the roscopic surgery techniques.
UPMC Horizon’s campus in Green- “We have been able to do cases
ville, Pa., says Don Owrey, president. at UPMC Horizon that we had been
����������������������������������������������������������� ������ ����������
������������������������������������������������������ ���� ������������ ������� ��� ��� ����������� ��������� ��� ���� The $6 million undertaking has doing at tertiary care hospitals in
����������� ������ �������� �������� �� ������ ����� ������ ����������������������������������������������������������
���������� ��������������������������������� brought the latest advancements Pittsburgh because UPMC Horizon’s
�������������������� ������������ �������������������� ������������ in operating room technology, and equipment and facilities are of com-
recruitment of nine surgeons with parable quality,” notes Lance Weaver,
new surgical specialties ranging from a general surgeon with Northern Area
minimally invasive general surgery to Surgical Associates-UPMC.
breast, bariatric, orthopedic, thoracic The next major phase of the proj-
and vascular surgery. ect was completed in July when the
The final phase of the project, a new ambulatory services department
��������� ��������� ����������� ����������������
patient holding area, is scheduled to opened. The new post-anesthesia
���� ������������ ������� ��� ��� ���������������� ���������� ���� ������ ������� ��� ��� ����������� ��������� ��� ����� ������� be completed in the next few weeks. care unit – nearly twice the size of
�� ����������� �� ������� ���� �������� �������� ����� ���������� ��� ���������������������������������������������������������
������������������������������������������������������ �������������������� ������������ In the midst of the department’s the previous recovery area – opened
�������������������� ������������ transformation, surgical cases at in November.
UPMC Horizon rose by 17% during The revitalization project also
��������
the last fiscal year, Owrey says. included new ambulatory services
���
���������������������
�����������������������������
�������������������������������������������������
���������������������������������������������������
���������������������������������������
�����������������������������������������������
������������������������������������������������
���������
◆� ����������������������������������������������
◆� ��������������������������������������������������
◆� ����������������������������������������
◆� ���������������������������������������������
◆� �����������������������������������
◆� �������������������������������������������������������
◆� ��������������������������������
◆� �����������������������������������������������
◆� �������������������������������������������������������
� � ������������������������������������������������������
� � ����������������������������������������������������������������
� � ���������������������������������������������������������
� � �����������������������������
�������������������������
�������������������������
��������������������������������������
������������
���������������������
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 73
�����������������������
Remodeling Projects Keep Sparkling Year at Komara
Business Steady at Pitzulo
CANFIELD – Sam Pitzulo Homes found
CANFIELD – Komara Jewelers started
2009 by opening a second store at
5200 E. Market St. in Howland, thereby
����
2009 “a very challenging year,” and with
demand to build new houses feeble, he
stepped up his efforts in home remod-
adding four employees and increasing
its staff to 20, says Colleen Conroy,
�����
eling and saw “business substantially
increase,” Sam Pitzulo Jr. reports.
marketing director.
Sales also increased 95% over 2008,
led by Komara’s Pandora jewelry line,
�����
People’s wariness about borrowing to
along with a 22% increase in bridal
build new houses – or their inability to
sales, 15% increase in custom work �������������������������������������
secure mortgages – remains unchanged
and a 30% increase in jewelry and watch
from last year, the homebuilder says.
repairs, Conroy says. � ������������ � � � � ������������
A tight mor tgage market only now
beginning to loosen, compounded by
Komara also enjoyed a 5% increase � � �������� � � � �� � �� �������������
in sales of the Hearts on Fire jewelry
“appraisers underappraising property,”
and the availability of distressed prop-
line, of which it is the exclusive retailer � ����������������� ����������������
in the tri-county area, Conroy says.
erties, confronts his business and that �������������������������������������������
Record high gold prices resulted in
of all homebuilders across the United
an increase in the purchase of estate
States, he says.
jewelry, gold, platinum and silver, she
���� � �������������������������
“Since we added commercial work
adds.
to our por tfolio,” adds Pitzulo, vice ����������������������������������
president of the company, “we were able American Business Center
to maintain our business over the last
couple of years, even in the midst of the
Expands Its Territory ��������������
current economic downturn.” BOARDMAN – American Business Center
Pitzulo takes pride in receiving both Inc., Boardman, plans to hire more em-
the 2009 Home Builder and Home ployees and expand its service territory
Remodeler of the year awards from the and business in 2010, says the owner Our air curtains
Home Builders Association, and the of the company, Robert Wagner.
Save energy when
Red Cross Hero of the Mahoning Valley “We are now an authorized Canon
doors are opened
award for his role in building a new home dealer for the Akron/Canton territory,
which opens up a whole new market for by preventing
for Joe Kaluza, who was left severely
us in 2010,” Wagner says. temperature drops
handicapped after he was shot during
a robbery. The addition of the Canon brand will and rises that
D
espite the toll the recession took, Another effort intended to help
First Place Bank accomplished buyers is Community First, a loan pro-
many of its strategic goals gram for homebuyers who might also
and laid the groundwork of an need additional funds to improve the
Award-winning services* for today’s environment. even stronger and more responsive properties they are purchasing. First
organization. Place has designated $10 million for
��������������� ��������� In early 2009, First Place was targeted low- and moderate-income
chosen to take n e i g h b o rh o o d s
����������������� �������������������������� part in the U.S. Our mission is to bring national in Trumbull, Ma-
���������������������� � �������������� D e p a rt m e n t o f honing, Portage,
� ������������������� Treasury Capital initiatives to the local level, Cuyahoga, Lo-
����������������� Purchase Program where they can make a direct rain, Delaware and
����������������������������������������������� � ���������������� for healthy institu- impact on our local economy. Franklin Counties
�
����������������������������������������������� ������������������� tions. First Place in Ohio; and Gen-
� � �
met Treasury’s strict standards for esee, Oakland, Macomb and Wayne
participation; since receiving the $73 Counties in Michigan. The program
� ������������� million in funds, the bank has been offers a reduced 30-year fixed loan rate
� ��������������������� investing in the communities it serves as well as discounted closing costs.
to help strengthen local economies. In addition, the program offers ad-
� ��������������������� Along with the confidence placed ditional funding to be used for home
in the company by the Capital Pur- improvements.
chase Program, the Office of Thrift Other efforts to bolster the econ-
Supervision deemed First Place Bank omy of the markets we serve makes
“well-capitalized,” underscoring its greater use of Small Business Admin-
������������������
strength and stability. istration guarantees. To help small
A significant strength at First Place businesses escape from the doldrums,
has been mortgage lending. Because the SBA raised the percentage of lent
the mortgage industry has been one funds it guarantees.
���������������������������������������������������������������������������� of the hardest hit by the economic In the Mahoning Valley, First Place
downturn, we’re especially proud of Bank has taken several steps to ensure
� � � � the mortgage group for setting record that local businesses benefit. First, the
volumes in 2009. Their performance bank dedicated $10 million to help lo-
� � � � � ������������� continues to place First Place Bank cal qualified small businesses through
as the No. 1 lender in many of the the SBA Recovery Act. The funds are
� � � � � �������� markets we serve. intended to help established small
The bank was among those chosen businesses maintain their solid perfor-
to pilot Fannie Mae’s HomePath pro- mances and increase their capital so
gram. HomePath was designed to help that they can take advantage of expan-
buyers purchase foreclosed homes sion opportunities and other items on
� � � ������������������ Fannie Mae owns, helping to stabilize
neighborhoods.
their long-term business plans.
As a community bank, our mission
� � � � � ������������������������������������
�������������������������������� Similar to HomePath is Buyers is to bring national initiatives to the
First, the program First Place Bank local level, where they can make a
� � � � � ������������������������������������������������� introduced in 2009 to reduce our own direct impact on our local economy.
�� ����������������� inventory of foreclosed properties. First Place supports the other
� ����������������� Buyers First provides a discount on industries and institutions that have
� ��������� current interest rates; eligible proper- formed the bedrock of local econo-
ties are listed at FirstPlaceBank.com. mies. To demonstrate its support
To help local builders who found of the automotive industry, we an-
themselves with a higher inventory nounced the Race to First Place Bank
of unsold spec or model homes, the sweepstakes promotion, the prize be-
bank created Builders First, a program ing a brand-new Chevy Cruze.
that offers discounted loan rates and In these tough times, we wanted to
closing costs on participating builders’ do something special to show our sup-
unsold homes. The program benefits port to our local communities. We ap-
both sellers and buyers: builders can preciate how crucial the auto industry,
��������������������������� ������������������������� gain an edge in the market and sell and we’re proud that the Cruze will be
their homes more quickly; buyers can built here in northeast Ohio.
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 75
T
he worst recession since World
War II caused Cohen & Co., a
public accounting firm based
in communications to its clients.
