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Castlo awards honor people, organizations
Aqua Ohio, the Struthers Rotary Club and downtown restaurants were also recognized.
STRUTHERS — Former Ohio state Sen. Harry Meshel is one of the Mahoning Valley’s most important figures of the 20th century, said Dr. William C. Binning, former chairman of the Mahoning County Republican Party.
Meshel, a Democrat, was one of several people and organizations to receive inaugural CASTLO Recognition Awards on Tuesday.
Meshel, who had a close relationship with Republican Gov. James Rhodes, and George Tablack were instrumental in securing $2.5 million in state funds for the creation of CASTLO shortly after Sept. 19, 1977, or so-called Black Monday, officials said. Tablack has since died.
Black Monday was the date when Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. announced the closing of most of its operations in the area, including mills in Struthers and Campbell.
CASTLO used about half of the money to buy 120 acres from Youngstown Sheet & Tube and the rest to leverage an additional $3 million from the United States Economic Development Administration, which was used to clean up and develop the property, said William D. DeCicco, CASTLO executive director.
What officials said looked like a war zone then now has 19 tenants, representing 90-percent occupancy, which have a combined 140 employees and $5 million annual payroll. CASTLO’s trustees, past and present, are responsible for that successful transition, DeCicco said.
Binning, chairman emeritus of the political science department at Youngstown State University, said CASTLO is just one of many projects Meshel had a hand in getting for the area.
“There wouldn’t be a YSU stadium without Harry Meshel. He argued for the [Ohio Historical Society Youngstown Center of Industry and Labor], and put together the Lake Milton Dam project. Northeast Ohio college of medicine was certainly Harry Meshel’s work, and I was told recently in Columbus that there would be no medical college at Ohio State University were it not for Harry Meshel,” Binning said.
“I deeply appreciate the kind words,” Meshel said in accepting the award. But he said he views Tuesday’s event more as a celebration of how local public leaders worked together after the fall of the steel industry.
CASTLO CIC member communities are Campbell, Struthers, Lowellville and Coitsville and Poland townships.
“Other than my parents, no one has had more impact on my life than Harry Meshel,” said Robert Lidle, Poland Township trustee and a member of the CASTLO Board of Trustees and former Meshel aide.
Other 2008 recipients of the CASTLO awards are:
- Business: Aqua Ohio, a private water company and original CASTLO anchor tenant.
- Organization: Struthers Rotary Club.
- Individuals: Frank DiVito and Alan Donatelli of DonaVito’s Italian Grille; Jon Jacobec and Eric Ryan of Fat E’s Attic & Grille, and Brian Palumbo of Selah Cafe.
- Ray Calcagni Sr., Struthers District manager for Aqua Ohio, said he was honored to present the award “for the “company I spent 40 years with,” to Al Sauline, who oversees Aqua’s Struthers division and the Shenango Valley operations.
- The Struthers Rotary Award was presented by Kelly Becker, a Struthers Rotarian and CASTLO trustee, to Paul Paris, a charter member and former president of the organization. Becker said the club works on many community projects, including mentally challenged students and the Struthers Historical Society.
- Struthers Mayor Terry Stocker presented awards to three city restaurant owners, whose investments he said have helped revitalize the downtown and created jobs.
- Eric Ryan said he and his partner, Jon Jacobec, and their wives believe in Struthers and downtown. “We will continue to do this to the best of our ability,” Ryan said.
The CASTLO CIC is governed by a board of trustees of community leaders and elected local officials, which owns and operates the 120-acre CASTLO Industrial Park, 100 S. Bridge St., recently renamed Meshel Way, the site of the former Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co.’s Struthers Works. Nearly $5 million has been invested to clean up the site and develop the industrial park.
alcorn@vindy.com