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Local business leaders honored at Salute to Business breakfast
BOARDMAN
The Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber honored an array of business leaders during its annual Salute to Business Breakfast on Tuesday at Mr. Anthony’s. Mitchell Joseph, the chairman and CEO of The Joseph Co. and West Coast Chill, was named Business Professional of the Year for choosing to open a can-chilling and distribution center on the East Side of Youngstown.
Jessica Borza was named Business Advocate of the Year for her work as the executive director of the Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition. Borza works with manufacturers to identify industry needs – such as workforce shortages – and develop strategies for fulfilling those needs.
Farid Naffah, a gastroenterologist in Warren, was named the Non-Profit Professional of the Year for his work serving individuals with medical and financial needs. He created an arts and entertainment pavilion at his home in Bazetta Township where he hosts an annual fundraiser to raise money to help the elderly afford their prescription costs.
The father-son team of Mike and Michael Senchak were named Entrepreneurs of the Year for the work of their company FirstLight Home Care, which provides companion and personal care to individuals being treated in their homes.
Michael Rulli, director of operations of Rulli Brothers, was named Small Business Person of the Year for his role as a third-generation operator of the grocery chain.
Carlton Ingram, the vice president of the Western Reserve Building and Construction Trades Council and a business representative for the Operating Engineers Local 66, was awarded the Salute to Labor Achievement for his nearly five-decade career in the construction industry and his work in a variety of economic expansion projects throughout Mahoning and Trumbull counties.