Cohen’s tax group helped to re-
lieve some of the pressure our clients
were under from local governments
strapped for revenues because of
C erni Motor Sales Inc.,
Austintown, expects its
truck leasing and rental
business to increase this year as new
products introduced by the dealers’
also changed in 2010. As such, In-
ternational recently introduced more
advanced engine and vehicle systems,
featuring exhaust gas recirculation,
or EGR, technology, which leaves the
in Cleveland with a Youngstown lower tax collections. Many states International brand address federal burden of compliance with the truck
office, to focus on improving internal are aggressively collecting taxes from regulations effective Jan. 1. manufacturer, not the customer.
procedures and efficiencies and thereby companies based in Ohio that have a “Renting and leasing provide vi- Another product intended to re-
help its clients achieve their financial physical presence or operations else- able solutions for business owners duce costs for operators is a bunk
goals in a challenging market. where. We worked with clients to help concerned with capital expenditures,” heater from Webasto that provides im-
As a result, Cohen & Co. has them understand where nexus exists says Charlie Cerni, sales manager. mediate heat to the vehicle’s interior
enhanced several of its services and and make more informed decisions Moreover, new commerical trucks and burns as little as one gallon of fuel
is working with its clients to take ad- on where to file and take advantage of introduced by International come per 20 hours, Cerni says. The system
vantage of opportunities opening up amnesty programs if offered. equipped with features that comply ensures a quiet operation with the en-
as the economy enters recovery. Our clients showed greater interest with new federal regulations and re- gine in the off position and complies
Our firm’s turnaround management in doing business abroad and export- duce operating costs for owners. with anti-idling laws .
services provide analysis for clients in ing overseas. Our International Tax The International ProStar, for ex- “We ship these units to customers
moments of crisis and identify the Group worked with clients engaged in ample, has made great strides in fuel all over the country throughout the
feasible options and expertise to work exporting, or considering exporting, economy, durability, uptime, service- year,” Cerni says.
toward a solution. With the challenges to establish domestic international ability, comfort and handling, Cerni Cerni Motor Sales Inc., in its
that resulted from the recession, the sales corporations to help them export says. “International designed the Pro- 50th year of business was founded
Turnaround Management Group has products made here. Star to be the most aerodynamic Class in 1961 by two brothers, John and
had exponential growth. Such planning provides a federal 8 truck on the road today, resulting in Charlie Cerni. A second generation
The deleterious effects of the income tax incentive to those en- an average 6% better fuel efficiency of the Cerni family, led by company
recession caused a big increase in gaged in exporting. The benefits vary than its closest competitor,” he says. President John P. Cerni II, now op-
organizational fraud. In response, but those with at least $1 million in Federal emission standards for die- erates the company. The dealership
Cohen zeroes in on fraud awareness exports should benefit. sel-powered commercial trucks have employs 75.
Williamson College
of Business Administration
Preparing Business Leaders
� Curriculum Innovation: ���������������������������������������������������������������
� �����������������������
� New courses�������������������������������������������������������������������� � �
� ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
��������������������������
������������������
�����������������������������������������������������������
����������������������������������
����������������������
����������������������������������������������������������������������������
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 77
I
nfoCision Management Corp., markets by increasing its ability to �����������������������
Akron, is projecting double-digit “touch” consumers or donors on more
growth this year following sales of than one level. The firm continues �� ������������������
$173 million in 2009. to invest in the technology to help
The company, founded in 1982, clients conduct one-to-one market- �� ������������������
provides customer care services, ing campaigns including personalized � � �������������������������
commercial sales and marketing for URLs, Web-based chat and mobile text ��������������������������
companies that range from Fortune messaging, he adds.
100 firms to smaller businesses. In- Amenities that InfoCision offers its � � ��������������
foCision also provides inbound and employees to help maintain a stable �� ���������������������
outbound marketing for nonprofit, work force include flexible sched- � ����������
religious and political organizations. ules, health benefits, on-site fitness
InfoCision maintains a work force and wellness clinics and subsidized �� ����������������������������
of more than 1,200 people in the child care.
Mahoning and Shenango valleys, its In 2009, the company opened a �� ������������������������
largest concentration of employees, second InfoKids early learning center �� ���������������������
reports Steve Brubaker, senior vice in Akron, offering on-site child care
president. The company has a work for employees, and it plans to open an �� ���������������������������
force of more than 4,000 employees, InfoKids center at each of its locations,
�� �����������������������
and operates 30 call centers at 12 including the three Youngstown area
locations in Ohio, Pennsylvania and sites, Brubaker says.
� ������� ������������������������
West Virginia. InfoCision received accredita-
The bulk of those employees – 75% tion last year through the American ��������������������������������������������
– work in Ohio, including employees Teleservices Association Self Regula- �������������������������������������������
in its 11 call centers in Austintown, tory Organization for excellence in
��������������������
� �������
�
the library system more accessible and Library use continues to increase, ����������������������� �
inviting to users. he says. Last year, use of the library � ��������
2009 presented significant chal- increased 3% to more than 650,000, ������������������������
lenges, namely cuts in state funding driven by the library’s free services. � ��������
to libraries across Ohio, says James Circulation was up 5%, while use ��������������������� �
Wilkins, library director. The latest of computers rose 14%. All of the � ����������������
state budget slashed library funding by system’s libraries have wireless con- ����������������������
11% for 2010-2011 on top of previous nections to accommodate personal ��������������������� �
reductions, he notes. computers as well as computers avail- � ��������
Wilkins says he expects library rev- able for public use. ���������������������
enue to decrease by $1.2 million from Customers now have the option ���������������������
what it received in 2008-2009. of asking librarians questions via an
The cutbacks have led to the main instant messaging feature through
library reducing its service hours from the library’s Web site, wtclp.org. Also,
61 hours a week to 52 hours, and the access to several new on-line informa- ����������������������������������������
five branch libraries from 60.5 hours tion sources has been added to the �����������������������������������������
a week to 40 hours a week. library Web site.
78 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
MASTERWORKS
DRAMATIC AND EXCITING
From Russia with Love
Mussorgsky Night on Bald Mountain
Stravinsky Firebird Suite (1919)
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2, C minor
February 6, 2010 • 8 PM
Edward W. Powers Auditorium
Concert underwritten in part by bhsm architects, inc.
Valentina Lisitsa,
pianist
POPS
Symphonic Valentine
Music to touch the heart strings.
From Gershwin’s Embraceable You
to the Sinatra Songbook,
Phantom of the Opera’s Think of Me
and cinema favorites
My Heart Will Go On and
Ann Runolfsson,
star of Lara’s Theme from Dr. Zhivago. Cool jazz sound with
Phantom of the the
Opera Joe Augustine Trio
February 13, 2010 • 8 PM
Edward W. Powers Auditorium
Concert underwritten in part by Stifel Nicolaus and Youngstown Thermal
cutting measures
United States Hockey League team,
to the Covelli Centre.
counting machines. “Providing companies with real facts
on traffic to their stores allows them
mean more dollars.
R
ecord-breaking attendance at
several shows and cost-cutting
measures last year contributed
To ensure financial stability, JAC
Management undertook several cost-
cutting measures, including energy
conservation and employee furloughs
during the off-season, says Bridget
S enSource, a technology company
based in Youngstown, exceeded
its sales goals in 2009, leading to
a 20% increase in staffing and a more
extensive line of products.
to evaluate which properties are most
valuable.”
Among the new clients SenSource
acquired last year are The Ohio State
University, Louisiana State University,
to the Covelli Centre achieving its Wolsonovich, director of marketing. The company specializes in equip- Gander Mountain, Disney, Vitamin
first operational profit in its four-year The Covelli Centre had a dozen ment that counts the number of World, Deb Shops, Advance Auto
history, JAC Management Group LLC sold-out events among the 100 sched- people visiting stores, gaming and Parts, Sportsman’s Warehouse and
reports. uled last year, she notes. Those events entertainment centers, libraries, mu- the Greater Cleveland Rapid Transit
The Struthers company, which with included record-setting attendance seums, schools, hospitals and clinics, Authority. SenSource also continues
SMG of Philadelphia operates the city- for the Harlem Globetrotters and the the number of vehicles entering or to expand its portfolio of international
owned arena, began 2009 looking for championship bout between Kelly passing a designated area, and envi- clients, Gallo reports, with sensors
a naming rights partner and a hockey Pavlik and challenger Marco Rubio ronmental and industrial sensors. operating in more than 40 countries.
team. General Motors chose not to before a crowd of 7,000. Serving such a wide range of indus- As a result, 2009 sales topped $3.1
renew its naming rights agreement One casualty of the year was the tries provides SenSource with a cush- million, a 25% increase over 2008. A
and the SteelHounds hockey team, the Mahoning Valley Thunder, the AF2 ion that shields it from fluctuations in product-support specialist and a mar-
arena’s anchor tenant since its open- arena football team that ceased opera- the economy, observes Lauren Gallo, keting coordinator were also hired,
ing, had dissolved. tions after three seasons. director of marketing and sales. Some Gallo reports.
