Oh-Penn Interstate Region Economic Development Guide 2012

Oh-Penn businessclimate.com/ohpenn

Interstate Region Economic Development Guide

Making a Comeback

Expansions, workforce alliances rejuvenate manufacturing

Formula for Success Engineering, environmental labs grow in region

The Buckle of the Tech Belt

Incubators create a culture of innovation

Sponsored by the Oh-Penn Interstate Region | 2012-13

Bridging Entrepreneurship & Innovation in the City of Hermitage

(724) 981-0800 • www.hermitage.net LindenPointe is located on Route 18, north of I-80’s 376 interchange, with easy access to Pennsylvania and Ohio turnpikes.

 LindenPointe Lots Available For Development

There’s no other business park like LindenPointe

Training & Workforce Development Center Available For Use – (724) 981-1829

LindenPointe is a planned technical park and an exciting development providing unrivalled regional location opportunities. It is a strategic economic development initiative built through a unique publicprivate community partnership. The “campus like” environment differentiates LindenPointe from other real estate developments. 115 acres are fully improved with street lighting, entry signage, landscaping, buried utilities, high-speed telecommunications and cable at the lot line.

www.eCenterLindenPointe.com Now Accepting New Startup Businesses

LindenPointe Innovative Business Campus www.lindenpointe.com

The Incubator is committed to promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in the Oh-Penn region by providing education, mentorship and business resources, as well as professional and technical assistance to help new and emerging STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) companies to grow and prosper. By fulfilling this mission, the Incubator will create jobs and attract new companies thereby fueling the economic growth and prosperity of the region.

Oh-Penn Interstate Region Economic Development Guide

Workstyle The Buckle of the Tech Belt

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Incubators create a culture of innovation

Making a Comeback

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Expansions, workforce alliances rejuvenate manufacturing

Formula for Success

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Engineering, environmental labs grow in region

Insight

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Overview

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Almanac

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Business Climate

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Energy/Technology

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Transportation

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Health

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Education

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Livability

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Gallery

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Economic Profile

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On the Cover The Oh-Penn region creates an innovative culture for advanced manufacturing companies like Novocell Semiconductor, which develops intellectual property for the semiconductor industry.

Photo by antony boshier

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Please recycle this magazine

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business ®

Digital Edition

Formula for Success Area labs pioneer safety testing efforts, environmental innovation

Story by M.V. Greene • Photography by Antony Boshier

H

ubs of technological innovation seem to pop up like daisies out of the ground in certain parts of the country.

Silicon Valley in northern California’s San Francisco Bay area is the most obvious example – home to companies like Apple, Intel, Cisco Systems, eBay, Google, Hewlett-Packard and more.

The Oh-Penn area along the Ohio-Pennsylvania border in the Pittsburgh market is fast evolving

into a technological center of its own for engineering, environmental and other science and technologyrelated laboratory firms.

LEVERAGING AREA ASSETS Whether assisting companies with product testing and efficiency or developing their own advanced processes, Oh-Penn labs leverage the region’s many natural assets and work closely with local, regional and national manufacturers in a multitude of

Amber Spor, a lab technician for Environmental Laboratory Services Inc., tests water samples for surfactants.

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OH-PENN INTERSTATE REGION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE

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DO MORE THAN JUST READ ABOUT IT Hear from decision-makers at leading companies, see video of the region’s success stories and find links to useful demographic information and information sources.

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Oh-Penn Interstate Region Economic Development Guide

201 2-1 3 Edition , volum e 2 editorial project manager Emily McMackin Content Director Bill McMeekin Proofreading Manager Raven Petty Content Coordinator Jessica Walker, Karen Schwartsman Staff Writer Kevin Litwin Contributing writers John Fuller, M.V. Greene, Melanie Kilgore-Hill, Joe Morris

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Interstate Region Economic Development Guide

CONNECTIONS

An online resource at businessclimate.com/ohpenn

Senior Graphic Designers Laura Gallagher, Kris Sexton, Jake Shores, Vikki Williams

digital Magazine >>

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Staff Photographers Todd Bennett, color imaging technician alison hunter Integrated Media Manager Art Davis

Interstate regIon economIc Development guIDe

Ad Production Manager Katie Middendorf

making a comeback

Ad Traffic Assistants Krystin Lemmon, Patricia Moisan

Expansions, workforce alliances rejuvenate manufacturing

Formula for success

Engineering, environmental labs grow in region

Chairman Greg Thurman President/Publisher Bob Schwartzman Executive Vice President Ray Langen Senior V.P./Sales Todd Potter Senior V.P./Operations Casey Hester Senior V.P./Client Development Jeff Heefner Senior V.P./Agribusiness Publishing kim holmberg V.P./business Development Clay Perry V.P./external communications Teree Caruthers

Lifestyle Find out what it’s like to live here and what makes the community such a special place to be.

V.P./Visual Content Mark Forester V.P./Content Operations Natasha Lorens V.P./travel publishing susan chappell V.P./Sales Rhonda Graham, Herb Harper, Jarek Swekosky Controller Chris Dudley

the Buckle of the tech Belt

Incubators create a culture of innovation

sponsoreD By the oh-penn Interstate regIon | 2012-13

Read the magazine on your computer, zoom in on articles and link to advertiser websites.

Senior Accountant Lisa Owens Accounts Payable Coordinator Maria McFarland Accounts Receivable Coordinator Diana Guzman

site guide >>

Sales Support Coordinator Alex Marks

Find available commercial

Sales Support project manager sara quint system administrator Daniel cantrell

and industrial properties with

Web Creative Director Allison Davis Web Content Manager John Hood

our searchable database.

Web Designer II richard stevens Web Development Lead Yamel Hall Web Developer I Nels noseworthy Photography Director Jeffrey S. Otto Creative Services Director Christina Carden Creative Technology Analyst Becca ary Audience Development Director Deanna Nelson

Workstyle

New Media Assistant Alyssa DiCicco

A spotlight on the region’s innovative companies

Distribution Director Gary Smith

success breeds success >> Meet the people who set the pace for business innovation.

Executive Secretary Kristy Duncan Human Resources Manager Peggy Blake

Dig Deeper >>

Receptionist Linda Bishop

Plug into the community with links to local websites and resources to give you

Oh-Penn Interstate Region Economic Development Guide is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the West Central Job Partnership.

For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by email at info@jnlcom.com.

a big picture of the region.

