Career paths

Health care

Sharon Regional Health System’s Hubbard Diagnostic and Specialty Center has added Dr. Brandon Mikolich, interventional cardiologist, and Dr. Ravi Alapati, general surgeon, to its staff. Dr. Mikolich is certified in cardiovascular disease, internal medicine, interventional cardiology and cardiac MRI. He specializes in angioplasty, cardiac catheterizations, cardiac stress testing, echocardiography and peripheral vascular intervention. Dr. Alapati specializes in single-incision laparoscopic surgery for gallbladder and appendix; laparoscopic surgery for gastric reflux, hiatal hernias, inguinal hernias and colon resections; cancer surgery, general surgery, colonoscopy and gastroscopy.

Dr. Andria D’Amato has been elected to serve as secretary on the St. Francis University Alumni Association Board of Directors. Dr. D’Amato, director of acupuncture pain management at D’Amato Chiropractic Clinic in Poland, received a bachelor’s degree in marine biology from St. Francis in 2005. The university is in Loretto, Pa.

Great East Rehab, 2103 Niles-Cortland Road S.E., Warren, has hired physical therapist Brian Weeks. Weeks previously owned All Star Therapy, a rehabilitation center with locations in Niles and Champion. He received his master’s degree in physical therapy from the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo.

Manufacturing

Austintown native Robert J. Kolar Jr. has been promoted to president and chief operating officer of Toppan Interamerica, a Georgia-based industrial materials manufacturer. Before his promotion, Kolar served as the company’s vice president and plant manager. He is a graduate of Austintown Fitch High School and Georgia Institute of Technology. He lives in Locust Grove, Ga.

Economic development

Michael R. Conway has been appointed executive director of the Mahoning Valley Economic Development Corporation. Conway was previously employed with the Adirondack Economic Development Corporation in New York. He received a bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University and a master’s degree from Edinboro University in Pennsylvania. He also studied in the Cleveland State University Urban Studies Ph.D. program.

Retail

Stephen Pernotto has been named president and CEO of the Linens & More For Less!, a Brookfield-based retail chain. Pernotto previously served as executive vice president of human resources for Belk, Inc. He received his bachelor’s degree from Youngstown State University.

Associations

Ron DeBarr has been appointed board secretary for the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones. DeBarr is president and chief executive officer of the Northeast Ohio Trade and Economic Consortium at Kent State University. The National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones has certified DeBarr as an accredited zone specialist. Congress created the Foreign-Trade Zones program in 1934 to boost international trade and increase the global competitiveness of U.S.-based companies.

The Mahoning Valley Chapter of Business Networking International, a business networking group, has named new officers. They are: Brian Laraway, vice president at Bury Financial Group in Poland, president; Anthony Centofanti, president of Open Garage Doors in Boardman, vice president; Tibitha Matheney, a real-estate agent with Burgan Real Estate in Boardman, secretary/treasurer.

Marketing

Simon Roofing has hired Alison Turner as marketing communications specialist. Turner was an account executive at Akhia Marketing and Public Relations in Hudson. She received her bachelor’s degree from Kent State University.

funeral homes

Lane Family Funeral Homes has hired Cheryl Thompson as manager of Lane’s Canfield Chapel, 65 N. Broad St. Thompson was previously employed at Thompson Funeral Home, which her family owns. Thompson is a licensed funeral director. She also has licenses and certifications in pre-need planning and funeral insurance.