By midyear, two local business The arena has retained many of its sectors, such as retail, which may This year, sales are expected to
operators stepped in to fill both roles. sponsors and added new ones, Wol- suffer greatly during a recession, may grow 30% as new clients are added and
Covelli Enterprises in Warren signed sonovich says. These include Dental also stand to benefit the most from the existing clients expand their use of
a three-year commitment to serve as Express, Apostolakis Auto Group, Ak- services SenSource provides. SenSource products, she says. She also
the naming rights sponsor, and Bruce ron Children’s Hospital, Holiday Inn- “SenSource products offer tech- expects at least two more employees
Zoldan, owner of BJ Alan Co., brought Boardman and Naffah Hospitality. nology that helps [these companies] to be hired.
�������������������������
���������������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������������
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 81
S
even Seventeen Credit Union grew in 2009 by services at no cost for members who have its Gen- vides free access to professional financial counselors
adding new products, enhancing others and Gold checking account. The program helps members who advise on establishing a budget, developing a
improving the channels of delivery for all its monitor and secure their personal information and debt management plan – even working with credi-
products and services, says CEO Gary Soukenik. recover their losses should fraud occur. tors on the members’ behalf should the need arise,
Preliminary year-end accounting shows that as- With so many still hurting from the recession, the Soukenik says.
sets grew nearly 6% to more than $766 million. Net
worth, a key measure of capital and strength, stood
at 9.64%, well above the 7% deemed “adequately
���
��
capitalized” under federal law. Deposits grew by
nearly $30 million, Soukenik says.
Seven Seventeen added 28 business partners to
the more than 900 companies and organizations af- ����������
filiated with the financial institution, he adds.
������
�
Affiliation entails companies offering their em-
ployees the benefits of membership in Seven Seven-
teen, such as direct access to the credit union in their
workplaces and complimentary lunch-and-learn
�����
programs. These special services were enhanced last
year and reintroduced as the CU@Work program.
New members continued joining the financial
�� �������������������������������������
cooperative through community group charters
that allow anyone who resides, works or worships �������������� �����������������������
��������������������
����������������������
in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, Portage and ������������������������������������������������
central Stark counties to belong. More than 6,000 �������������������������
new members opened accounts last year with Seven ��������������������
Seventeen, Soukenik says ��������������������� ������������������������
Among the product enhancements was the debit- ���������������������� ��������������������
card rewards program where members earn points ����������������������
on transactions when they sign a receipt rather than ����������������������������������
entering a personal identification number. ����������������������
����������������������������������������
Transactions authorized by the member’s sig- ���� ������������ �������� ������ �����������������������
nature can be redeemed for merchandise or travel ��������������������
rewards, Soukenik says. With the new program, ��� �������� ������� ��� �� �������� ���������������������������
Seven Seventeen allows members to combine their ������������ ������������ ���� ����� ���� ����������������������������
Visa credit- and debit-card points, thus reaching ���������������������
reward thresholds faster.
�������� ���������� �������� ���� �������� ��������������������
Another aspect of how services were enhanced ������� ������� ��������� ���� ������ ����� ����������������������
is online delivery. Several Seven Seventeen accounts ������������� ���� ������������� ������ ������������������������������������������������
can be opened and funded online – members need
not visit an office.
������� ���������� �������������� ���� ����� ������������������������
����������� ������������ ��� ������� ����� �����������������������
“When it comes to transacting business with �����������������������������������
Seven Seventeen, there is relatively little that mem- ��������������������������������������� ������������������
bers can’t do from the convenience and comfort of ����������������������������������������
their homes,” Soukenik says. “Members can log ������������������������
onto their home computers day or night and open ���������������
deposit accounts, apply for loans, pay bills, transfer ���������������������������������������� ���������������������
funds, access electronic account statements, receive ������������������������������ ����������������������������������
account alerts and more.” �����������������������
As 2009 drew to a close, Seven Seventeen installed ����������������������
the first of four new automated teller machines ���������������������
with advanced deposit technology, called “Smart ��������������������
Deposit,” that makes depositing funds faster and �������������������
easier. The member inserts checks and cash directly ������������������ �����������������
into the ATM, eliminating the need for deposit slips ��������������������
and envelopes. Verification of deposits is provided
��������������������� �����������������
on-screen. On the transaction receipt is the image �������������������� �������������������������
�����������������
of each check deposited and a breakdown of num-
ber and total of each denomination of currency �������������� ���������������������������������������
deposited.
The first ATM with Smart Deposit is near the in-
����������� ����������������������������
���������������������������������������
tersection of Central Parkway and Youngstown Road
in Warren. The other three will soon be available
82 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
T
opment and marketing division, a 3-D model draft- hiel College, Greenville, Pa., launched several at Alumni Stadium during the winter months. This
ing program, and a new sister company to handle new programs and initiatives in 2009 under will greatly increase space available to varsity and
general maintenance for local companies. That unit the leadership of its new president, Dr. Troy intramural sports teams and athletics classes.
plans to expand this year with the acquisition of VanAken, who assumed his position in July. The marching band takes the field for the first
another company, Jaskiewicz reports. The most notable additions under VanAken are time this fall and there are plans to establish pep or
The company purchased $250,000 in utility The Thiel Commitment, five varsity sports – women concert bands, Carr says. “This program will provide
equipment in 2009 for its utility, power and light di- and men’s tennis, women and men’s lacrosse, and an opportunity for high school musicians to continue
vision, while a Trimble unit was acquired to advance men’s volleyball – a marching band, a youth ministry performing as they move into their college years.”
efforts in building information modeling, he says. major and a shooting club, reports Joyce DeFran- The youth ministry major combines study in the-
“We have an employee-based philosophy: faith, cesco Carr, director of public relations. ology, the Bible, ministry theory and social science
family, then business,” Jaskiewicz, says. The Thiel Commitment, VanAken’s first priority, with supervised field and mentoring experiences
An employee-of-the-month program started by is aimed at showcasing the advantages of a Thiel to prepare students for work as youth and family
Jaskiewicz two years ago has been a huge success education before, during and after a student’s un- ministers in Christian congregations and camps.
among the team at Valley Electric. Employees help dergraduate experience, Carr explains. The initiative The Thiel shooting club, Carr continues, is a
offer assistance to fellow team members and the includes a ninth-semester tuition waiver for qualified team-oriented sport that will provide instruction in
“camaraderie has led to strong interoffice relation- students who want to take advantage of extra op- safe use, management and maintenance of firearms
ships that grow every day,” he continues. portunities such as studying abroad or participating as well as competition opportunities. Shooting gal-
Valley Electric also holds “Lunch and Learns” in internships, expanded career services, and a 60% leries will be provided through an agreement with
each month, where employees spend their lunch tuition discount for graduates seeking new skills. a local shooting club.
breaks listening to nationally recognized speakers, The Thiel Commitment also includes a co-cur- “This is such an exciting time to be at Thiel
says Rex Ferry, company president. Last year, Ted ricular transcript and an e-Portfolio system that College,” VanAken says. “The enhancement and
Garrison delivered a presentation based on the book allows students to demonstrate to potential employ- expansion of our athletics and educational programs
The Toyota Way, which members of Valley Electrical’s ers and graduate schools what they’ve learned and will position Thiel to attract engaged students and
book club read and used to improve efficiencies and accomplished. “The Thiel Commitment embodies an scholar athletes. This is just the start of many innova-
to embrace “lean” concepts. aspect of Theil that so many of our alumni already tive programs that will benefit our students.”
The book club team selects a book designed to know – that Thiel is for life,” VanAken says. Thiel has an enrollment of 1,000 and offers more
enrich the employee growth and that could be ap- Thiel’s five new varsity sports will compete at than 60 academic majors and areas of study. The
plied to Valley Electric’s strategic planning process. the NCAA Division III level and bring the Tomcats’ next campus preview day for prospective students
“This type of educational reinforcement encourages total number of athletics teams to 24. In addition is March 13.
�
�����������������
�������
�� �����������������������
�� �������������
�� ���������������������
�� �����������������������
T
ri-County Tower Service Inc., North Jackson, nization marketed its services. We overhauled our Last year we hired 14 new employees and we ex-
has always prided itself on is adaptability and Web site, created a new site for TCT Renewable pect to hire more this year. We expanded our service
2009 was no different. Energy, produced multimedia portfolios of our to the state of Ohio’s emergency communications
Our company provides a variety of solutions to projects, participated in blogs and trade shows and network in 2009 and hope to extend that same level
the communications industry, from maintenance to even made use of Twitter. of service and commitment to other states.
turnkey tower construction. We entered the cellular
and paging industry early in its evolution and last
year we again adjusted our business model to keep Meridian Services to Add Programs, Relocate
up with the region’s ever-fluctuating market. We Meridian Services Inc. last year expanded its increase in clients served,” he notes, with 3,711
created a new division, TCT Renewable Energy, a WorkLife division to begin offering corporate people receiving services through Meridian’s
state-eligible installer of wind turbines for residen- wellness services as a complement to its occu- treatment and recovery programs.
tial, commercial, industrial and institutional use. pational health and drug testing services. “This Significant physical improvements were made
Tri-County installed its first turbine in 2003 division will be further expanded in 2010 with last year to three of the 11 facilities Meridian
but never pursued renewable energy as a full-time the relocation to new facilities and the addition operates. The organization spent more than
business model. At that time, we brought on Scot of staff,” reports CEO Larry Moliterno. $100,000 providing upgrades to the Ron Mar-
Loveland as division manager and allowed him to This year, Meridian plans to purchase a larger ian facility on Chalmers Avenue, The Donofrio
develop the brand as the market dictated. facility for the Northeast Ohio Regional Center for Women’s Center on Ridge Avenue and the cor-
One of the first things Loveland implemented was Adolescent Treatment, which provides residential porate offices on Meridian Road in Youngstown.
the expansion of our community involvement. Such treatment for up to 24 young men. Other 2009 highlights include the fifth annual
involvement included sponsorship of Youngstown’s Revenue grew to 2009 to $7.02 million, an Valley Impact Awards in October, attended by
Grey to Green Festival, consulting with zoning com- increase of 20.8% over 2008, Moliterno says. 200 people, and the addition of the “Our Valley
missions on wind turbine regulations, and delivering In addition, 20 jobs were added, bringing total Cooks Food Expo” event, Moliterno says, which
renewable energy presentations to local schools. employment to 158. “Overall, there was a 30% 1,500 people attended in March.
