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Chamber publishes marketing book Selling the Valley to the world
By Sean Barron
YOUNGSTOWN
The Youngstown/ Warren Regional Chamber has unveiled an international marketing book to attract worldwide businesses to the Mahoning Valley.
The 74-page publication, “Youngstown & Warren Ohio: An Exploration of the Dynamic Business & Lifestyle Climate,” touts the Valley’s positive attributes as well as the area’s transformation to attract businesses from around the world to the region, Eric Planey said at a news conference Monday.
It’s also a tool being used to assist in the chamber’s year-old International Business Attraction initiative.
Planey, the chamber’s vice president of international-business attraction, noted that the book’s three main segments cover the area’s economic development, profiles of successful institutions, business and organizations, and quality of life.
Highlighted are the Youngstown Business Incubator, the $650 million V&M Star expansion project, Turning Technologies, Youngstown State University and its College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, the Butler Institute of American Art, Mill Creek MetroParks and General Motors Lords- town Complex.
The publication also showcases the area’s affordable cost of living, strategic location, longtime traditions, arts and entertainment, sports figures, schools and hospitals.
Calling the book “absolutely world-class,” Planey said he’s been to Israel, China and elsewhere within the last year to show, among other things, how the Valley has transformed itself to a high-technology corridor.
Planey distributed about 100 copies during a recent trip to the Netherlands and Germany, he said.
“We talk about everything that makes this a great area to live, work and play,” he added.
In addition, many foreign business leaders aren’t familiar with the Valley’s struggles over the past several decades, so that “gives us an opportunity to start with a clean slate,” Planey said.
He also discussed a $9 million Youngstown World Trade Center complex to be built on West Federal Street that will house small- to medium-sized businesses interested in establishing themselves in the U.S.
The building also would provide about 56,000 square feet of office and retail space and be a means to enhance the Valley’s importance as a gateway for international commerce, Planey explained.
Plans call for renovating the 93-year-old Wells Building and adding a six-story modern office tower next to it, Planey noted, adding that groundbreaking is set for early next year and the project is estimated to wrap up by mid-2012.
The chamber is distributing the book, which had a first printing of 1,500 copies, he said, adding that two Mahoning Valley natives handled most of the photography.
Chamber officials also have visited Europe and the Middle East to promote the Valley, noted Tony Paglia, vice president of government affairs.
REGIONAL CHAMBER
The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber unveiled a 74-page marketing publication at a news conference Monday detailing numerous positive aspects of the region as well as reasons for global businesses to move here. Key topics include:
Location: The Valley is about halfway between Chicago and New York City, and its access to rail, seaports and interstate travel makes it a natural site for companies to locate and distribute their products.
V&M Star: The $650 million pipe-mill expansion project highlights how local governments as well as state and federal officials worked together with the multinational company on the project, estimated to create 350 jobs.
Covelli Enterprises Inc.: Sam Covelli, one of the nation’s top restaurant operators, owns 155 Panera Bread franchises in several states and is owner-operator of several O’Charley’s eateries. The area’s strong work ethic, loyalty and community support are main reasons the company has stayed in the Valley.
Syncro Medical Innovations: The company, which manufactures magnetically guided feeding tubes, received much cooperation and support when it moved to Youngstown from Macon, Ga.
Exal Youngstown: The area is a prime location for the business, which is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of extruded-aluminum packaging.
AVI Foodsystems: The Warren-based company has grown to be the country’s largest independently owned food-service company. AVI has a strong commitment to its employees and the community.
Youngstown State University: Despite the tough economy, YSU raised $53 million in June for student scholarships, which marked the university’s most successful fund-raising campaign in its 102-year history. YSU also has partnered with numerous downtown Youngstown entities and organizations dedicated to the city’s revitalization.
Turning Technologies Inc.: In 2007, Inc. magazine rated the 8-year-old local company the fastest-growing privately held software business in the nation. Turning Technologies continues to grow despite the economic downturn and serves as an example of how the Valley’s economic outlook is turning around.
Miscellaneous: Partnerships of Mahoning and Trumbull county officials; the cities of Warren, Youngstown and Niles; the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District; and the Niles Area Council of the Regional Chamber helped put the marketing book together.
Source: Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber