Obama’s speech energizes, inspires workers at V&M

By Elise Franco | May 19, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Reaction To Obama's V&M Star Visit

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Local reaction to President Barack Obama's speech at V&M Star in Youngstown, OH May 18, 2010

Obama at V&M Star

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Watch President Barack Obama's entire speech at V&M Star in Youngstown on Tuesday, May 18, 2010.

President Obama Visits V&M Star

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By Elise Franco

efranco@vindy.com

Youngstown

President Barack Obama energized V&M Star employees and left them optimistic about their factory and the Valley’s future.

The president spoke to about 150 workers Tuesday afternoon about the economy and its effect on the Mahoning Valley. Several of those workers said they liked what Obama had to say.

Rick VanTassel of Sharon, Pa., said he agreed with the entire speech, which included talk of the $650 million expansion of V&M beginning this summer.

“Everything he said you’ve got to agree with,” VanTassel said. “We need growth here at V&M, and this [expansion] helps out a lot.”

VanTassel, who has worked at the plant for three years, said the president’s speech in Youngstown is a morale booster.

“I think the reason he spoke here is because for so many years, Youngstown has been down,” VanTassel said. “But with Lordstown coming back and the V&M [expansion], it’s happening — slowly, but it’s happening.”

Obama drove that point home by pledging to keep America invested in the middle class, so that cities such as Youngstown don’t just survive, “but thrive.”

“Just think about where we were a year ago,” he said. “Our economies were collapsing.”

Chuck Maholtz, of Girard, said he has always supported Obama and was impressed by his comments to the community.

“He said a lot of good things that we all really appreciated, things we needed,” said Maholtz, and 18-year V&M Star employee.

Obama addressed the crowd on a personal level and told them it was “important for me to meet you all directly.”

Paul McConahy of New Castle, Pa., has worked for V&M for nearly 19 years, and was almost at a loss for words after the president’s address.

“Seeing someone like this around here is a very different experience for me,” he said.

McConahy said he’s glad Obama took the time to tour the plant and speak to employees because it shows he wants to be informed and involved.

“I think it’s great for him to be in our mill and see what we do here,” McConahy said. “With this being a depressed area, he can see how it has built back up.”