The highlight of our new division’s year was the
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 85
�����������
���������
���������������
������������������
����������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 89
Contributing
to the Valley’s
economy for
Jolley Joins with Kennametal Cure-All Professionals
SHARON, Pa. -- A new partnership brings Looks to Repeat Growth
stronger global presence and a few more
over 50 years.
NEW MIDDLETOWN -- Cure-All Profes-
employees to Jolley Industrial Supply.
sionals Inc. increased revenues and net
Jolley became a distributor in April for
income in 2009, and the company, which
Kennametal Inc. of Latrobe, Pa., says
specializes in fire and water damage,
Jolley’s owner and founder, Richard Jol-
looks to repeat that growth in 2010, says
ley. Kennametal, a dealer of tooling and
Paul Finney, general manager.
metalworking products, brought Jolley
One of company’s accomplishments
Our employees—more than 100 of your friends
on to distribute its product in western and neighbors—have made Altronic a world
last year, he reports, was the comple-
Pennsylvania and parts of West Virginia, leader in the design and production of ignition
tion of a new shop and additional office
he says.
space, he says. The expansion allows systems, instrumentation, controls, and fuel
In addition to its corporate head-
quarters in Latrobe, Kennametal has
the company to segment the work as- delivery systems for natural gas-fueled engines.
sociated with cleaning and restoring Employing cutting-edge electronic circuit board
offices in Switzerland and Singapore. It
salvageable contents. assembly technology, Altronic manufactures
distributes worldwide. This partnership
The new shop also provides the op-
allowed Jolley to hire four workers and and distributes more than 50 different products
portunity to organize the storage and
gain new customers.
maintenance of the many commercial from our 72,000 sq. ft. Girard headquarters.
Jolley employs 40 at its Sharon and
dehumidifiers, axial fans, air scrubbers,
Franklin, Pa., sites. “We’re looking to
board-up materials and tools required to
add clientele through Kennametal,” Jol-
serve customers.
ley says, “and more employees.”
The company maintains certifications
In 2009, the company developed
in fire, water and mold restoration serv- 712 Trumbull Avenue, Girard, Ohio www.altronicinc.com
cost-saving ideas for its own operations
ices from the Institute of Inspection,
and continues to develop ways to pass
Cleaning and Restoration Certification,
on savings to its customers, he says.
and its employees attend certification
Three CPAs Establish classes annually.
The company was incorporated in
Augenstein, Gabriele & Mapes 1999 by Dave Finney, who learned the
CANFIELD -- The public accounting firm industry while employed with a national
of Augenstein, Gabriele & Mapes CPAs franchise. Before that, he started Ceil-
LLC originated in 1987 when one of the ing Pro, which offered cleaning and
principals, Donald J. Augenstein, started restoration of acoustic and vinyl-clad tile
his own practice. along with recoat services for acoustic
More recently, Augenstein took on ceilings resistant to cleaning. Cure-All
the accounting practices of Lori A. Ga- continues to offer these services.
briele and Peter Mapes to form Augen- Paul Finney joined the business in
stein, Gabriele & Mapes with offices at 2004 after graduating from Ohio Uni-
3870 Starr Centre Drive. versity with a degree in business com-
The three cer tified public accoun- munications. Maintaining certifications
tants offer tax planning, tax preparation, in fire, water, odor, mold and applied
financial statements preparation and microbial, he runs the business.
business consulting.
The new firm serves individuals and
Drywall Barn Relocates
businesses in Trumbull, Mahoning and YOUNGSTOWN – The Drywall Barn took
Columbiana counties. steps last year to prepare for a success-
ful 2010, says Mark Markota, president
Method 8 Plans Web Design and owner.
YOUNGSTOWN – Method 8 is looking In addition to seeking new business
to rebound this year after a challenging
2009, says Brian K. West, president.
The company, a provider of online busi-
and better positioning the company in
relation to its competitors, those steps
included purchasing two additional
����������������
ness advertising and marketing, plans boom trucks for the company’s fleet ���������������������������� ��������������������������
to introduce a new Web design aimed as well as other equipment at advanta- ��������������������������� ��������������������������
at the arts while promoting businesses. geous market prices. ������������������������������
West says he plans to release a new The company also moved to a new �����������������������������
book this year as well. building on Meridian Road and made
�����������������������������
Also, West plans to bring his sisters, substantial renovations. The new loca-
�����������������������������
Alicia and Shanise, on board to use their
business experience to help provide
tion is close to major highways and will
give the company a huge distribution ������ ����
better service. advantage, Markota notes.
90 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
�������������������������
���������������������������
��������������������������� �����������������
��������������������������������� ��������������������
�� ��������������������������������
�������������������������������������
�� �����������������������
��������������
�����������������������
�� �����������������������
�� �������������������������������������
�� ������������� ����������
����������������������
�����������������������������������������
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 91
Community Foundation’s
Focus Is Human Needs
Agency Partners the training in, and implementation
of, awareness-raising tactics with the
Collaboration joins goal of expanding charitable giving
across the Mahoning Valley.
nearly 35 nonprofits. The foundation continues to de-
velop other market-specific strategies
By Patricia Brozik
to increase the growth of philanthropy.
President, Community Foundation The Young Philanthropist Fund, an
T
he Community Foundation initiative to introduce young adults
of the Mahoning Valley was to charitable giving and involvement,
awarded the prestigious National grew 10% over 2008, with distribu-
Standards Seal last year by the tions remaining consistent.
Council on Foundations, a national The number of funds under the
professional association based in aegis of the Community Foundation
Washington, D.C., for meeting the has risen to nearly 70, up from 56 the
highest standards of quality and previous year. The number of grant-
accountability. ees has also risen, reaching nearly 250
The foundation, which celebrated charities served.
its eighth anniversary in October, The grant-making activities of the
serves Mahoning and Trumbull coun- foundation reach across a spectrum
ties; it is the first in our area to be of services for the community. As
awarded the seal. measured in the numbers of dol-
The foundation continues to re- lars, 19% of the grants made during
spond to the ever-changing needs the year were in the sector of public
of our nonprofit agencies and com- and society benefit, the largest single
munities. In 2009, the foundation category.
launched an initiative designed to Responding to the recession, the
provide nonprofits with valuable foundation became more strategically
resources beyond providing grants. focused on ways of strengthening com-
This initiative, Agency Partners Col- munities in the areas of employment,
laboration, is composed of nearly 35 economic development, housing,
organizations committed to building education and health care. The foun-
networks across the nonprofit com- dation continues to enjoy increasing
munity including outreach to profes- community support as more residents
sional advisers who work in the field make their charitable contributions
of philanthropy. directly to the foundation or to one
Among the first steps are targeting of its component funds.
C ollaboration is essential as
the Mahoning County Mental
Health Board balances decreased
funding against increased needs.
The board sustained a $3.1 million
tended by more than 110 coaches.
Youngstown State University also
collaborated with the board to pro-
vide a training program for faculty
and staff developed in response to
that include technology, staff and
office space for this year, reports Clare
Neff, president and co-owner.
