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FirstLight HomeCare of the Valley celebrates grand opening
AUSTINTOWN
FirstLight HomeCare of the Valley celebrated the grand opening of its new home with a barbecue Wednesday evening.
After expanding its territory to cover Trumbull County and other areas including Alliance, the company relocated to a former bank location at 4390 Mahoning Ave. in Austintown.
“We saw it as an opportunity to revitalize a space,” said Michael R. Senchak, one of the owners.
FirstLight was previously located at 5437 Mahoning Ave., which was 1,800 square feet compared with 3,100 square feet at the new location. Traces of the former bank still linger such as where bank tellers operated and the vault that will be used for storage and a “conversation piece” as Senchak pointed out. While the previous location consisted of two separated suites, the new location has nearly all of its offices right next door to each other.
“It’s nice to have everybody in one space,” he said.
With the expansion, FirstLight is also on a “hiring spree,” he said. The company now has seven full-time staff members and 105 part-time caregivers, but plans to increase its full-time staff by two and additional 35 caregivers by the end of the year.
“That’s the most important thing,” Senchak said.
His father, Mike Senchak, and another co-owner, said the company’s had great growth since its inception nearly two years ago.
“We’ve been very loyal to the area,” he said.
Both Senchaks are Youngstown State University graduates. The younger one became a business partner with Dave Stewart, YSU adjunt faculty member, who has a background in working with local business, according to Vindicator files.
The elder Senchak, a registered nurse, worked in health care for more than 35 years. He started Mahoning Valley Hospital and served as the president and chief operating officer for nine years.
All three saw the need for a business that offered quality caregivers to assist with day-to-day living essentials such as showering and household cleaning. The goal is to keep its clients as independent as possible, the younger Senchak said.
After setting up base in Austintown, the local franchise had its first client in September 2013,
Stewart departed ways with the company in May, but the father and son duo continued to provide services in the Mahoning Valley as well as parts of Portage and Stark counties.
The company also plans to open a satellite office somewhere in Trumbull County by the end of the year.