BUSINESS DIGEST || Co-hosting gala

Co-hosting gala

youngstown

The Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber and the American Red Cross of the Mahoning Valley will co-host a black and white gala Saturday.

The event will feature a Dancing with the Stars-style competition, food and music. A portion of the gala proceeds will benefit the Red Cross.

The event will start at 5:30 p.m. at the Stambaugh Auditorium.

For the cost of tickets and other information, call 330-744-2131, ext. 12.

Purchasing seminar

youngstown

A purchasing seminar will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 30 at the Covelli Centre’s community room.

The event will provide an opportunity for vendors to meet one-on-one with purchasing officials from local businesses and hospitals, city governments and the state of Ohio.

For more information, or to register for the event, contact Norma Webb at the Mahoning Procurement Technical Assistance Center at 330-759-3668, ext. 24.

Save on pickups

columbus

For a limited time, members of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation can save $1,500 on the purchase of select Chevrolet and GMC pickup trucks.

The special member benefit applies to new 2013 and 2014 regular-cab heavy-duty trucks. The offer runs through April 1, 2014.

According to a press release, members qualify for the program by having a valid membership for at least 60 days prior to purchase of the vehicle.

KSU in top rankings

KENT

Kent State University’s College of Business Administration undergraduate and graduate programs recently placed in the top rankings of two major news publications.

The graduate programs were recognized in the Princeton Review’s “The Best 295 Business Schools.” The review does not rank schools but provides ranking lists in a specific category.

The undergraduate programs ranked No. 159 out of 342 by U.S. News & World Report in its 2014 edition of Best Colleges.

Energy standards

youngstown

A new study released by the Consumer Federation of America says homeowners could save thousands of dollars annually if energy- efficiency performance standards were more prevalent and better understood.

The study said energy costs drain about $4,600 from household budgets annually.

Producers of energy-using equipment don’t always include energy-saving technologies in the products they sell because they are unsure of the market, uncertain about technology costs and future energy prices, according to the study.

The study also found that consumers often don’t demand energy savings because they don’t pay energy bills like landlords do.

Vindicator staff reports

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDENDCLOSECHANGE

Aqua America, .61, 24.96 —.06

Avalon Holdings,5.25.10

Clear Channel, .61 27.20 —.33

Cortland Bancorp, 9.50.00

Farmers Nat., .126.31 .08

First Energy, 2.20, 37.931.361

FirstMerit Corp., .64,23.355 .195

First Niles Financial, .32,6.50.00

First Place Fin., .0029.0000

FNB Corp., .48,12.59.29

General Motors,35.87.21

General Electric, .76,25.57.889999

Motors Liquidation, .0422.0000

Huntington Bank, .20, 8.91.03

JP Morgan Chase, 1.52,54.30.09

Key Corp, .22,12.60.06

LaFarge, 17.17 .65

Macy’s, 1.00, 44.39—.07

Parker Hannifin, 1.80, 112.3355.515

PNC, 1.76,75.022.3420

RTI Intl. Metals,33.80.61

Simon Prop. Grp.,4.60,158.02—.58

Stoneridge 13.02 .25

United Community Fin. 3.9615

Selected prices at 4 p.m. Friday. Provided by Stifel Nicolaus. Not to be construed as an offer or recommendation to buy or sell any security.