MAHONING VALLEY Companies recognized for growth

THE VINDICATOR, YOUNGSTOWN
A Hubbard native who now edits a Northeast Ohio business magazine was the featured speaker.
By CYNTHIA VINARSKY
VINDICATOR BUSINESS WRITER
LIBERTY -- Hunt Valve's sales crews around the globe are marketing the Salem company's high-pressure water valves to new customers all over Europe and Asia, and their efforts are winning recognition here in the states as well.
Hunt Valve Co. was one of about 15 Mahoning Valley companies recognized in several growth categories Tuesday at the 10th annual Fabulous 20 Awards.
The event is sponsored jointly by the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce and Youngstown State University.
Winners are selected by a committee at YSU's Williamson College of Business Administration based on applications submitted by participating businesses.
A maker of valves for a variety of industrial and defense uses, Hunt Valve was awarded the Fab 20's export award for the largest percent increase in export sales and was also one of five companies honored for revenue growth.
Success: With total sales exceeding $27.3 million in 2000, up from $23.1 million the previous year, sales director Rich Somplatsky said Hunt Valve saw its export revenue hit $2.1 million, up from $1.5 million in 1999.
Somplatsky told the Fab 20's audience at the Holiday Inn MetroPlex here that the company's export sales success comes from choosing good sales agents to represent the company overseas and maintaining good relationships with them.
"Of course, it helps that we make the best high-pressure water valve in the world," he added. "And a little bit of luck never hurt anybody, either."
Hunt Valve has sales people in China, Korea, Taiwan, India and Germany, as well as representatives working with its sister company in England.
Other honors: Other companies were recognized for increases in employee numbers and percentage increase of employment, for revenue increases and percentage of increased revenue, based on applications participants filed with the chamber.
Two companies, Cricket Construction in Lowellville and Treemen Industries in Boardman, were awarded Emerging Business awards that recognize young companies making significant strides in employment and revenue.
Featured speaker: Steve Gleydura, a Hubbard native and editor of the regional Inside Business magazine, was the event's featured speaker.
Gleydura said Valley businesses will need to work with their hands and their heads -- just as they did during the heyday of its steel industry -- to revive the economy and overcome the "Rust Belt" stigma that followed the mill closings more than two decades ago. He said other business leaders in Northeast Ohio are "beginning to take notice" of the development efforts under way in the Youngstown-Warren area.
"What's most important is keeping your young leaders here," he said. "Those leaders, the ones who are graduating from Youngstown State University and from other colleges around the country, are the ones who are going to lead the Valley into the future."
Now living in Cleveland, Gleydura is also vice president of editorial for Great Lakes Publishing, publishers of Cleveland Magazine, Ohio Magazine and Ohio Business.
Gleydura is a graduate of John Carroll University. His technology writing has earned awards from the Press Club in Cleveland and the Society for Professional Journalists.
vinarsky@vindy.com