“Innovation in video production
and sales of the new LED displays
was first deployed at the University
of Michigan, then traveled to South-
eastern Conference football games, to
Florida for the Lighting Design Inter-
national annual trade show and then
funding cut for fiscal 2010, leading to the Virginia Tech tragedy. More than are key to our future profitability,” to the Walt Disney Sports Complex.
reductions in mental health services at 250 Youngstown State University she says. At the trade show, MultiMedia Farms
a time when job losses, foreclosures employees were trained to recognize Among the local projects is docu- took orders for four units, he says.
and mounting bills contributed to a individuals who may be struggling mentation of the 70-day building of The company expects sales and
spike in the number of those seeking with a mental health issue and how a home for the Kaluza family. The rentals of the units to bring substantial
assistance, reports Toni M. Notaro, to seek treatment. Employees were project included coordinating a per- growth, Neff says.
administrative director. Still, the board also educated on university protocols sonal tribute from Kenny Rogers and MultiMedia Farms also is partner-
supported more than 200,000 hours should an emergency occur. production of a thank-you video for ing with the Canfield-based Trailex
of mental health services through The need for collaboration will the more than 400 volunteers. “This to manufacture and market the LED
the agencies and programs it funds, increase this year for the board and its project was a wonderful commentary displays. With the migration toward
providing help to more than 13,000 agencies, which it refers to as the Net- on our Valley’s resilience and ability to the 16:9 HD formatting, which better
individuals during fiscal 2009. work of Care. Those agencies include move forward,” Neff observes. fits newer televisions, computers and
To address greater demand for Burdman Group, Catholic Charities Other projects were sales videos for plasma displays, gained sales momen-
services, the mental health system en- Regional Agency, D&E Counsel- Baird Brothers Hardwood Floors Co., a tum last year.
gaged in ways to maximize resources ing Center, Family Service Agency, golf marketing video for Save the Mo- Last October, MultiMedia Farms
through collaboration, Notaro says. Help Hotline Crisis Center, Meridian ment and national TV holiday spots was awarded the Canfield Business
One example includes partnering with Services, Community Support Net- for The Cafaro Co., she reports. Price Award from the Canfield Area
mental health boards in Trumbull and work, Turning Point Counseling Last November, Neff’s husband Council of the Youngstown/Warren
Columbiana counties to train sports Services and NAMI Mahoning Valley. and company co-owner, Bruce Neff, Regional Chamber.
LIBERTY
������������ �������������������������������
1490 W. Liberty ������������
��������������������������
FLOWERS, INC. 330 759-9123 ���������������������������� ��������������
Family owned and operated since 1947 ������������������� ��������������������������
Area-wide Delivery.
Same-day delivery on orders placed by 1p.m.
All major charge cards accepted; • Executive Search & Recruiting
we welcome Golden Buckeye.
• Outplacement: Individual or Group
• Temporary Staffing, Leasing & Payroll Services
U.S. & Worldwide Delivery • Financial Services: Benefits & Pensions
www.edwardsflowers.com 5083 Market Street • Youngstown, Ohio 44512
& 330/ 788-4001 • FAX 330/ 783-3966 • www.callos.com • ytown@callos.com
www.edwards-flowers.com NPA - 350+Offices Worldwide
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 93
U
nlike the vast majority of retailers in 2009, Youngstown,” Zoldan notes. With Youngstown only them their start and fostered their talents, he says.
The B.J. Alan Co. and its Phantom Fireworks one of 14 cities in this country to host the most elite The benefit of having a U.S. Hockey League fran-
retail stores registered a record volume of of the U.S.A. hockey programs for young men, the chise in Youngstown is not only immediate – quality
sales, Bruce J. Zoldan, president and CEO reports. U.S. Hockey League is the only venue other than a hockey to watch and enjoy – but a long-term as-
He credits that performance to Phantom “fine- collegiate Division 1 program where the NHL can sociation with those players from Youngstown who
tuning its advertising and marketing program, see the potential of aspiring players. move up in the hockey world, Zoldan says.
modifying its bonus merchandise program and con-
tinuing to bring in the latest, most colorful, and best
performing consumer fireworks on the market.”
Phantom opened four showrooms for the 2009
season in Castleton, Ind., near Indianapolis; Shrews-
bury and Upland, Pa.; and Caledonia, Wis., just
outside of Racine. In addition, Phantom replaced old
locations with new showrooms in Fort Myers, Fla.,
and Canton. These six joined 49 other showrooms
in 13 states plus Puerto Rico.
Phantom’s chain-store division increased its
market share, Zoldan continues. Among the new
accounts added are Pitusa and SuperMax, both
Puerto Rican grocery chains, Redners Convenience
Stores, Country Fair, Ralph’s Supermarkets, 7-Eleven
convenience stores, and Buckton Grocery Stores.
In addition to the major outlets such as Kmart, the
increasing customer base for Phantom’s chain-store
division demonstrates how deeply Phantom has
managed to entrench itself in this segment of the
marketplace.
Alan L. Zoldan, executive vice president of B.J.
Alan, was re-elected president of the board of the
American Fireworks Standards Laboratory, the or-
ganization that tests the fireworks products at the
factory level in China before they are shipped to the �����������������������������������������������������������
United States. In addition, William A. Weimer, vice
president and general counsel, was elected president ����������������������������������������������������������������
of the board of the American Pyrotechnics Associa- ���������������������������������������������������������������
tion, the industry’s top trade association.
Phantom’s offices in China – in Liuyang City,
������������������������� ������������������������������������
Hunan Province, and in Guangzhou, Guangdong
�������������������� � �� ��������������������
Province – were busy in 2009 as they responded to
���������������
changes in the shipping industry and worked with � �� ������������������������������������������
����������������������������������������
Chinese factories to ensure quality control. ����������������������
�������������������������������������������
At a time when many businesses find themselves � �� ����������������������
�������������������������������������������������
unable to obtain bank financing, the company added
����������������������������������������� � �� ����������������������������������������������
three banks to its re-formed bank group: F.N.B. Capi-
����������������������������������������������� �����
tal Corp., First Niagara and Tri-State Bank. These
���������������������������������������������� � �� ���������������������������������������
banks join PNC, Fifth Third and First Place to make
���������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������
up Phantom’s bank group.
��������������������������������������������������� ����������
Where the recession forced most retailers to put
���������������������������������������������������
expansion plans on hold or curtail their operations, � �� ��������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������
Phantom Fireworks continues on its path of opening � �� ����������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������
three to five new showrooms each year and expand- ����������
���������������������������������������������������
ing its sales to chain stores.
�������������������������������������������������������
The Youngstown Phantoms, the hockey divi-
������������������������������������������������ ���������
sion of B.J. Alan, last year signed an exclusive
������������������������������������������������� �����������
five-year hockey lease with the Covelli Centre
��������������������������������������������������� �����������
downtown. Initial fan reaction to the Phantoms
�������������������������������������������������� ��������������������
players “has been very strong,” says Alex Zoldan.
���������������������������������������������� ���������������
Bob Mainhardt continues as head coach, Curtis
�������������������������������������������������� �����������������������
Carr as assistant coach, in Alex Zoldan’s first year
��������������������������������������������� ������������������
as president of the hockey club.
����������
The Phantoms racked up an impressive record
during the first half of its expansion year in the U.S. ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Hockey League, Alex Zoldan says with pride. “The
talent of the Phantoms has reached a level that pro-
94 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
�����������������������
��������������
�����������������������
������������
����������������������
��������������������������������������������
������������������ ���������������
�����������������
�����������������
�����������������������
�����������������
�������������������
���������������������� ����������������������
���������������� ����������������������
��������������������
���������������
�������������
�����������������
��������������������������
������������������ ✔�������������������������
���������������� �������������������������������
✔���������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
96 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
W
hile 2009 was slightly stronger economically employees and suppliers of materials can reach Flats at Wick is a privately developed, 216-unit,
than 2008, the outlook within Ohio their destinations. This encompasses construction of 450-bed complex adjacent to the campus and its
and the nation remains flat across many three new roads from U.S. dormitories on the north-
markets, says Thomas Mosure, president of MS Route 422; a new 9,700- Among the local economic development proj- ern perimeter.
Consultants Inc., Youngstown. Still, he reports, foot road from Division Elsewhere in north-
“Despite the struggles of many firms in the design Street along the southern
ects is redeveloping the Brier Hill Industrial eastern Ohio, the Ohio
and construction industries, our company held its boundary; on-site roads Park to allow the potential $970 million Department of Transpor-
own in our primary markets.” to each proposed parcel; expansion of V&M Star Steel. tation chose the design-
MS Consultants, founded in 1963, is a multi- an on-site truck staging build team of MS and
discipline engineering, architecture and planning area; and the grade separation of the Norfolk South- Marucci & Gaffney Excavating Co. to provide design
firm with offices in six states. The firm offers services ern main line at the east end of the site. and construction services for completion of the state
in the transportation, commercial, environmental, The project will also improve connections with Route 11 highway improvement project.
education, architecture and construction markets. existing rail corridors and upgrade railyards by add- “The project involves milling and resurfacing
Among the local economic development projects ing a track to provide access to Norfolk Southern, approximately five miles of four-lane state Route
in which MS is involved is redeveloping the Brier Hill CSXT, and Ohio Central System rail lines. A new 11, including the state routes 11 and 82 interchange
Industrial Park to allow the potential $970 million 7,800-foot storage track spur will be added along ramps, and the reconstruction of eight bridges in
expansion of V&M Star Steel. the southern perimeter as well as a new marshaling Liberty and Vienna townships,” says David Mosure,
Youngstown secured funding through the Ameri- yard northeast of the site to compensate for loss of MS vice president of construction.
can Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to de- track space with the relocation of the site entrance. MS is also doing work on the city of Struthers’
velop an industrial park on what are parking areas, Existing tracks serving Liberty Metals to the west, wastewater treatment plant. Struthers received a
materials storage yards, active railroads and former Trinity Industries, and V&M Star will be realigned; $3.8 million grant from the Ohio Environmental
railroad yards, vacant deposits of slag and other in- on-site tracks and railyards will be reconfigured to Protection Agency as part of the “Green Projects”
dustrial fill and an active slag mining operation. reduce the number of tracks crossed by the three stimulus program. The grant funds an effort to use
With the help of MS, the city has developed a vehicle grade crossings from U.S. 422. methane gas produced as a byproduct of the primary
preliminary site plan for some 170 acres to serve as At Youngstown State University, MS was awarded digester to produce the electricity needed to operate
an industrial park and intermodal rail transporta- final design services and construction administra- the plant. The system is projected to save hundreds
tion center. Redevelopment for use as an industrial tion for a new indoor sports practice center that will of thousands of dollars in future utility costs.