Demographics >>

For more information, contact:

A wealth of demographic

West Central Job Partnership 44 South Beaver Street • New Castle, PA 16101 Phone: (724) 658-2501 • Fax: (724) 658-4252 www.wcjp.org

and statistical information puts the community at

Visit Oh-Penn Interstate Region Economic Development Guide online at businessclimate.com/ohpenn ©Copyright 2012 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

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Overview

Five Counties, One Vision Oh-Penn region offers powerful advantages for business growth The five-county Oh-Penn region is a hub of commerce that built on its legacy industries to create vibrant new growth sectors. The region – Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties in Ohio and Lawrence and Mercer counties in Pennsylvania – offers numerous advantages that include lower land costs, a deep pool of highly skilled workers, affordable labor rates, ample building and sites, high-caliber higher education institutions and superior transportation assets.

Building on its industrial heritage, Oh-Penn has formed a robust advanced manufacturing cluster and emerging technology, life sciences and financial services. The region is poised to be the buckle of the emerging Tech Belt that runs from Cleveland to Pittsburgh, an area that includes 7.2 million people and what in total is the fourth-largest industrial/ technology region nationally.

With access to a network of interstate highways, proximity to major markets, and major rail and port capabilities, the Oh-Penn region offers numerous advantages as 77 a center of logistics and distribution.

A number of major retailers have distribution operations in the region, and several logistics firms are based there. Columbiana County’s port system handles more than 15 million tons of cargo a year and is the largest on the Ohio River. And Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport offers daily commercial service.

The region lies in the heart of the Marcellus Shale, a huge natural gas deposit with a wellhead value of some $1 trillion. The formation is

making the Oh-Penn region a hub for production and distribution of natural gas drilling and delivery equipment.

The region includes a burgeoning education and health-care component.

A centerpiece of higher education is the 13,500-student Youngstown State University, whose offerings include standout programs in engineering, business and computer information systems. A nucleus of top-level health-care providers are investing heavily in the latest equipment, treatments, technology and facilities, and are among

Oh-Penn’s major employers.

Nestled between two major metro areas, the region can offer access to big-city amenities and entertainment, and a host of home-grown cultural and four-season recreation attractions. With its housing and overall living costs well below the national average, ease of getting around and a range of lifestyle choices from large cities to small towns, the Oh-Penn region offers an inviting quality of life to match its advantages as a place to grow a business.

West Farmington

Greenville

MERCER Stoneboro

MERCER MERCER

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TRUMBULL

Warren Ravenna

Newton Falls

Niles

Girard

Hermitage

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Canfield

Hubbard

Salem

New Wilmington Volant

New Castle

Columbiana East Palestine

COLUMBIANA 30

Butler

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Leetonia Canton

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LAWRENC E

Struthers New Middletown

MAHONING

Mercer

Sharon

Youngstown

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Orangeville

Cortland

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Libson

Salineville

East Liverpool

Carrollton

OHIO

PENNSYLVANIA

Pittsburgh

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Almanac

A Rustic Retreat Ever just want to escape into the woods? At Villa Maria Community Center in Lawrence County, Pa., you can do just that. Hidden away in the rolling hills of western Pennsylvania, the community center is located on 726 acres of land encompassing nature trails, wetlands, farmland, a bird sanctuary and an organic garden. Home to the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, the commune draws visitors from all over the country who come to find a quiet place for prayer and reflection. The center also offers holistic, affordable living programs for seniors as well as farm-based environmental education programs with hands-on ecological instruction for students pre-K through 10th grade. Go to www.humilityofmary.org/vmcc.html to plan a visit.

A Patriotic Past A visit to Hillcrest Memorial Park in Hermitage, Pa., is guaranteed to leave you a little more patriotic. The park is home to the Avenue of Flags, the largest known display of American flags in the world. These flags have a history that dates back to 1979, when an Iranian revolution led to the capture and imprisonment of 53 American citizens for 444 days and the deaths of eight servicemen who lost their lives in the ill-fated rescue mission. A flag was raised in Hermitage each day the hostage situation continued, with special ceremonies held on days 200, 300, 365 and 400. Through the years, the avenue has evolved from a memorial honoring Americans wrongfully held captive into a landmark symbolizing the camaraderie and pride shared among all citizens.

Breaking the Mold Columbiana County’s history as the center of the pottery industry in the U.S. is well documented, and the Museum of Ceramics celebrates that heritage with artifacts. The museum exhibits pottery made in East Liverpool, Ohio, known as “The Pottery Capital of the United States” and “America’s Crockery City” during the 19th and 20th centuries. During its heyday, pottery was as synonymous to East Liverpool as steel was to Pittsburgh. The Museum of Ceramics is part of a statewide network of more than five dozen sites operated by the Ohio Historical Society, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visit www.themuseumofceramics.org for museum hours.

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An Afternoon With the Amish Step back in time with a visit to Volant, Pa. Set against the rolling hills of western Pennsylvania’s Amish countryside, the quaint town is home to eclectic antique and specialty shops including: The Shoppe at River’s Edge, which sells nautical gifts and home decor items; James Creek Galleries, which features a collection of fine American and traditional furniture and accessories; and Neshannock Creek Leather & Gifts, which carries a line of leather purses and travel bags, imported Irish gifts, Celtic jewelry, and more.

After shopping, enjoy the town’s simpler pleasures with a driving tour through the majestic Amish countryside, home to approximately 1,500 people living on farms surrounding Volant. Map out a day trip at www.volantshops.com.

Brewing With the Best Like most small businesses, Rust Belt Brewing Company in Youngstown, Ohio, started with a small amount of capital and lots of hard work, picking a name that paid tribute to the Rust Belt region and the American worker. Its hard work and dedication has already begun paying off. Last year, the microbrewery partnered with Ohio’s largest craft beer distributor to put its products on the shelves of major grocery store chains and restaurants. Its beers cater to both craft beer drinkers and mainstream consumers – and business is so good that the microbrewery is increasing production to keep up with demand. Get more details on the company at www.rustybrew.com.

More Than a Century of Success Founded in 1852, Westminster College has progressed with the times. U.S. News and World Report recently ranked the college, known for its liberal arts curriculum, third among the nation’s liberal arts colleges for its graduation rate. The college, which serves nearly 1,600 students and offers 42 graduate and undergraduate degree programs, was ranked sixth for its social mobility

by Washington Monthly College Guide. Along with its most recent accolades, the college has also been honored for its science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs for women and its excellence in service learning.

Find out more at www.westminster.edu.

