BUSINESS DIGEST || New sites to spur manufacturing

NEOTEC officers

youngstown

The Northeast Ohio Trade & Economic Consortium has announced the election of officers for 2011 to the board of the Northeast Ohio Joint Office of Economic Development. The officers include Summit County Executive Russell Pry, chairman; Mahoning County Commissioner John McNally, vice chairman; and Ashtabula County Commissioner Joe Moroski, secretary.

NEOTEC is based in Kent on the campus of Kent State University, which partners with NEOTEC in its economic development efforts.

Given in grants

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The Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley distributed $967,825.86 in grants and scholarships during the past fiscal year.

By dollar, grants made during the period spanned all categories of giving but were predominately centered in the sectors of education, human services and public and society benefit.

More than 300 charities have received grants from the foundation’s component funds in the past nine years.

In addition to grants made, the foundation continues to grow in endowment with a 20 percent increase in permanent funds over the previous year, as well as a 73 percent increase in new donors.

Nearly 90 funds are housed at the foundation. Among component funds added in 2010 were two funds benefitting Boardman Township, the Boardman Community Fund and the Boardman Schools Fund for Educational Excellence.

Armstrong program

north lima

Armstrong offers a way for customers to save on their bills by shopping.

The company recently launched Armstrong MySavings; a rewards program that enables customers to reduce their bills through transactions made locally and online with participating Armstrong MySavings merchants. Each qualified transaction gives a percentage of the purchase amount back to the customer by way of a credit on their Armstrong statement.

Armstrong customers can find out more about the program and register at www.ArmstrongMySavings.com.

Satellite locations

Youngstown/ warren

Two Northeast Ohio economic-development institutions are announcing the opening of satellite locations in Youngstown and Warren to accelerate the growth of manufacturing and exporting that has taken place in the Mahoning Valley over the last several years.

MAGNET, headquartered in Cleveland, will have Senior Business Consultant Alan Lupas working out of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber’s Warren office.

The International Trade Assistance Center (ITAC), which is a part of Kent-based NEOTEC, will have International Trade Advisor Ryan W. Sansom housed in Youngstown State University’s new Williamson College of Business Administration as a part of the Center of Excellence in International Business.

Vindicator staff reports