Former Boccieri chief of staff to get port authority post

By Ed Runyan | September 11, 2015 at 12:09a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Anthony Trevena officially will be hired to work for the Western Reserve Port Authority in the coming days and has started meeting people with whom he’ll be working, port authority Executive Director John Moliterno confirmed Thursday.

Trevena was a finalist for executive director when the port authority board of directors selected Moliterno in June.

Trevena also was under consideration for another unspecified position with the authority during the search for executive director, but the board made no decision regarding Trevena at the time.

Moliterno said Thursday he has authority to hire and fire without board approval and is working on a contract, job description and pay rate for Trevena, but none of those is finalized.

Trevena is not yet on the payroll and has not started working, but because “he is here,” meaning living in the Mahoning Valley, he has started to meet the people he will work with in his new position, Moliterno said. Moliterno started introducing him within the past few days.

“Anthony is going to be an employee of the port authority, but as to what he’s going to be doing is what’s up in the air,” Moliterno said.

There is “a lot going on that I can’t comment on right now” that relates to “building the best possible team to bring jobs to the Valley,” Moliterno said.

Trevena’s position apparently is going to be related to economic development because the authority’s recently completed strategic plan calls for adding staff to the economic-development team as soon as possible.

Existing economic-development staff members include Moliterno; Sarah Lown, senior economic-development manager; and an intern.

In the resume Trevena submitted while applying to be executive director, he listed his most-recent job as owner and operator of an Ormond Beach, Fla., restaurant from 2013 to 2015.

But Trevena’s children and other family members live in the Mahoning Valley, and Anthony is living here now, Moliterno said.

Among Trevena’s other jobs was chief of staff for John Boccieri when Boccieri was a member of Congress from 2008 to 2010.

Boccieri, a member of the port authority board of directors, is now a finalist to replace Democrat Ronald Gerberry as state representative for the 59th District.

Trevena was vice president of operations for Donald P. Pipino Co. of Youngstown in 2011 and worked as deputy director for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources from 2006 to 2008. He was district field representative from 2001 to 2006 for Ted Strickland when Strickland was a member of Congress. Trevena has a master’s degree in business administration from Youngstown State University.

Trevena also was a finalist among three people for executive director of Mill Creek MetroParks last December when Aaron Young was selected.

Trevena’s resume lists business-related responsibilities he had while working for Boccieri, such as coordinating and directing staff in “resolving barriers impacting daily operations and growth for local businesses” and having “weekly on-site visits with business leaders.”