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KEEping TrumbuLL CounTy WorKing for 35 yEArS Learn from Experts Connect with industry-experienced instructors to acquire technical and academic skills for high-wage, high-demand careers.

Stay Ahead of the Competition Earn critical business and industry certifications, credentials, required licenses, and college credits.

528 Education Hwy. • Warren, OH 44483 (330) 847-0503 • www.tctchome.com

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Learn More, Earn More!

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Steps to the First Moon Walk

Greenville’s Unsung Hero If you’ve ever gone skydiving, you have Greenville, Pa., native Stefan Banic to thank. After witnessing a tragic accident in 1912, Banic debuted the first patented prototype parachute in 1913 in Mercer County. To obtain a patent for his new apparatus, Banic demonstrated the parachute’s reliability by jumping from a 41-floor building in Washington D.C. Buoyed by the success of this test jump, Banic went on to parachute at a higher altitude from an airplane. Once the patent office approved his patent, Banic donated the rights to the Army Signal Corps and the American Society for the Promotion of Aviation, and his design became standard equipment for World War I pilots, saving the lives of countless American servicemen.

The inspiration behind Neil Armstrong’s historic 1969 trek on the moon began many years before his famed Apollo 11 mission, at the Warren Airways Airport in Warren, Ohio, where 6-year-old Neil took his first ride in an airplane. Today a halfscale replica of the lunar module that carried him to the moon’s surface commemorates the site of the space explorer’s first departure from earth. Elements of the replica are complete right down to mock footprints that imitate the ones Neil’s space suit left behind on the lunar surface. The 13-foot replica weighs two tons and was constructed using blueprints from Grumman Northrop Corporation, the designer and builder of the Apollo 11 spacecraft. Neil gave the site and its replica lunar module a thumbsup during his visit in 2005. Visit www.firstflightwarren.org to take your own tour of the site.

From Grove City, Pa to South Africa Manufacturing operations in Grove City, Pa., are producing mechanisms that will drive the economy of a nation an ocean away. General Electric Transportation’s Grove City facility is making locomotive kits that will be used to advance rail infrastructure throughout South Africa. GE is contracting with Transnet SOC Limited in South Africa to deliver 43 locomotives with an energy-efficient design that will enable public-transit and cargocarrying trains to significantly reduce emissions and save about 600,000 liters of fuel each year. GE will build and deliver the trains, and Transnet Rail Engineering will assemble them on their intended tracks in South Africa later this year.

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Business Climate

Forging Ahead Industry growth, strong workforce shape economic recovery in Oh-Penn region

Story by Joe Morris • Photography by Antony Boshier

W

ith booming manufacturing, energy and distribution sectors and strong economic partners to help encourage their growth, the Oh-Penn Interstate Region is fast becoming the place to be for new and existing companies in these and other industries.

The first officially designated interstate region in the country, the Oh-Penn region encompasses Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties in Ohio and Lawrence and Mercer counties in Pennsylvania. Through reinvention and recruitment, its leaders are working together to maximize the potential of the region’s common labor force and industries – making sure that no opportunity to grow business goes unnoticed.

Along with its strategic location, new business sector growth and rise in college-educated residents, the area’s many strengths include utilization of the WorkKeys program, which helps employers identify and measure aptitude and critical skills within the local workforce, and the Business Resource Network, which brings regional partners together to enhance economic development.

Manufacturing Makes a Comeback Though it’s different from the steel mills that powered the Mahoning and Shenango valleys in years past, manufacturing is on the rise again throughout the Oh-Penn region. The region has grown jobs by more than 4 percent in the past few years, and the

Brookings Institution recently ranked it as one of the top 20 metro areas in the country for its economic recovery since the recession ended in 2009.

“You’re seeing a significant resurgence in manufacturing, and we’re playing a major role in making sure we find appropriate employee candidates and assisting companies,” says Bert Cene, executive director of the Mahoning and Columbiana Training Association. “We are working more on training throughout the Oh-Penn region to make sure we have the skill sets and levels we need to infuse into the manufacturing jobs out there now. These are advanced manufacturing companies, with great opportunities for familysustainable jobs, and we are going

A worker makes batteries at Axion Power International in New Castle, Pa. Manufacturers like Axion are growing once again in the region.

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Great Plans Need CAPITALIZATION, and MVEDC has loan programs that can provide it!

The Mahoning Valley Economic Development Corporation offers a variety of loan programs available to qualifying companies with plans for growth and expansion. MVEDC has directly assisted 1,539 companies.

Favorable Terms and Rates $ SBA 504 Loan Program $ State of Ohio $ Mahoning Valley Industrial Loan Fund $ Mahoning/Youngstown Mini-Loan Fund $ Columbiana County Mini-Loan Fund $ Child Day Care Microenterprise Revolving Loan Fund $ U.S. Department of Agriculture Intermediary Relending Program $ SBA ILP Fund

For more information and to discuss your needs for CAPITALIZATION, please give us a call.

Mahoning Valley Economic Development Corporation 4319 Belmont Ave. Youngstown, OH 44505

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(330) 759-3668 Youngstown (330) 369-6026 Warren (330) 424-3507 Columbiana www.mvedc.com

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Jack Hile works with a job seeker at the Mahoning-Columbiana Training Association/One-Stop in Lisbon, Ohio.

to take advantage of all the opportunities.”

Tapping Oil and Gas Potential The ongoing development of natural gas resources in the region’s Marcellus and Utica shale plays is creating a need for workers in the energy sector. New and existing companies are pursuing oil and gas exploration in the region daily and bringing feeder companies that supply them, says Sam Giannetti, executive director of workforce development for West Central Job Partnership.

“Our communities have worked together to be involved in the shale projects, and we are just beginning to see the impact of that industry,” Giannetti says. “We are cooperating with our community colleges and CareerLink centers to make sure we

have all the training elements we need to secure these high-paying jobs.”

The local workforce already possesses many of the mechanical, building and equipment-operating skills this sector needs, so the region’s goal is to keep up with that demand.

“Our partnerships throughout the workforce investment community will ensure that we keep pace,” Giannetti says.

Matching people with workforce needs is a key goal in the Oh-Penn region, says William Turner, WIA/One-Stop administrator for the Trumbull County Department of Job and Family Services.

“We are all connected, and whether it’s the resurgence of manufacturing or the growth in energy and logistical businesses, we are having success in putting people and companies together.”

Oh-Penn Region Ranks High for Post-Recession Job Growth The Warren-YoungstownBoardman, Ohio area, which includes Sharon and Mercer County, Pa., was ranked 17th among the nation’s 61 major metro areas in its increase in jobs by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The area also ranked 27th in total industrial job growth, with a 1,200 to 30,600 job increase.