��������������������������������������������
�� ����������������������������������������������
� ��������������������������������������������
�� ���������������������������������������������
� �������������������������������������������
� ���������������������������������������
�� ���������������������������������������
� ���������������� ������
��� � P.S. Did your copier company leave you? For over 51 years
�
�
������������
��������������������
����������������
�������������������������������������������
���������������
��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
800-544-4257 www.HicksOfficePlus.com
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 97
��������������
In addition to the Jefferson General education courses at
County campus, the school began the college will transfer to four-
by offering courses at four area year colleges and universities
career and technical centers, and throughout the state, so students
������������������ at the Valley Center at Forum
Health Northside Medical Center
can satisfy the requirements of the
first two years of a baccalaureate at
in Youngstown. The several sites a somewhat lower cost.
allows students to take classes in In addition to partnerships with
���������������� their own communities and help
keep costs down.
other community colleges and
area universities, Eastern Gateway
Local career centers offering is sharing teaching and learning
courses are Choffin Career and resources with Youngstown State
Technical Center, Columbiana University.
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 99
T
he Youngstown Foundation and its partners volunteer involvement and passion for Youngstown’s As a community foundation, The Youngstown
see opportunities in the challenges that community development and improvement,” Stras- Foundation embraces its responsibility as a leader
confront them. And the recession presented feld says. “The Youngstown Foundation is honored in identifying social needs and issues, convening
the foundation with an abundance of challenges. to be entrusted with this generous bequest.” stakeholders and coordinating resources to make
In 2009, donors gave more than $4 million to the Last year, local nonprofit organizations were lives better, she says. One example Strasfeld cites:
Youngstown Foundation, which in turn awarded awarded more than 170 grants that ranged from the Hines Memorial Fund allowed the foundation
more than $3.3 million in grants, reports its execu- $1,000 to $300,000; all were earmarked to allevi- to conduct a comprehensive survey of parents and
tive director, Jan Strasfeld. Contributions to the sup- ate the broad range of needs within the sectors of caregivers throughout Mahoning County to identify
port fund of the foundation, which provides donors social services, community development, health, the their needs and priorities in serving children with
the opportunity to recommend additional funding environment, education, arts and culture. diagnosed disabilities.
from the Youngstown Based on the founda- Lark Dickstein, foundation program coordinator
Foundation to more than In response to the increased demands that tion’s spending and in- who directed the initiative, says the survey results
70 approved local chari- suddenly spiked because of the recession, vestment policies, Stras- created a working agenda this year for the Hine Fund
ties, were $875,132. That’s feld anticipates last year’s that includes funding the development of a central
a 14% increase over 2008, The Youngstown Foundation established a level of distributions will information/referral source. The source maintains
Strasfeld notes. Crisis Assistance Program in 2009. be maintained in 2010. accurate, up-to-date contact information on systems
2009 had the highest In response to the in- and services and provides personal contact, includ-
number of individual donors in the foundation’s 92- creased demands that suddenly spiked because of the ing rollover coverage during nonworking hours.
year history – 1,145, which reflects a record increase recession, The Youngstown Foundation established The Youngstown Foundation, the nation’s fourth-
of 47% from 2008, she adds. “With national research a Crisis Assistance Program in 2009, she reports. oldest community foundation and ranked among the
suggesting that charitable giving will have dropped Grants of up to $5,000 were awarded within 48 top eight in Ohio, had $ 74.7 million in assets at Dec.
13% in 2009, the generosity and compassion within hours to nonprofit organizations that faced emer- 31. Since its establishment, more than $80 million
our local community to ensure the quality of life gencies – emergencies defined as an interruption of has been given back to the community.
for its citizens is overwhelming and humbling,” essential, direct services to their clients. Those wishing to learn more about grant request
Strasfeld states. In addition, the foundation works directly with guidelines will find them posted at Youngstown-
Within the Youngstown Foundation are more executives and boards of nonprofit agencies to es- Foundation.org.
100 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
L
ast year, Matthew Good, registered licensed FitNesst to oversee exercise testing and personal The 72% cacao product is sold at The FitNesst
dietitian at The FitNesst in Boardman, expanded training regimes for clients. Last year the FitNesst and The Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Store, DeMaiolo
the club’s weight-loss program. This year, he exercise studio also added a personalized six-week says.
will add classes including “Nutrition in the Cancer
���� ����������������������
�������� ���������
���������� ����������������������
�����������������
����������������� �����������������
�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������
�������������������������������������������
������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������
���������������������������������������������������������������������������������
�������������������������������������
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 103
�����������������������������������������
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 105
BuildingBetterBusiness
Make Good Use of Social Media
Small businesses are behind the Social media really is about creating good con- and/or improving your Internet presence and activity
times in recognizing value of an sumer experiences with your product. And as a
rockin’ small-business owner, you’ve been doing
your No. 1 resolution for 2010.
If you don’t, your bottom line during 2010 cer-
Internet presence. that better than anyone for years. The only differ-
ence is that now there’s a tool to help you connect
tainly will suffer.
on a much larger scale. Lisa Barone, the author of this article, is the co-founder of
By Lisa Barone Small businesses are notoriously behind the
D
Outspoken Media Inc., an Internet marketing company based
o your customers use the Web? Because if times in recognizing the value and importance of in Spring Hill, Fla., that specializes in managing the online
they do, then they’re using social media. an Internet presence. reputation of its clients, social media services and other
Every time one of your customers does If you fall into this category, make developing Internet services.
a search and finds your Yelp listing – that’s social
A Advertise Honestly
When they open up Flickr to scout out possible fter Michael
wedding or hiking locations – that’s social media. Douglas had
When they turn to LinkedIn Answers or Busi- Evaluate campaign promises. Compare promises
appeared in five
ness Answers to seek help on a problem – that’s to actual achievements. Ask yourself if a candidate
blockbuster films, his
social media. has ever used dirty tactics against another candi-
father, the actor Kirk
And if your customers are using these sources, date.
Douglas, sent him a
then you need to be aware of that. Truthfully, it’s note. Tell the Truth
becoming harder to say that your customers aren’t The note read, “Mi- Does a candidate’s speeches and press releases
on social media because social media is, quite simply, chael, I’m more proud contain substance or nonsense that makes the
everywhere. Its integration has become so seamless of how you handle suc- electors feel good? During face-to-face debate or
that sometimes customers don’t even realize they’re cess than I am of your conversations, can he or she look you in the eye?
on it. But they are. And you have to account for that success.” Is his word his promise? Do her actions match up
in your marketing efforts. His son has trea- to her promises?
The excuse that “our customers aren’t there” isn’t sured both that note
viable anymore.
By Pat Rose
and its author’s wisdom Be Transparent and Honor Promises
throughout his long and
Don’t Have Time for Social Media? BBB President
successful career.
A candidate or elected official should clearly
identify the nature and names of all contributors.
Nearly 30% of people responding to a recent This story got me thinking about my recent Private business partnerships that could be a conflict
survey said the reason they’re not participating in article about the A+ to F grades that we give busi- of interest also should be identified. Appointed board
social media is because they don’t have the time or nesses based on our BBB Principles for Trust. That positions at companies, nonprofit organizations or
staff to do it properly. article has led to so many phone calls here at the others must be made public. He or she should
Here’s the thing: When you break it down, so- office. These grades show how a business reacts abide by and honor all written and verbal
cial media is really nothing more than exemplary to success. promises.
customer service. With all the recent news coverage, interviews
It’s about answering questions, making things and blogs about our current or “wanna be” Be Responsive
right and going out of your way in all the little areas. elected officials, I started wondering why some Does the officeholder address constituents’
Sure, the tools are different and there’s an investment organization doesn’t develop well-defined crite- requests promptly, respectfully and reason-
in time you must make to learn them, but once you ria for elected officials and other public ser- ably?
do have them – there really isn’t an increased time vants so that votes could more easily decide
investment. where to put those X’s on their ballots. Embody Integrity
In fact, you may find you’re making up time by Let’s look at the BBB Standards and see if He or she should approach all dealings
answering questions via a quick tweet rather than they might be tweaked to evaluate someone and commitments with integrity. Evaluate
a 10-minute phone call. running for public office. a public official’s decisions by asking this question:
Social media can actually make customer service “Are all his decisions being made based on what is
a lot more manageable by automating it to some Start With Trust best for his constituents or what is best for him and
degree with such things as social media tools and Did the officeholder (or office-seeker) establish his friends, other politicians, his party or without
quick buzz stations. and maintain a positive track record in his or her thoughtful consideration at all?”
