Trades group gives $19,000
to Centennial Campaign
The Western Reserve Building and Construction Trades Council, representing more than 5,000 union members throughout the region, announced a $19,000 donation to Youngstown State University’s Centennial Capital Campaign in late June.
The money will be used to help in the construction of the new, $34.3 million building for the YSU Williamson College of Business Administration.
“This generous donation reflects the Council’s continuing commitment to the future of the Mahoning Valley and Youngstown State University,” YSU President David C. Sweet said. “Over the years, YSU and the trade unions have developed a close partnership, and it is a pleasure for us to work together on this important building project.”
Don Crane, Council president, said the labor unions recognize YSU’s growing importance in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys and beyond.
“YSU has a proud past, and we believe it has an equally promising future as a vital leader in the Valleys’ educational and economic re–birth,” he said. “We are proud to provide this gift to show labor’s continued support of the university.”
The gift includes donations from the Western Reserve Building and Construction Trades Council, Painters Local 476, Electricians Local 64, Carpenters Local 171, Operating Engineers Local 66, Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 396, Heat and Frost Insulators, Laborers Local 125, Millwrights and Piledrivers 1871 and Bricklayers Local 8.
Construction of the 110,000-square-foot building began in March, and the building will be open in time for fall 2010 classes. More than 50 members of the Western Reserve Building and Construction Trades Council are working on the project.
YSU is raising $16 million in private donations for the construction, including $5 million from the family of the late Warren P. Williamson and $4 million from Tony and Mary Lariccia. State dollars will fund the remaining part of the project.
The building on the far south end of the YSU campus will provide cutting-edge classroom and laboratory facilities for the college’s 1,950 students and will help better connect the college and the university to the downtown Youngstown business district.
The three–story facility, which is about twice the size of the current business school building, is the centerpiece of YSU’s Centennial Master Plan and represents the largest single capital expenditure in the university’s 100–year history. The building is being designed in line with standards of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) U.S. Green Building Council Rating System.
For more information on the new building, visit http://www.ysu.edu/williamson/new_building.shtml.
Highway Patrol urges caution during holiday
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is encouraging drivers to think twice before getting behind the wheel impaired on Fourth of July in an effort to have a holiday weekend free of fatal and injury crashes.
The Fourth of July weekend is traditionally a dangerous holiday period on Ohio roads, particularly for impaired driving crashes. During last year’s holiday, nearly 50 percent of the 15 people killed on Ohio roadways were involved in alcohol-related crashes.
“We are asking motorists that are partaking in holiday celebrations to designate a sober driver or call a taxi to assure that they arrive safely at their destination,” said Col. Richard H. Collins, superintendent of the State Highway Patrol. “Troopers will be out in full force this weekend to apprehend those that do not heed this warning. If you are driving impaired, we will arrest you.”
Motorists also should be reminded that wearing a safety belt is the single most effective tool in reducing injuries and deaths in crashes caused by impaired drivers.
The State Highway Patrol’s efforts are being conducted in conjunction with a national effort to reduce impaired driving incidents and crashes. Increased and specialized enforcement is made possible through federal overtime funding and works in conjunction with Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort).
Troopers encourage the public to continue using 1-877-7-PATROL to report dangerous drivers or stranded motorists, or 1-800-GRAB DUI to report impaired drivers.
Tom Welsh earns doctoral degree from Kent State
Tom Welsh, an early contributor to The Metro Monthly, has received his PhD from Kent State University’s College and Graduate School of Education, Health, and Human Services with a major in Cultural Foundations of Education.
During his course work at Kent State University, he was the recipient of the Phi Beta Delta Outstanding Graduate Student Award and also received a Service Award from the College and Graduate School of Education, Health, and Human Services. Recently he was inducted into the Golden Key International Honour Society. He also served as an adjunct professor and worked at the Gerald H. Read Center for International and Intercultural Education.
Prior to his studies at Kent State University, Welsh worked as both a teacher and journalist in Korea and Cambodia.
Locally, he is a member of the Ohio Cultural Alliance, the Ethnic Heritage Society, and is a contributor to Steel Valley Voices, a Web site that explores ethnic and racial diversity in the community. He is also a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society at Youngstown St. Patrick Church.
Judge Hunter appointed to Home Savings board
United Community Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: UCFC), holding company of The Home Savings Loan Co., is announcing that Judge Scott D. Hunter has been named to the boards of both the UCFC and Home Savings, effective immediately.
Hunter currently serves as a Mahoning County Area Court Judge and Judge of the Mahoning County Misdemeanor Drug Court. He is managing member of Hunter-Stevens Land Title Agency, LTD and maintains a private law practice. He previously served as associate and partner of the Davis & Davis Law Firm.
“Judge Hunter is a widely respected and experienced lawyer who brings great added strength to both Home Savings and United Community,” said Douglas M. McKay, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of United Community Financial Corp. and chairman of the board of Home Savings.