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Reinventing the Rust Belt Tech-based incubators create a culture of innovation across region

Story by John Fuller

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or years, the Oh-Penn region was known for being part of the Great Lakes Rust Belt. Today it is becoming better known for being in the heart of a growing Tech Belt.

A number of business incubators have emerged throughout the region in recent years, with a focus on nurturing new manufacturing, energy technology and software companies.

The recent opening of the $6 million, 16,400-square-foot LindenPointe eCenter in the LindenPointe Business Complex in Hermitage, Pa., is the latest effort to provide entrepreneurs with a place to turn science- and technology-based ventures into full-fledged businesses.

Designed to provide start-up services to businesses working in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines, the eCenter also includes a learning laboratory available to students

from Butler County Community College, which has a satellite campus at the LindenPointe Business Complex.

The idea for the eCenter developed several years ago from a report documenting the economic potential of the region’s electronics industry. Its anchor tenant is Novocell Semiconductor, which specializes in developing and delivering advanced non-volatile memory intellectual property to the semiconductor industry.

Amenities at LindenPointe and the recent growth of technology companies in the region continue to reinforce Novocell’s decision to remain in the Oh-Penn region, says Michael Compeau, director of sales and marketing for Novocell. For its leadership in driving technology growth in the region, Novocell was recently awarded the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s

The Buckle of the Tech Belt Geographically, the Oh-Penn region is situated at the buckle of The TechBelt Initiative, an economic development strategy designed to reinvigorate the Clevelandto-Pittsburgh corridor.

Leveraging the region’s industrial and academic assets, the Tech Belt initiative aims to develop a technology- and knowledge-based economy by identifying opportunities to create new products, technologies, companies and wealth throughout the corridor.

A technician samples a material in the R&D lab at Fireline Inc. in Youngstown, Ohio. Staff Photo

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S ta ff P h o t o s

Left: Mark Peters, director of engineering at Fireline Inc., shows a sample of TCON composite tested in a ballistics lab.

Right: The LindenPointe eCentre in Hermitage, Pa., provides start-up services for science- and tech-based businesses.

Keystone Innovation Zone Grant, which it will use to automate its testing lab and expand its resources for research and development.

Incubators Spur Innovation For more than a decade, the Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI) has helped launch software firms in the region. YBI furnishes nearly all the physical assets and expertise start-ups might need and connects them with a network of businesses, educational institutions, foundations and government agencies willing to help. Tenants are also encouraged to share their insight and expertise with each other, says Jim Cossler, chief executive officer of YBI.

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Not only does YBI help software companies get off the ground, it also offers assistance to local manufacturers like Fireline Inc., which sought advice from YBI and Youngstown State University when getting ready to expand its product – high-performance ceramic shapes used in molten metal applications – into new markets.

“YBI was an excellent resource in helping us utilize entrepreneurial skills to develop new strategies and business plans,” says Mark Peters, Fireline’s director of engineering.

Another advanced manufacturing company that turned to YBI and YSU to reinvent itself was M-7 Technologies, which went from producing bronze castings for

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the steel industry to becoming nationally known for its development of laser scanning equipment that produces computer images of indoor and outdoor spaces.

As a Youngstown Business Incubator virtual portfolio company and research partner with Youngstown State University’s College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, M-7 has received millions in grant money, along with government contracts to fund research and development for confidential and commercial applications. The company has even worked with NASA through third parties and is currently

contracting with U.S. Research Army Labs to provide multisensor, laser-based technology to measure machine tool parts.

A New Kind of Incubator Energy-related technology is the focus of the region’s newest incubator, planned for Trumbull County. Housed in a former retail building in downtown Warren, Ohio, the Tech Belt Energy Innovation Center will provide resources and services to earlystage companies as well as energy grid simulations to test the usefulness, safety and practicality of new clean technologies. The center is part of a public-private partnership between federal, state and regional stakeholders to develop and commercialize advanced energy technologies.

“When entities are considering early-stage electrical grid connectivity, we want this to be the first place they consider,” says Chris Mather, chief executive officer of national initiatives for TBEIC. Envisioned as both a business incubator and energy resource center that will help revitalize Warren and the surrounding region, the center will be the first of its kind in the U.S., says Dave Nestic, chief executive officer of regional operations for TBEIC. Leaders involved with the project are already working to develop partnerships with local, regional and national entities on energyrelated projects while the center is under construction.

Other incubators in the region that provide low-cost space for new businesses include the McNeilly Business Center in Greenville, Pa., and the Warren County Industrial Complex in Warren, Pa.

Find Out Why Locating in Farrell Can Add to Your Bottom Line

• Industrial Corridor Directly Accessible and Within Minutes from I-80 ~ Accessible and Central to Major Markets via Interstate Highway ~ Minutes to Warren and Youngstown ~ 70 miles to Cleveland and Pittsburgh

• Seven Hours to Chicago and New York

• City-Owned Shovel-Ready Industrial Sites in Tax-Free Zone

• Farrell Revolving Loan Fund Will Provide Low Interest Fixed Rate

• Long-Term Financing for Land, Building and Equipment, and Working Capital

• Small Startup and Entrepreneurial Enterprises Are Encouraged to Apply to the Farrell Revolving Loan Fund

• City, Regional and State Training Programs and Funds Available to Assist You in Utilizing Human Resources Contact: Michael Ceci, Farrell City Manager (724) 983-2703 m.ceci@cityoffarrell.com www.cityoffarrell.com

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Making a Comeback Expansions, workforce alliances propel Oh-Penn manufacturing revival Story by John Fuller Photography by Antony Boshier

M

anufacturing has always been synonymous with the Oh-Penn region, but just a few years ago losses in this industry were weighing heavily on the region’s economy. Not so any longer.

Big job gains and major plant expansions are leading to a renaissance in the area’s manufacturing sector. Economists credit the turnaround to the success of job skills and employment initiatives as well as funding programs designed to attract businesses to the region and keep them there.

GE, GM Expand Facilities Recently announced expansions include two of the region’s major employers, General Motors and General Electric. GM produces the Chevrolet Cruze at its Lordstown Complex in Warren, Ohio, where it recently invested $350 million and added 1,200 workers. In late 2011, the company announced plans to build a diesel version of the Cruze in 2013, with an additional investment of $5.5 million. Increased demand for the fuel-efficient Cruze has prompted the company to bring a third shift back to the Lordstown plant, already one of the world’s highestvolume, single-line vehicle assembly facilities.