If you’ve been holding back on marketing personal and public life? Does he or she maintain I hope this article will stimulate you to evaluate
through social media because you’re worried that a reputation for contributing both time and money not only businesses against the BBB’s set of standards
your customers aren’t there, they are. And if it’s a to local worthy causes? Is his or her private life but also the people we vote for to represent us every
resource issue, then combat the overload by learning unblemished by actions considered unacceptable day on issues of great importance to us, our com-
how to make social media useful. by society? munities and our nation.
106 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
T
www.boardmanprinting.com
o increase the scope of our inger Auction Service, our business
market and generate the greatest increased 68% last year from 2008.
proceeds for our clients, we at We’ve also added online-only auc-
American Real Estate Specialists and tions to not only broaden the base
Basinger Auction Service, North Lima, of potential buyers, but to maximize
have added new forms of marketing proceeds so the seller profits for those
in our listings for real estate, personal needing to quickly liquidate their
property and business liquidations. assets, www.BasingerAssetBridge.
For our real estate company, Amer- com is sent as e-mail blasts to buy-
ican Real Estate Specialists, we added ers worldwide who have an interest
a Web site that allows online bidding. in specific types of goods, whether it
On that site, ARESInternetAuctions. be restaurant equipment, boutiques,
com, is all the information a potential weight training equipment, con-
buyer would need to be apprised of struction equipment, medical offices,
the property up for bid. Also there construction companies or auctions
is a packet of information he can for local townships, this outlet allows
download and take to his lender for buyers nationwide to buy items that
pre-approval, and the site provides the pique their interest.
ability to bid on a property from the This new Web site is a bridge that
comfort of one’s home or office. allows the quick and orderly transfer of
With 75% to 80% of buyers start- assets between the sellers and all of the
ing their home search online, we felt target buyers. Basinger Auction Service
this was the next step in marketing conducts auctions to settle estates, re-
real estate for auction. While some solve divorce settlements, help people
auctioneers who sold real estate last relocating, accommodate business
year averaged 69.8% of the list price, liquidations and benefit charities.
��������������������
��������������������
�� � �
�������������������������������������
�������������������������������� ���������������������
�������������������������������� ���������������
������������������������������������ ��������������
�����������������������
108 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
��������� ��������
��������� �������������� ������� ���������� �������� ������
�������������������������������������������������������������
������������������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������������������� ���� ������� ������������ ��� ��� ������ ������� ����� �������������
����������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������� ����� ��������� ���������� ����� ��� ������ �������� �������������� �����������������������������
�������������������� ������������
�������������������� ������������ �������������� �������������������� ������������
�������������������� ������������
��������� �����������������
��������� �������������� ������������ �������������������� ������� �������������
�����������������������������������������������������������������
���������������������������������������������������������������� ���� ������� ������� ��� ��� ������� ������� ����� ��������� ���� ����� ���� ������� ������� ���� ������ ������� ���� ����� ����� ���������
����������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������ ����������������������������������������������������������������
�������������������� ������������ ���������������������������� �������������������� ������������ �������������������� ������������
�������������������� ������������
��������������������������
������������������������������������
������� ��������
���
����������������������
������������ ����������
����������������������������� ������������������������
�������������������� �������������������������������
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 109
RealEstateMarket Compiled by
Mark Heschmeyer
Featured Property
Slane Co. in Columbus, Ohio, sold a portfolio of 10 single-tenant retail • The 8,178-square-foot Warren West Community Health Center, 712
proper ties to Empire Holding LP, a Brooklyn, N.Y., investment firm S. Tod Ave., Warren, which sold for $511,151 ($62.50 per square
managed by Dovie Sperlin. The portfolio includes four properties in the foot).
Youngstown/Warren area. The total sales price for the portfolio was not • An 8,178-square-foot Family Dollar store at 2708 Glenwood Ave. in
available; however, the four area properties sold for a combined $2.96 Youngstown, which sold for $437,288 ($53.47 per square foot).
million. The original asking price for all 10 properties was $11.4 million.
The portfolio had a combined 90,174 rentable square feet and included The other properties in the portfolio are in Columbus (two), Canton, South
three Rite Aid stores, two CVS stores, two Dollar Generals and one Family Point and West Milton, and in Harrisburg, Pa.
Dollar and two miscellaneous tenants. In acquiring the properties, the buyer assumed a 10-year fixed-rate loan
carrying a 7.08% interest rate. Morgan Stanley was the original lender
The four area properties sold are: and then rolled the loan up in a commercial mortgage-backed security.
• A 10,363-square-foot Rite Aid store at 540 E. Midlothian Blvd. in The loan matures in 2014. The ending loan balance is scheduled to be
Youngstown, which sold for $1,363,070 ($131.53 per square foot). $8.85 million; monthly principal and interest payments total $64,294.
• An 8,178-square-foot Dollar General store at 501 Churchill Road in Simon Jonna, senior associate director of the National Retail Group of
Girard, which sold for $653,138 ($79.87 per square foot). Marcus & Millichap in Southfield, Mich., was the listing agent.
This drugstore at 540 E. Midlothian Blvd. in Youngstown sold for $1,363,070. This discount store at 2708 Glenwood Ave. in Youngstown sold for $437,288.
110 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
Special
FIRST MERIT BANK – New Castle PNC BANK – Sharon
Up to 66 Mos. 7.24
Up to 48 Mos. 5.50-12.50
10% Down
Double Issue
PNC BANK – Youngstown
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF PA. – Hermitage Up to 66 Mos. 7.00 - 13.00
Up to 60 Mos. 7.85 Rate varies based on applicant’s credit rating
Up to 66 Mos. 7.85
�
���������������������������� US BANK (formerly Firstar Bank) – Boardman
1ST NATIONAL COMMUNITY – East Liverpool
�������������������������� Up to 48 Mos. 4.75
Up to 60 Mos. 6.00 - 11.75
�����������������������������
����������������������������������
Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of The Business Journal compilations. The rates are subject to change without notice. All rate
��������������������������������� information should be confirmed with the individual financial institution before entering into transactions. © 2010 Youngstown Publishing Co.
����������������������������������
January 22,
2010 Mortgage Rates �������������
��������
�����������������
�������������������������
DOLLAR BANK MORTGAGE CENTER ARM 5% Down 5 Yr. 4.00 0+costs ������������
Cleveland Fixed 5% Down 30 Yr. 4.94 0+costs
����������������������� ���������������
���������������
�����������������������
������������������������ ������������
������������������������������������ �������� ���� ��� ������� ���� ��� ����� ������� ������� �������� ��� ����� �������� ������ ������ ����� ����� ��������������������������������� ������������ ����� ��� �����������
���������������������������������������� ���������� ��������� ����� ������ ���� ������������������������������������� ������ ���� ���� ��� ������������� ������� ��������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������
��������������������������������������� ����������������������������������� ���������� ����� ������ ���� �������� ����������� ������� ��� ������ ���� ���� ���� ��� ���������� ��� ����� ������ ����� ������������������������������������
���������������������� ��������������� ������������������������ ����� ���������� ���� ������ ������ ���� ��������������������������� ������� ���� ���������� �� ��������� ����
������������������������������� ���������������������
������������ ����� ����� �������� �������� ���������� ����� ��� ��� ���������� ����� ��������� ����� ����������������������������������� ����������������������������������� ���������������������������������
�������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������� ���� ���������� ������� �������� ����� ���� ������ ��� ������������� ������ ���� ������������������������������������
����������������������������������������� ��������� ���������������������������� ����������������������������������������� ����� ����� ��� ���� ���� ������ ��� ������ �����������������������������������
��������������������������������������� ���������� ������������������ ��������������
�������������������������������
��������������������������������� ������������ ����� ������������ �������������������������������� ������� ���� �������� ����� ������ ���� ������ ������ ���� ����������� ���� ����������������������������������
���� ���� ������ ������ ������� ����� ������������������������������������� �� ������� ���� ���� ��������� ��������� ���� ���������������������� ����� ������ ����������������������������������� ������������������������������������
������ ���� ���� ��� ������ ��� ���� ������ ����� ������ ���� ���� ������ ���������� ������������������������������������� �������������������������������������� ������������������������������������� ����� ��� ���� �������� ��� �������� ������
����������������������������������� ���������������������� ������������������������������������ ��������������������������������������� ������������������� �������������������������������������
