To grow economically, area must diversify, group says

Connectivity and positive thinking dominated the conversation.
By SARAH WEBER
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- The Mahoning Valley area has to diversify its business ventures if it is going to grow a fruitful economy.
That was the consensus of opinions given Thursday at a Voices and Choices conversation at Youngstown State University's Metro College, 100 DeBartolo Place.
The Mahoning and Columbiana Training Association's Executive Committee for Workforce Investment Board sponsored the conversation.
Jessica A. Borza, a chief operating officer for One-Stop Ohio, which helps match employers with employees, served as meeting moderator.
Topics of discussion
Committee members, local business owners and those involved with education and human services were given the opportunity to talk about what future they see for the Valley and what obstacles they hope to over come.
In addition to stressing business diversification, participants also talked about how years of economic hardship have taken their toll on the community, and how general negativity about the way things are will hamper things getting better.
"The loss of the steel mills and the sense of great defeat is a part of our history, and that naysaying is a part of our culture," said Molly Seals, vice chairwoman of the board and vice president of human relations for Humility of Mary Health Partners. "When we come through that it will be a source of strength for us."
As a part of reversing the negativity, the discussion group talked of trying to take an objective look at the region's positive aspects and ways to promote the Valley's strengths within the community.
"A lot of the time we walk around with blinders on," said Tom Presby, a manager at the Regional Chamber. "We don't always see what our assets are."
Another concern voiced by the participants was bridging the gap between school and the workforce by creating more connectivity through internships and cooperatives. This would help make students more likely to get jobs and employers more likely to get quality applicants, they said.
Samantha Hoover, an intern for the Regional Chamber from Kent State University who was at the meeting, said, "I had to find my internship by myself. A lot of my friends didn't go find one, and when they got home they ended up taking jobs at the mall."
The ideas discussed at the meeting will be sent to Voice and Choices to contribute to the list of regional priorities.
The project
Voices and Choices is a project in which dozens of organizations and foundations from the northeast Ohio come together to gather community input on what to do about economic revitalization, education, quality of life and cooperation in the region.
Last fall, Voices and Choices conducted dozens of community conversations across the region and is still collecting and compiling the results. After getting feedback from thousands of community members, Voices and Choices will design an action plan to revitalize the 15- county area.
"I think the challenge is going to be getting community groups to take these ideas and make something out of them," Seals said.
For more information about Voices and Choices, visit www.voiceschoices.com.