Drake is No. 36 on top-100 list

Drake is No. 36 on top-100 list

WARREN

Drake Manufacturing Services Co. LLC, 4371 N. Leavitt Road NW, was named 36th among the 100 fastest-growing companies in Northeast Ohio by Weatherhead School of Business at the Case Western Reserve University.

Drake Manufacturing is a leading manufacturer of precision computer numerical control machine tools.

BeMyDD launches holiday campaign

CLEVELAND

Be My Designated Driver, the nation’s largest designated-driver service, launched its “Keeping The Holidays Happy” campaign to provide discounted transportation for first-time users of its service before Jan. 1.

Cleveland-based BeMyDD offers another option to ride-sharing services with a range of affordable services where professional chauffeurs operate the customer’s own vehicle, priced at predetermined rates.

To take advantage of the discounts, make a reservation at www.BeMyDD.com/Holidays.

Autosoft Inc. plans technology center

WEST MIDDLESEX, PA.

Autosoft Inc., a software company for automotive dealers, is opening a renovated technology center to accommodate growing operations and an expanding staff of software developers on its West Middlesex campus, 61 Executive Court.

Twenty-six employees moved into the new space in November, which has the capacity to house an additional 30 to 40 software professionals.

Famous Footwear opens a new store

HERMITAGE, PA.

Famous Footwear announced its new store in Hermitage, marking its 16th location in the Pittsburgh market. The 5,019-square-foot store opened Wednesday. The store is in the Kohl’s Shopping Center, 568 S. Hermitage Road.

To celebrate the opening, Famous Footwear is hosting an all-day grand-opening event from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.

Shoppers are invited to experience fun activities, including in-store promotions every two hours, raffle prizes, live music and more.

Survey: Many predict economy better in ’15

COLUMBUS

Most consumers in the states of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania said the economy will be better in 2015 than the previous two years, according to the third annual Huntington Bank Midwest Economic Index survey.

This year’s Index found a continuation of the trend of consumers feeling positive about the year ahead.

Many consumers said they have moved on from the troubling economic downturn.

Half expect the economy in their region to be better in the coming year, compared with 49 percent last year and 45 percent two years ago.

Vindicator staff/wire reports

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDENDCLOSECHANGE

Aqua America, .61, 25.98 -0.29

Avalon Holdings,3.39-0.03

Clear Channel, .46 18.66 -0.11

Cortland Bancorp, 15.700

Farmers Nat., .128.19 -0.1

First Energy, 1.44, 37.50-0.34

Fifth/Third, .5219.79-0.27

FirstMerit Corp., .64,18.12 -0.06

First Niles Financial, .32,9.280

FNB Corp., .48,12.50-0.1

General Motors, 1.2031.61-0.58

General Electric, .88,24.97-0.44

Huntington Bank, .20, 10.09-0.16

JP Morgan Chase, 1.60,60.14-1

Key Corp, .26,13.31-0.22

LaFarge, 17.30 -0.08

Macy’s, 1.25, 62.421.2

Parker Hannifin, 1.92, 123.38-2.7

PNC, 1.92,87.93-1.02

RTI Intl. Metals,23.15-1.08

Simon Prop. Grp.,5.20,180.96-1.9

Stoneridge 11.13 -0.28

Talmer Bank, 14.11-0.27

United Comm. Fin., .04 5.13-0.05

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