Chamber hires executive
to spur international trade
The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber has hired an international banking executive to spur international and national economic development opportunities for the Mahoning Valley.
Eric Planey, a Youngstown native, assumed the newly created position of vice president, international/national business attraction at the Chamber effective Monday, July 27.
Planey will use his experience working with business entities in the U.S. and internationally to attract new business and industry to the Mahoning Valley.
“It’s essential that the Regional Chamber has an experienced professional working in the growing global economy to bring new business and jobs to our area. We think Eric is that experienced professional who can make the contacts necessary both in the U.S. and abroad to improve economic opportunities for our Valley,” said Tom Humphries, President and CEO of the Regional Chamber.
Humphries noted that Planey’s ties to the Mahoning Valley and his genuine interest in seeing his hometown area move forward economically are a bonus for the community.
“I am looking forward to complementing the fantastic team at the Regional Chamber by working to reinvigorate the global footprint of Youngstown and Warren,” Planey said.
Planey’s position is being funded through a Congressional earmark garnered earlier this year by U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th.
Planey comes to the Regional Chamber after spending the last nine years as a vice president of Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (BTMU). He also spent two years (2005-2007) in Asia (Tokyo and Shanghai) as vice-president, Asian Relationship Management Desk, International Corporate Finance Department, growing the bank’s business with American and European corporations and equity sponsors. Planey served as the lead relationship manager, originator for U.S. multinational companies in Greater China, Japan and South Korea.
He also oversaw relationships of heavy industry, U.S. and European multinationals, in China in terms of bank financing (RMB and USD) and non-loan services.
Planey assisted the established China Holding Company of BTMU with creation of a country-specific hub-n-spoke system for China MNC banking.
He spent the reminder of his time at the bank in the Leveraged Finance Department working as an analyst and manager, which included coordinating global private equity relationships with “Tier-1’ private equity firms. Eric’s client companies were primarily auto suppliers and aerospace/defense firms.
From 1997 to 1999, Planey was a commercial banking officer/senior analyst for the Ohio Bank and was a commercial credit analyst from 1995-1997 for Bank One Corp.
He received a master’s of International Management in 2000 from the Thunderbird Global School of International Management, focusing on Eastern Europe financial reforms, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration/Finance from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, in 1995.
He is a 1991 graduate of Cardinal Mooney High School.
Planey is a member of the Bowling Green State University Department of Finance Advisory Board, co-captain of Team Norwegian Keishka cycling, a group dedicated to charitable causes, a member of the United Nations Associations of the United States, and has been a contributing op-ed writer for The Vindicator.
YMCA OK’s $6 million
expansion in Boardman
Board Chairman John H. Yerian, Jr., announced last month that the Board of Trustees of the YMCA of Youngstown, voted unanimously to approve a $6 million expansion of the D. D & Velma Davis Family Branch.
Groundbreaking is scheduled at 10 a.m. on Sept. for the project, six years to the day that the Davis Y in Boardman opened. The expansion will be completed in the fall of 2010.
Plans call for nearly 30,000 square feet of new space that will house a youth fitness and recreation center, multi-purpose gym; an aerobics studio; an enlarged fitness center; and additional family locker rooms.
“We are excited to be able to offer even more to families, youth and seniors in the Mahoning Valley,” said Ken Rudge, CEO of the YMCA. “With this new space we can expand our programs and serve more members. Plus this expansion gives our current members more elbow room as they enjoy our facilities.”
The project will be paid for by contributions, grant money and joining fees and will not require any borrowing or bonds. “It’s part of our ongoing re-investment,” Rudge said.
“Thanks to our loyal members and our generous donors, we are pleased that we were able to invest more than $2 million on improvements and upgrades at our Central Branch in downtown Youngstown. We’ve also spent $5.5 million over the last five years to upgrade and expand our dining hall, lodges, a new chapel and water treatment plant at Camp Fitch – our branch located on the shores of Lake Erie. We believe in offering our diverse membership opportunities for health, well-being and relationship-building in safe, clean, attractive, well-equipped and maintained facilities.”
The decision to expand the Davis Branch was made after a thorough examination of all the options available to the YMCA, including the possible construction of a fourth branch. “We would love to bring the community another family YMCA, and perhaps we will someday. But everyone we talked to agreed the timing isn’t right during this tough economic climate to conduct a $15 million capital campaign,” Rudge said. “This expansion makes sense now and will deliver added value to our family members. It’s the right step at the right time.”
The expansion of the Davis Family Branch will increase its size to approximately 100,000 square feet, which is roughly equal in size to the downtown Youngstown location. Rudge says both branches are among the largest square foot YMCA facilities in the country.
The date set for the ground-breaking, Sept. 10, is significant in that the Davis Family Y opened six years ago on Sept. 10, 2001. More information on the ground-breaking will follow in upcoming news advisories.
To learn more about the YMCA of Youngstown, visit www.youngstown ymca.org