A graduate of Youngstown State with a bachelor of science degree in business administration, Hunter earned his Juris Doctor at the University of Cincinnati.
He was a member of the Canfield City Council from 1991 to 1997, serving as its president during his last two years on the Council. He also served as mayor of the city of Canfield in 1998 and 1999, a position he relinquished when he was appointed Judge of Mahoning County Area Courts. Hunter was subsequently elected in 2000 and re-elected in 2006.
Hunter lives in Canfield with his three daughters.
Dominion awards $15,000 to Incubator
The Dominion Foundation recently contributed $15,000 to the Youngstown Business Incubator for the INSPIRE! project. INSPIRE! is a program of the Incubator that will offer flexible development suites and access to entrepreneurial resources for information technology start-ups. “YBI is appreciative of this substantial investment as it affirms the mission of YBI to assist technology-based entrepreneurs establish and accelerate their scalable, proprietary information technology applications,” said Julie Michael Smith, chief development officer.
“YBI will be using this investment to create INSPIRE! – a resource for technology entrepreneurs that are in the very early stages of developing and implementing new information technology solutions.” “Dominion Foundation is pleased to invest in YBI’s new entrepreneurial initiative that will help technology entrepreneurs and companies in the northeast Ohio,” said Theresa D. Bishop, philanthropy manager of the Dominion Foundation. “Dominion has been a long time supporter of YBI, and recognizes the need to invest in innovation and entrepreneurship, and thus, its importance to the creation of new business, jobs and strengthening the economic climate of the community,” Bishop said.
Eris Medical Technologies
receives $100,000 grant
Eris Medical Technologies, a Youngstown-based software company, has received a $100,000 investment from the Innovation Alliance Fund. The fund is a partnership of Lorain County Community College, the University of Akron Research Foundation, and GLIDE, an Edison Incubator sister organization of the Youngstown Business Incubator. Eris will use the proceeds to finish beta test trials and speed the commercialization of the firm’s revenue integrity technology that identifies lost charge capture opportunities for hospitals and medical centers. Visit the firm’s Web site at http://www.erismed.com for more information.
Packard foundation
adds McGee to board
Michael J. McGee, a member with Harrington, Hoppe & Mitchell, Ltd., has been elected to the board of directors of the Packard Music Hall Foundation. McGee practices law in the areas of litigation, insurance, personal injury, employment, commercial collections, civil rights, bankruptcy and criminal matters and traffic.
The Packard Music Hall Foundation strives to improve the quality of life, to educate the public in theater and other performing art forms, and to bring in live shows that the community may not otherwise have the opportunity to enjoy and experience. The majority of the foundation’s activities are conducted within the W.D. Packard Music Hall at 1703 Mahoning Ave. N.W., Warren.
Trumbull Probate Court
names 2 to parks board
Stephen Sava of Niles was appointed to a three-year term as a park commissioner. Sava is the owner of PTNE Telephone & Data Systems and a lifelong resident of Trumbull County. Bethany L. Gutelius was appointed to fill the vacancy of a retiring park commissioner.
Gutelius is a resident of Cortland and is a design and project coordinator for Infinity Design Advertising, LLC of Warren. She will be eligible for re-appointment to a three-year term at the end of this year. Metro Parks maintains six parks in Trumbull County and receives its funding from the county and state grants. For further information, contact the Trumbull County Metro Parks at 330-675-2480.
Guardianship program
names Gagliardi to board
The Mahoning County Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian Ad Litem Program recently appointed Cathy Laine Gagliardi to its board. Gagliardi works at Mahoning County Children Services in the field of child welfare. The Mahoning County CASA/GAL is a non-profit organization that recruits, screens, trains, and monitors CASA/GAL volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children in the court system. Gagliardi received her bachelor of social work from Youngstown State University and master of arts in applied sociology from Kent State.
She began her work with the agency investigating child abuse and neglect. Later, she worked with the recruitment and training of foster and adoptive families, supervised the North District Project, was the training officer for staff, and then became chief supervisor of the Family Services Department, providing ongoing services to abused, neglected or dependent children and their families. The CASA/GAL program is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is housed at the Martin P. Joyce Justice Center in Youngstown. For more information, visit www.mccasa.org/contact.htm or call 330-740-2239.
Kinsman B&B wins award
The Dream Horse Guesthouse of Kinsman was selected as one of the “Best Pet Friendly” in the annual Best of BedandBreakfast.com Awards, 2008-2009. The awards are based on a qualitative and quantitative review of the nearly 50,000 independent reviews submitted to the Web site. “We are pleased that we were chosen for a Best of BedandBreakfast.com Award and are proud that our guests posted reviews that resulted in this award,” said Allan and Catherine Kaulback, proprietors. For a list of award winners, visit bedandbreakfast.com.
Compiled from local reports. ©2009 Metro Monthly
