REGION
REGION
High-tech employment increases in NE Ohio
CLEVELAND — High-tech employment in Northeast Ohio has improved since a decline in the early part of the decade when the dot-com bubble burst, said NorTech, a regional economic development organization.
From 2004 to 2007, employment in Northeast Ohio’s high-tech industries increased 2.7 percent despite a 0.2 percent decline in jobs in all industries. A total of 4,436 jobs were added in the high-tech sector.
NorTech noted, however, that the region still faces challenges to meet job growth elsewhere. The number of high-tech jobs grew 3.6 percent in the Midwest from 2004 to 2007, while the growth nationally was 6.6 percent.
Valley nursing homes missing from list of best
COLUMBUS — No Mahoning Valley nursing homes were on a list of the Top 25 facilities where family members expressed the most satisfaction. The Ohio Department of Aging recently released its 2008 Nursing Home Resident Satisfaction Survey. Information is available at www.ltcohio.org.
The report said the statewide average satisfaction score for facilities was 88.2, up from 86.6 on the same survey two years ago. Twenty-five facilities scored 94.9 or better.
“The more tools that are available to consumers and their families as they make important decisions about care providers, the more likely they’ll be to get the quality care they need and want,” said Barbara E. Riley, director of the department. “When you are trying to pick the right facility for Mom, Dad or another loved one, certainly you would want to know what the family members of current residents think. This survey provides that insight.”
Advice offered to women-owned firms
MERCER, Pa. — The ATHENAPowerLink program of Mercer/Lawrence County invites local women business owners to apply for the opportunity to receive one year of free business counsel. Applications will be accepted between Jan. 2 and Feb. 27.
ATHENAPowerLink is a mentoring program that connects a woman business owner with a volunteer panel of advisers who provide free advice to help her grow her company and improve its operations. A governing body of local economic leaders will select two woman-owned businesses, one from Mercer County and one from Lawrence County, to participate in the local ATHENAPowerLink program based on the companies’ potential to effectively utilize an advisory panel to assist the companies’ growth.
Applications may be obtained in Mercer County from Karen Piccirilli (724) 662-0281 or in Lawrence County from Carrie Goff (724) 658-1524.
NATION
Some business sectors fare well amid recession
NEW YORK — Lumber wholesalers, real estate agencies and brokers and cement manufacturers have taken a beating over the past year, but privately held companies in some sectors are doing well.
Sageworks, which tracks sales of U.S. privately held companies, said the following industries saw sales rise more than 10 percent between November 2007 and November 2008: animal food manufacturers, up 26 percent; farm product merchant wholesalers, 23 percent; Internet publishing and broadcasting, 22 percent; pesticide and fertilizer makers, 16 percent; waste management services, 16 percent; software publishers, 15 percent; navigation/electromedical/measuring instruments manufacturers, 14 percent; mining support services, 13 percent; and direct selling, 13 percent.
From Vindicator staff and wire reports