Limelights and career paths

Alston Construction Co., a national general contractor with 14 offices across the country, announced the opening of a new office in Warren at 197 W. Market St., Suite 207.

The office will be led by Robert Murray, vice president/general manager, who has more than 25 years of experience in the construction field.

“Our new Ohio location is a natural progression in the continued growth of our industrial business throughout the region,” said Paul D. Little, Alston Construction CEO. “The economic growth potential in this region is substantial, and this new office will enable us to better serve our existing client base in the region and focus on business growth throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania. We look forward to attracting and investing in the region’s top talent.”

Alston is headquartered in Atlanta, Ga.

The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber announced the promotion of Nick Santucci to director of government and public affairs, and the promotion of Michelle Phillips to director of research.

Santucci joined the chamber team in 2015, serving as the director of education and workforce development. He supported the creation of partnerships between those in the business and education sectors and launched the Community Connectors program in 2015. He also led the chamber’s JobsNow workforce program.

In his new role, he will remain engaged with regional educators, but will now lead the chamber’s government affairs efforts, with emphasis on coordinating with local elected officials to ensure that business collaboration exists with governmental entities.

Phillips joined the chamber team in 1999. She has provided a variety of services over the years, including entrepreneurial counseling, business research and coordination, supply chain analysis and grant writing. She recently has overseen the request for information process that is aligned with the chamber’s site selection services.

In her new role, she will continue to oversee the RFI response process. She will also work to expand the chamber’s supply-chain strategy and play a greater role in research to support the chamber’s business retention, expansion and attraction efforts.

The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber announced that its manager of business development, Lauren Johnson, was recognized as one of three statewide finalists and named runner-up for the Rookie of the Year award presented by the Ohio Economic Development Association at its annual summit in Columbus.

The award recognizes and celebrates industry professionals who have made extraordinary contributions to local or state workforce and economic development early in their careers.

Johnson joined the chamber in 2015 as the 422 Corridor Initiative project manager and worked to implement the five-year goals of the comprehensive redevelopment strategy. She was promoted to the economic-development division in 2017.

In her current role, she has completed more than 100 individual business retention and expansion visits and managed industrial projects throughout the Valley that have resulted in nearly $120 million of investment, creation of 194 new jobs and retention of 952 jobs, the chamber said.

Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC announced that Bobby Stackhouse, general sales manager and partner at Sweeney Chevrolet, recently completed the National Automobile Dealers Association’s NADA Academy certification.

The yearlong program, designed for current and future automobile and truck dealership operators, included six intensive weeks of classroom training at NADA’s Virginia headquarters, as well as hands-on practical applications covering business operations in each area of the dealership in Boardman.

Stackhouse, of Canfield, has been with the dealership for 12 years.