In December, General Electric announced plans to establish a new manufacturing facility near its Grove City, Pa., plant, which makes locomotive engines. The company will invest about $35 million to build the new facility and create 150 new jobs by early 2013. GE also plans to invest $37 million at its existing Grove City plant, which has been in operation for more than 40 years.

Support from state and local officials helped make the expansion possible, says Richard Simpson, who leads GE’s Global Services Supply Chain Operations.

“They are strong partners in solidifying the economic and manufacturing base here in Northwest Pennsylvania,” Simpson says.

Manufacturing is also getting a major economic shot in the arm with the development of Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction activities in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Many companies are relocating to or expanding in the region to support the logistic and materials needs of the extraction process.

Alliances, Job Programs Raise Hopes One of the biggest factors in the region’s success has been the alliances formed to solve the problems

A robot welds at Brilex Industries, which handles fabricating, machining and machine assembly at its Youngstown, Ohio facility

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Brilex Industries is part of a local manufacturing coalition working to attract more skilled workers.

A Brilex Industries worker inspects a machine.

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facing local industries such as skilled labor shortages. That was the idea behind the Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition, which manufacturers formed to attract the highly skilled workers needed to operate their businesses.

“Recognizing that collectively we represent a significant portion of the regional economy, we thought it was essential to address the skilled jobs issues and create a common voice,” says Brian Benyo, president of the MVMC and owner of Brilex Industries.

More than 30 companies are part of the coalition, most of which are manufacturers in the metal machining and fabricating sector. MVMC works with schools to educate students on career opportunities in these industries.

“We want those in the educational system to know there are financially rewarding careers in our industries,” Benyo says.

To address the skil led labor shortage, the coalition created internships and mentoring programs to give potential employees a glimpse of their manufacturing operations. This spring, the group teamed with educators and public officials at a jointly-sponsored Workforce Summit to find solutions for developing and retraining a skilled workforce in the region.

“Manufacturing is such a great economic driver that we have to solve these problems – and we will,” says Jessica Borza, MVMC executive director Recently, the Oh-Penn Interstate Region received a three-year, $6 million Workforce Innovation Fund grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to continue promoting credentials and recognized career ladders in manufacturing. The grant will also support developing talent through education and outreach, as well as hands-on learning opportunities such as work experience, internships and on-the-job training.

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Formula for Success Area labs pioneer safety testing efforts, environmental innovation

Story by M.V. Greene • Photography by Antony Boshier

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ubs of technological innovation seem to pop up like daisies out of the ground in certain parts of the country.

Silicon Valley in northern California’s San Francisco Bay area is the most obvious example – home to companies like Apple, Intel, Cisco Systems, eBay, Google, Hewlett-Packard and more.

The Oh-Penn area along the Ohio-Pennsylvania border in the Pittsburgh market is fast evolving

into a technological center of its own for engineering, environmental and other science and technologyrelated laboratory firms.

Leveraging Area Assets Whether assisting companies with product testing and efficiency or developing their own advanced processes, Oh-Penn labs leverage the region’s many natural assets and work closely with local, regional and national manufacturers in a multitude of

Amber Spor, a lab technician for Environmental Laboratory Services Inc., tests water samples for surfactants.

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industry sectors to develop new products and services.

“We are generally the last step in the product development process and play a vital role in determining a product’s safety,” says Sam Mastovich, general manager at Keystone Compliance LLC in New Castle, a regulatory compliance and product safetytesting lab that opened a new environmental test laboratory in 2011. The test lab features two electrodynamic shakers, walk-in and reach-in chambers designed to check temperature and humidity, and additional equipment.

Among Keystone’s specialties are providing electromagnetic compatibility and eliminating electromagnetic interference.

Two recent examples of its work involve infant respirators and automatic pilot systems.

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Improving Product Safety, effectiveness Keystone engineers worked with a manufacturer to help improve the use of infant respirators by identifying a problem – signals from walkie-talkies – that shut them down inadvertently. In the military sector, Keystone discovered a malfunction in an automatic pilot system that caused planes flying in formation on automatic pilot to cross flight paths.

“We essentially read the electronic signals coming off of a unit and then send signals to the unit to see if we can cause a failure,” Mastovich says.

“Environmental testing ensures that a product can withstand the operating environments that it could encounter.”

Other area labs are involved with highly advanced research

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and development. New Castle, Pa.,-based Axion Power International Inc. is developing advanced batteries and energy storage systems based on PowerCube technology it designed to create efficient energy sources.

Environmental Laboratory Services Inc., also in New Castle, conducts analysis of gas well drilling waste products for oil and gas companies and municipalities, along with residential drinking water testing for homeowners.

Building Energyefficient Systems Axion is working on processes that create more efficient lead carbon battery systems with longer cycle lives, higher charge acceptances, faster discharges and faster recharges. The company’s PowerCube technology is being

Real estate Customized Office Space Secured Entrances Video Surveillance Cost/Energy Efficient

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adapted to emerging markets including hybrid vehicles and office buildings, says Thomas Granville, Axion chairman and CEO. At the federal Naval Yard in Washington, D.C., Axion is part of a “zero energy” project to create energy-efficient buildings in conjunction with alternative energy forms such as solar and wind.

“The idea is to make buildings completely energy independent,” says Granville, whose company is developing processes for the residential power market as well. “The good thing about the cube is that it can be scaled up or down in terms of size. We can take it up to 10 megawatt or above by adding cubes in a pod configuration, and we can stack these cubes if need be.”

region’s workforce edge Granville, who moved Axion to New Castle from Toronto, Ontario, said the Oh-Penn region has proved to be a rich source of ideas and talent, especially from nearby universities such as Carnegie-Mellon. Many of its engineers and scientists have also moved to the area and stayed, he adds.

“We were very impressed with the workforce when we moved here, and we’re still impressed now,” he says. “It’s the work ethic in general that we see.”

Left: Molten lead is poured into molds at Axion Power International Inc., which develops advanced batteries and energy storage systems. Right: A Keystone Compliance employee monitors a test performed on consumer electronics.

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The Oh-Penn region’s economy benefits from the wealth of untapped natural gas reserves in the area.

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Energy/Technology

Rich Reserves Companies tapping into Marcellus Shale bring trove of jobs, investment to region

Story by M.V. Greene Photography by Brian McCord

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itting on a gold mine.