������������������ ������������������
112 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
������
January 22,
2010 Mortgage Rates
���������
����������������������������������������
FINANCIAL INSTITUTION
1ST NATIONAL COMMUNITY
East Liverpool
TYPE
FHA
Fixed
5% Down
5% Down
TERM
30 Yr.
30 Yr.
RATE, 2-Wk Trend
5.25 —
5.50 —
FEES
0+costs
0+costs
FIRST PLACE BANK Fixed 5% Down 15 Yr. 4.375 0+costs
5.00
�������� ����������
������������
Boardman Fixed 5% Down 30 Yr. 0+costs
FLAGSTAR BANK Fixed 0% Down 15 Yr. 4.75 — 0+costs
����������� ���������
��������� Beechwood Fixed 0% Down 30 Yr. 5.00 0+costs
�������� HOME FEDERAL Fixed 20% Down 15 Yr. 5.50 — 0+costs
Niles
����������� ����������������� ����� HOME SAVINGS Fixed 5% Down 15 Yr. 4.50 0+costs
4.99
������������
Youngstown Fixed 5% Down 30 Yr. 0+costs
����������� ����������������� �����
HOWARD HANNA FINANCIAL Fixed 5% Down 15 Yr. 4.375 0+costs
Pittsburgh Fixed 5% Down 30 Yr. 5.00 0+costs
���������� �������������������� �����
HUNTINGTON BANK Fixed 3% Down 15 Yr. 4.375 0+costs
������� ��������������������������� ����� Youngstown Fixed 5% Down 30 Yr. 5.00 0+costs
�����������������������
������������
�����������
����
���� ����
�����
������������������ ��������
��������������
�������� �����������������
�������� �������� ���������������� �������������������� ����������������
�������������������������������������� ������������������������������������ ������������������������������������� ������������������������������������� ����������������������������������� ��������������������������������
����������������������������������� ����������������������������������� ������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������� ������������������������������� �������������������������������������
���������������������������������� ��������������������������������� ������������������������������������� �������������������������������������� �������������������������������� ���������������������������������
�������������������������������������� �������������������������������� ������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������ ��������������������������������� ������������������������������������
������������������������ �������������������������������� ������������������������������������ ������������������������������������� ����������������������� ���������������
����������������������������� ������������������� ��������������� ���������������������������������� �������������������������� �����������������������������
������������������������� ��������������������������� ������������������������
�������������������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������� ������������������������� ����������������������
��������������������������������������������������������������������������
����������������������� ������������������������� �����������������������
���
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 113
��������
����������
���������
W3 Wealth Management 100 Years at Paisley House ���������������������� �������������������
Earns Goldline Honor YOUNGSTOWN – Paisley House, a non- ����������������� ������������������
HOWLAND -- W3 Wealth Management,
profit, private-pay assisted-living home ����������������
for the elderly in Youngstown, celebrated
formerly Dumas and Moyer, thrived in
2009 as it saw growth in assets under
its centennial anniversary in 2009.
The home’s capacity is just 21 resi-
�������������������������������������
�
management, says Ted Dumas, a certi-
dents. The monthly fee is $1,550 per ���������������������������� ����������������
fied financial planner.
resident. “Because of grants and private ��� ����� �������� ������� ������������������������
This growth, he says, resulted in
donations, our endowment fund enables ������� �������� ��� ���
investment values increasing along ��� ����� ������� ���� ��� ������� ����
us to subsidize the monthly expenses of ���� ���������� ���� ����� ������� ��������� �������������������������������������
with the demand for professional advice
our home,” says Ruthie Loar, president ����� ���� ����� ���� �� �������� ����
driven by market volatility. ������������������������������������
of the board. ���������������������������������������
W3’s Warren/Howland office was ���������������������������������������
New furniture was added last year ����� ��������� ������ � � � ������ ����
Dumas and Moyer until 2008. Principals ����� ��� ���� ���� ���
and exterior improvements were made. ������������������������
there are Dumas, Andrew Moyer, Shelby
Plans this year include renovating the ���������������� ������ � �
� �� ���� �������
Morgan and Frank Bevilacqua. Moyer ���� ��������� ���������
nurses’ station. ������������������� ������ ����� ���������
and Bevilacqua are also CFPs, the later ������� ��������� ����
�����������������������
a certified public accountant. Second-Best Sales Year ������� ���������� ���� ����������������������
��������� ����� �����
W3 drew the attention of Goldline ���������� ���� ���� ��� �������������������
Research, which named it one of the
At Kiraly Tool and Die ������������������������� ����������������������
leading wealth management firms in YOUNGSTOWN – Although the recession ������������������������������������� �����������������������
the Midwest. Goldline noted W3’s team caused orders for tooling and machined �������� ������ ���������� ��������� ������ ���� ���� ������������ ���� �����
approach in working with clients, which parts to drop significantly in the first ���� ������� ������� ����� ��� ������ ���� �����������������������������������
involves more than one adviser in those quar ter of last year, Kiraly Tool and �������������� ����������������������������������������
relationships to gain a broader under- Die Inc. saw “spikes” in the second ������������������
standing of clients’ goals. and third quarters, says Steve Kiraly, ���������������
Besides its office in Howland, W3 has president. “The fourth quarter was sur- ����������������
��������������������
� ������ ���� ���� ��� �� �������� ����������������
another in Fairlawn, a suburb of Akron. prisingly busy, and we worked overtime
�
hours the rest of the year.” ��������������������������������������
��������� �������� ������ ������� ���
‘Friends’ Promote Sharon One benefit of the recession, he
�������� ��� ������������ ����� ����� �������������������������������������
SHARON, Pa. -- The next generation says, is that the cost of new CNC ma- ������� ��������� �� �������� ��� ����� ���
chines came down. “In the fourth quar-
������� ���� ��������� ������� �������
of the “Four Friends” who established ��� ����� ��� ����� ����������� ����� ���� �������� ���� ������� ���������
the tourism industry in Mercer County ter, we purchased a CNC vertical mill,
������� ������� ��������� ��� ������� �� ��� ������ ������ �� ������ �������
is “paying tribute to Sharon’s founding office computers, upgraded CAD design
�������� ����� ���������� ��� ����� ��� ����������������������������������
fathers of tourism, who have inspired software and hired a machinist.”
���������������������������������������� ������������������������������������
us,” reflects Laura Ackley, general man- The company completed its 10th
year of business in 2009 with sales of ���������� �������� ������� ����������� ��������������������������������������
ager of the Buhl Mansion and director of �����������������������������������
$1,005,000, down 7% from 2008 sales ������� ������ ��������� ���� �������
marketing for Tara -- A Country Inn. ���� ���� ����� ������������� ���� ��� ��
but still the second-best sales year for ������������������������������������
Those “founding fathers” were Pete
the company, Kiraly says. ������������������������������������� �����������������������������������
Daffin of Daffin Candy, Harry Jubelirer
����������������������������������� ������������������������������������
of Reyers Shoes, Gary “Moe” Meszaros
and George “Jig” Warren of Quaker Steak
Pittsburgh Airport Offers ����������������������������������� ���������������������������������������
and Lube, and Jim Winner, owner of the Low-Cost Flights, Sites �������������������������������������� �������� ������� ������ ���� ��������
Winner as well as the Buhl Mansion and PITTSBURGH – The majority of flights to ��������������������������
and from Pittsburgh International Airport
�������������������� ��������
Tara. In the mid-1980s they formed a
��� ���� ���� ��� ���� ����� ���� ����
cooperative marketing group known as are priced below the national average,
������� ���������� ���� ��� ������� ���
����������������
the “Four Friends” to jointly promote fares having fallen 24% since 2001, and ��� ���� ������ ����� ���� ���������
the airport complex continues to draw ����������������������������������
their attractions and the area. �������������������������������������
Representing the new partners are more jobs and commerce, says Glenn ����� ������ ��� ����� ������������ �����
���� ��������� ���� �� ������������� ����� ����� ���������� ������� ����
Buhl’s Ackley, Diane Daffin and Con- Mahone, chairman of the Allegheny
���� ���� �������� ����������� ������� �������������������������������������
nie Leon for Daf fin’s, Bob Mentrek County Airport Authority.
“The airport’s role as an economic ������������������������������������ ����� ������������ ������� ���������
for Quaker Steak and Lube, Mark and
Steve Jubelirer for Reyers, and Peggy generator is to provide high quality, com- ����������� ���� ���� ������ ��������� ����������������������������������
Emmett for The Winner. petitive air service in and out of south- ������������������������������������� ������
According to VisitMercerCountyPA’s western Pennsylvania and to develop ������������������������
executive director, Peggy Mazyck, tour- key properties to attract new industry
ism now generates more than $274 and jobs,” says Mahone. “Through our
million dollars for Mercer County’s focus on creating shovel-ready land, the �������������������
economy. A combination of print and airport corridor has flourished. ������������������
online advertising with matching funds Much new construction is under way,
from VisitMercerCountyPA promotes the he reports, crediting a regional effort to ����������������������������������������
Web site, SharonPA.com. provide sites ready for development.
114 MidJANUARY 2010 The Business Journal
�������������������������������������
���������������������������
��������������������
���������������������������������������������������������
����������������������������������������������������������������
������������������������������������������������������������
���������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������
��������������������������������
The Business Journal MidJANUARY 2010 115
������������
������������������
��������������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������
����������������������������������������������
������������������������������������������
����������������������������������������������
�������������������������������������
������������������������������
�����������������������
�����������������������������������������������
������������������������
����������������������
���������������
�������������������
������������������
����������������� ��������������
���������� �������������
���������������� ���������������
�������������������������������������������������������
����������������������������������