Penn National exec to speak at chamber event

Staff report

boardman

Timothy J. Wilmott, president and chief operating officer of Penn National Gaming Inc., is the guest speaker at the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber’s salute to business early-bird breakfast.

Penn National hopes to break ground this year on a $125 million thoroughbred racetrack and video lottery terminal facility in Austintown that will create about 1,000 direct and indirect jobs as well as about 1,000 construction jobs.

The breakfast is at 7:30 a.m. Aug. 30 at Mr. Anthony’s in Boardman.

The chamber also will recognize its 2012 salute-to- business award recipients.

They are business professional of the year, Tom Zidian, president and CEO, John Zidian Group Companies, Boardman; business advocate of the year, Martin A. Abraham, dean, Youngstown State University’s College of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics; entrepreneur of the year, Robert Berk, president, Berk Enterprises, Warren; small-business person of the year, Steve Sava, president, PTNE Telecom, Youngstown; non- profit professional of the year, Janice E. Strasfeld, executive director, Youngstown Foundation; and salute to labor achievement, Roland “Butch” Taylor Jr., business manager, United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 396.

The cost of the event, open to the public, will be $25 for chamber members and $35 for nonmembers. To make reservations, contact Jennifer Mascardine at 330-744-2131, ext. 12, or by email at jennifer@regionalchamber.com. The deadline for reservations is today.