That’s what it’s like for the Oh-Penn region with the Marcellus Shale Reserve sitting under its feet. Located in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys of the Appalachian Basin, this bastion of untapped natural gas reserves is beckoning companies near and far to locate and expand in the region. Its potential for energy development is pumping billions of dollars of investment into the area and creating thousands of new production, manufacturing and construction jobs.

Trillions of Cubic Feet of Gas And it’s no wonder. According to the U.S. Energy Department’s Annual Energy Outlook report in January, about 141 trillion cubic feet of gas can be recovered from Marcellus Shale, enough to meet

U.S. gas demand for the next six years. A Pennsylvania State University study on the economic impact of the reserve found that in 2010, natural gas development in Pennsylvania generated $11.2 billion in the regional equivalent of gross domestic product, contributing $1.1 billion in state and local tax and supporting nearly 140,000 jobs.

Those numbers are expected to increase dramatically this year with natural gas production from Pennsylvania’s portion of the Marcellus projected to exceed 6 billion cubic feet per day.

Relatively low natural gas prices make drilling even more lucrative than ever before.

Companies Flock to Area Drilling companies recognizing the potential are flocking to the region to build wells and tap into

the shale through hydraulic fracturing, a process that involves pumping water, sand and chemicals underground to get at gas embedded in rock.

With the reserves stretching over two-th birds of Pennsylvania, the region’s explosive growth in Marcellus-related jobs stems not only from drilling, but also manufacturing to support the fracturing operations.

In the Youngstown-Girard area, Houston-based affiliate companies V & M Star and VAM USA, which manufacture premium pipe connections and tubular goods, respectively, have set up extensive operations.

V & M Star recently opened a rolling mill that is creating 350 jobs and producing 350,000 tons of steel tubing a year for drilling, and VAM USA has launched a $57 million expansion that will businessclimate.com/ohpenn

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Marcellus Shale Reserve: By the Numbers 25%

Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale Reserve has the potential to produce approximately a quarter of America’s natural gas by 2020.

12 billion cubic feet

Amount of natural gas per day the Marcellus Shale is expected to produce by 2015

140,000

Amount of jobs created by the Marcellus Shale natural gas industry in 2010

$1.6 billion

Total amount of lease and bonus payments that natural gas companies paid to Pennsylvania landowners in 2010

$11 billion

Amount of economic activity triggered by Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale in 2010 Source: Pennsylvania State University and the Marcellus Shale Coalition

Ezeflow USA Inc.’s valves facilitate the transmission of natural gas from the ground.

create about 100 new jobs. Both facilities are expected to be fully ramped up by the end of 2012 and into 2013.

Additionally, more than 1,000 construction placements are occurring in the region.

“Home Run” for Region Youngstown Mayor Chuck Sammarone called the activity a “home run” for eastern Ohio’s Mahoning Valley area.

As drilling operations continue to increase, other companies are also moving into the region to support them.

Houston-based Exterran Energy Solutions, which specializes in natural gas compression production equipment and processing facilities, is building a new fabrication plant in Youngstown.

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In February, Exterran announced its plans to ramp up the 65,000-square-foot facility to service oil and gas producers in the reserves, adding about 100 jobs to the Youngstown area workforce.

Illinois-based TMK IPSCO of Naperville, Ill., has also been setting up shop to produce its tubular products in the region including oil and gas drill pipe, well casing and tubing, and line pipe related services. The company recently added a second pipe threading line at its Brookfield, Ohio, plant to meet increased demand from oil and gas companies.

In New Castle, Pa., Ezeflow USA Inc. makes valves facilitating transmission of natural gas from the ground. Companies

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are also looking for ways to support drillers in their efforts to recycle wastewater from the hydraulic fracturing process.

Advanced Waste Services, a Milwaukee-based environmental services firm specializing in nonhazardous and hazardous waste collection, transportation and disposal, received a permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to install technology to treat and remove pollutants from up to 200,000 gallons of gas well wastewater at its New Castle, Pa., plant, returning the water to drilling ponds or tanks for future use.

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Transportation

Network of Opportunity Competitive transportation assets spur distribution growth

Story by Kevin Litwin • Photography by Antony Boshier

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strong transportation system is a driving force for distribution companies to succeed in the Oh-Penn Interstate Region.

Oh-Penn itself is the first officially designated interstate region in the U.S., with Interstates 76, 79 and 80 linking Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties in Ohio, and Lawrence and Mercer counties in Pennsylvania.

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Transportation advantages of the region include overnight access to New York City and Chicago and proximity to Pittsburgh and Cleveland.

This region’s location at the heart of the Pittsburgh-Cleveland Industrial Corridor – home to more than 7.2 million people and the country’s fourth-largest population market – is a key reason why more than 500

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trucking firms now operate out of the Oh-Penn Interstate Region. $2.2 Million in Payroll One company that relies on the region’s transportation system is Iowa-based food manufacturer and distributor PurFoods, which is investing $1.35 million to ramp up production at its new Youngstown, Ohio, plant. The project will allow the company to

One of three interstates in the Oh-Penn region, I-80 provides distributors with roadway access to major markets.

create 100 additional jobs to better serve mid-Atlantic and Northeast markets with its specialty, readyto-eat meals.

The PurFoods project will generate $2.2 million in annual payroll; and part of the agreement requires the company to maintain operations in Ohio for at least eight years.

“Several Southern states were also aggressively pursuing the

company,” Ohio Gov. John Kasich says. “More and more job creators are embracing Ohio’s efforts to create a climate where they can grow and succeed.”

Another company drawn to the transportation advantages of the region is Anderson-DuBose, the main supplier of food products and packaging to McDonald’s restaurants in eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania and

West Virginia. In April, the large trucking distributor opened a $30 million, 155,000-square-foot headquarters and logistics hub in Lordstown, Ohio, an investment accounting for 160 jobs and $8 million in additional annual income.

More Distribution Growth Summer Garden Food Manufacturing is investing businessclimate.com/ohpenn

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Oh-Penn Interstate Region Transportation: by the numbers $42 million total Investment By regional distributors

7.2+ million

300+ number of jobs expected to be added due to growth

population in the region

500+

$10.2 million

Number of trucking firms operating in the region

4

Railway Systems

Additional Annual income from distribution expansions

3

Regional Airports

$11 million to expand its Boardman, Ohio, plant and establish more than 50 additional jobs, while VAM USA, a Houston-based manufacturer of premium pipe connections, announced the opening of a finishing plant adjacent to its current V & M Star expansion on the border of Youngstown and Girard.

