CAREER PATHS

finance

Melissa Gilliland has been promoted to senior vice president and loan operations manager at First Place Bank. In her new role, Gilliland will be responsible for managing the loan processing, loan servicing and document services divisions of loan operations. She will work at the bank’s headquarters in Hermitage, Pa. Gilliland has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Youngstown State University.

Economic Development

Roan Craig, superintendent of the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center, will replace John Finizio Jr., president of St. Joseph Health Center, as chairman of the board for Leadership Mahoning Valley. Pete Asimakopoulos, regional president of First National Bank, was named vice chairman. Youngstown State University president Cynthia Anderson was appointed secretary and Debbie Eppinger, a member of the private client services staff for Chase Bank, was named treasurer.

The Fund for Our Economic Future, a regional economic development collaboration, has promoted marketing director Chris Thompson to director of funds and regional engagement, a new position. Thompson will work to broaden support for the region’s economic competitiveness agenda. He will retain his marketing responsibilities. The Fund has also promoted Ashley Basile to the newly-created position of finance and operations associate. Bethia Burke and Colette Taylor have joined the organization as manager of emerging initiatives and support coordinator, respectively.

health care

Darius Pierko, a family practice physician based in Mercer, Pa., has joined UPMC Horizon’s medical staff. He is affiliated with the Primary Health Network.

Pierko earned his medical degree from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, in Biddeford, Maine. He recently completed an osteopathic manipulation fellowship at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, where he did his family medicine residency.

Pierko is certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Family Medicine.