Other big-name distributors

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doing business in the Oh-Penn region include Macy’s, Sears and Toys “R” Us. Besides a good highway system and ready-to-use warehouses, the region is also within proximity to the deep water ports of Pittsburgh and Cleveland, and the Columbiana County Port Authority offers access to the Ohio River. For rail, Oh-Penn is served by Class I providers CSX

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Major Interstates

and Norfolk Southern, and shortline providers Warren & Trumbull Railroad and Youngstown & Austintown Railroad. The region is also home to three regional airports including Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport, whose 9,003-foot runway is the longest in Northeast Ohio.

The airport can handle the largest commercial planes and is a designated Foreign Trade Zone.

Oh-Penn’s Major Distributors More than 500 trucking firms operate out of the Oh-Penn Interstate Region. Some of the largest include: • FedEx Ground • FedEx Freight • Giant Eagle • Macy’s • Sears • Things Remembered • Toys “R” Us

Todd Bennet t

• Transport America

CSX is one of two Class I rail providers in the region.

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Health

Prescription for Growth

Expansions in services, facilities bring more jobs, better care to region

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Story by Melanie Kilgore-Hill • Photography by Antony Boshier

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ealth care is leading the way in the Oh-Penn Interstate Region. Hospitals in the five-county region are responsible for some 50,000 jobs and bring the latest treatment, technology and care to patients in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Multimillion dollar expansions In Hermitage, Pa., Sharon Regional Medical Center offers the latest in heart catheterization, angioplasty and stenting. Its Heart and Vascular Institute recently underwent a $1 million makeover of its cardiac catheterization suite, and earned SRMC designation as an Aetna Institute of Quality for cardiac medical intervention.

SRMC’s Cancer Care Center is now the largest specialized cancer care facility in Mercer County, following a recent $4.6 million expansion and renovation. The center was among the first in the nation to treat advanced prostate cancer with Provenge, an innovative prescription manufactured specifically for each patient using his own immune cells.

In New Castle, Pa., the Jameson Hospital South Campus operates

outpatient services, physician offices and social services, while its Jameson Hospital North Campus undergoes a $20.3 million expansion. Set to open early 2013, the addition will house Jameson’s surgery and emergency departments and will include 30 private patient emergency rooms, six operating rooms, two endoscopy suites and a rooftop helipad. boosting technology East Liverpool City Hospital in East Liverpool, Ohio, recently completed renovations to its intensive critical care unit.

The two-year project included upgrades to the interior, monitoring system, workstations and a new nurse call system. ELCH patients have access to one of the nation’s most advanced nuclear medicine imaging systems. The Ventri system provides enhanced comfort and visibility for patients in a frequently anxiety-inducing environment.

“This new imaging system provides detailed pictures of the heart that enable ELCH cardiologists to more accurately assess the location, extent and severity of heart disease,” says

A nurse scans a patient’s wristband at UPMC Horizon.

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Left: Patients in East Liverpool, Ohio, have access to a brand-new intensive critical care unit at East Liverpool City Hospital.

Right: Using barcode scanning to match patients with the correct medication is part of UPMC Horizon’s new electronic records program.

cardiologist Christopher Wentz, M.D., of the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute at ELCH. A full-service, academic community hospital with campuses in Greenville, Pa., and the Shenango Valley, UPMC Horizon recently implemented electronic medical records in its hospital and physician offices, providing seamless access to patient records.

In 2011, the system also unveiled the UPMC Cancer Center. UPMC Horizon has implemented digital mammography at its Womancare Center in Hermitage, Pa., with services that include stereotactic breast biopsy, breast ultrasound and ultrasound-guided breast biopsy. top trauma, Cardiac care providers The Humility of Mary Health Partners operates two regional health-care facilities recently named among the best regional hospitals by U.S. News & World

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Report. The Mahoning Valley’s St. Elizabeth Health Center boasts the only Level I trauma center between Pittsburgh and Cleveland authorized and equipped to treat pediatric patients.

In Trumbull County, St. Joseph Health Center is the first verified Level III trauma center in the region.

ValleyCare Health System of Ohio is a three-hospital system comprising Northside Medical Center in Youngstown and Trumbull Memorial Hospital and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital in Warren. Trumbull Memorial’s new orthopedic f loor means more options in advanced orthopedic technology for patients.

With Northside Medical Center, the hospital also offers one of the region’s only accredited chest pain centers. It was recognized by the American College of Cardiology Foundation for its standard of care for heart attack patients.

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Medical Training at YSU’s Bitonte College of Health and Human Services Medical training in the Oh-Penn Interstate Region is as close as Youngstown, Ohio – home to Bitonte College of Health and Human Services at Youngstown State University. The college consists of eight departments specializing in Criminal Justice, Health Professions, Human Ecology, Human Performance and Exercise Science, Military Science, Nursing, Physical Therapy and Social Work.

Caring for the Kids Regional hospitals enhance pediatric care Residents in the Oh-Penn region have better options for pediatric care, thanks to enhancements and improvements taking place at local hospitals.

Early this year, Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley in Boardman, Ohio, announced a variety of upgrades to the hospital’s radiology department at the Beeghly campus. Thanks to a $1 million donation from the Kikel Charitable Trust, the hospital is acquiring new equipment, upgrading software and redesigning rooms and machinery.

These improvements will allow patients to receive treatment close to home instead of traveling to Akron for specialized procedures.

New technology in the hospital’s radiology department includes transcranial Doppler equipment that will enhance its sickle cell screening program and new imaging equipment that allows patients to receive nuclear exams.

An MRI-compatible general anesthesia machine and 16-slice CT scanning equipment are also being added.

Rooms within the department are getting a makeover, showcasing bright colors, characters and inviting designs created by Equip Art, a Cincinnati-based equipment design company.

provides advantages over a telephone call,” says Dr. Richard Saladino, chief of pediatric emergency medicine at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. “The high-definition transmission gives incredible clarity to what we see at the referring site and allows for direct and more rapid bedside interpretation of the clinical state of the child.”

– Jessica Walker

Telemedicine Program Offers Better Diagnosis UPMC Horizon is partnering with Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC to offer a telemedicine program in the emergency departments of UPMC Horizon’s Greenville and Shenango Valley campuses, allowing children to receive treatment from top pediatric specialists.

The program enables doctors at Children’s to consult with UPMC Horizon physicians and determine if a child needs to be transferred.

“Telemedicine technology

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Education

Keys to the Future Oh-Penn colleges, universities build tomorrow’s workforce

Story by Jessica Walker • Photography by Antony Boshier

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f the test for future prosperity in the Oh-Penn region is preparing the workforce for jobs in the region’s existing and emerging industries, colleges and universities are passing with flying colors.

The region is full of initiatives that excel at training today’s students to be tomorrow’s workers.

Applicants are examined closely because of the safety hazards employees encounter on the job and the fact that workers need to be dependable, according to Catt.

“When we host seminars and training sessions, we are brutal,” he says. “This is not easy work.”

In addition to a roustabout program, BC3 offers courses that students can take to become welder’s helpers or floor hands, with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training provided as well.

Eastern Gateway Community College also offers a ShaleNET-funded roustabout program, while Youngstown State University has established the Natural Gas and Water Resources Institute to help students find jobs in the industry.

Marcellus Shale Training Fills Local Need At Butler County Community College (BC3), students are trained to work in the Marcellus Shale natural gas industry, which is growing in the region.

Funded by ShaleNET – a three-year, $4.9 million effort created by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration – and the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Program, BC3’s first course, which focused on roustabout training, took place in February.

“To enroll in the program, students have to go through an extensive screening process,” says Stephen R. Catt, executive director of workforce development at BC3. “Students are tested for drugs, we run a criminal background check, and they must have a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record. They also have to be able to work outside and lift and carry 80 pounds.”

STEM Programs Encourage, Inspire Youngstown State University is also working to inspire students to pursue degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through the STEM Outreach Initiative.

Created through a partnership with the AT&T Foundation – which donated $20,000 to the program – and Youngstown City Schools, the crux of the

Westminster College in Lawrence County, Pa., is nationally known for its STEM programs.

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Forbes has ranked Westminster College first in the nation for its programs for women in science, technology, engineering and math fields.

Oh-Penn Region Colleges and Universities Columbiana County, Ohio

Lawrence County, Pennsylvania

Allegheny Wesleyan University, Kent State University East Liverpool, Northeast Ohio Bible College, Ohio Valley College of Technology

Butler County Community College (BC3) at Lawrence Crossing, Westminster College

Mercer County, Pennsylvania Mahoning County, Ohio

BC3 at LindenPointe, Grove City College, Penn State Shenango, Thiel College

Mercy College of Northeast Ohio, Walsh University, Youngstown State University (YSU)

nearby: BC3 Main Campus, Slippery Rock University, Allegheny College, University of Pittsburgh Titusville, Geneva College, Penn State Beaver, Community College of Beaver County, Walsh University, Hiram College and Mount Union College

Trumbull County, Ohio Kent State University Trumbull, YSU Eastwood, Eastern Gateway Community College

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business extra casual initiative involves connecting Chaney STEM High School students with businesses in the area, allowing them to get hands-on experience in STEMrelated fields.

Grove City College engages young students in STEM industries, too. The school received a $10,000 grant from The Grable Foundation to host the Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology (BEST) Robotics competition for middle and high school students. The school also recently began construction of a new Science, Engineering and Mathematics building.

Westminster College in Lawrence County, Pa., is known around the U.S. for its STEM programs. Forbes has ranked the school first in the nation for its programs for women in science, technology, engineering and math fields.

Nursing Informatics Expands Career Opportunities Students interested in specializing in healthcare technology can obtain an undergraduate certificate in Nursing Informatics at Penn State Shenango. While the nine-credit certificate can be part of a nursing student’s baccalaureate courses, registered nurses can also enroll in the classes.

“Many of the tools in health care are now computerized,” says Dr. Kathleen Mastrian, associate professor and program coordinator for nursing at PSU Shenango.

“Nurses need to understand both the clinical and technological sides of the industry.”

Students take classes focused on electronic health records, clinical decision support tools and database management. They can complete courses on campus or online and earn their certificates in a year.

Graduates typically work in hospitals, corporate offices of healthcare systems, home health agencies and consulting firms.

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Livability

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Welcome Diversions Region offers a trove of cultural, recreational attractions

Fellows Riverside Gardens at Mill Creek Mark in Mahoning, Ohio.

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Plant Home-Town Roots and Grow the Future JusT some oF ouR ameniTies: Full-service hospital, new state-of-the-art library, community plaza with performing arts stage, community theater, civic chorale, farmers market, annual arts festival, parks, trails, pool, golf courses and so much more!

LocaTion, LocaTion, LocaTion: •

40 minutes from Pittsburgh and Youngstown

•

20 minutes to Cranberry and New Castle

•

Adjacent to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Route 376

•

15 minutes from I-79

Contact the Ellwood City Area Chamber of Commerce at www.ellwoodchamber.org for information about our wonderful community or call us at 724-758-5501 to arrange a personal guided tour for your company or family.

Ellwood City Area Chamber of Commerce 314 Fifth St. • Ellwood City, PA 16117 724-758-5501 tel • 724-758-2143 fax www.ellwoodchamber.org

Story by Kevin Litwin Photography by Antony Boshier

O

h-Penn residents have the best of both worlds: easy access to big-city amenities and entertainment in Cleveland and Pittsburgh and a wealth of cultural and recreational attractions throughout Columbiana, Mahoning, Trumbull, Lawrence and Mercer counties.

Fresh air fans can find plenty of state parks with diverse outdoor recreation. Activities such as rappelling and hiking are available at McConnells Mill State Park in Lawrence County, Pa., which includes 2,546 acres of the Slippery Rock Creek Gorge, while hunting and ice fishing adventures are provided at Maurice K. Goddard State Park in Mercer County, Pa. Mill Creek MetroParks in Mahoning, Ohio, offers golfing, hiking, biking and other outdoor activities.

Top: A student paints during an art class at the Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts. Left: Sculpture at the Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts

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“The most visited site within our system is Fellows Riverside Gardens, a 12-acre botanical garden with free admission that attracts 400,000 people a year,” says Linda Kostka, Mill Creek MetroParks development and marketing director. “Meanwhile, our main park itself is Mill Creek Park, which has outdoor interests such as hiking, biking, boating, fishing, golf, tennis, volleyball, picnicking, cross-country skiing and sledding. There are 20 miles

of roadways for driving and 15 miles of foot trails at Mill Creek Park.”

Smart Art Several regional arts centers and museums grace the region including Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts, which hosts workshops, festivals and 24 annual exhibits in its two stately 1917 mansions in New Castle, Pa. Visitors can frequent other top cultural venues such as the Lou

Holtz/Upper Ohio Valley Hall of Fame in Columbiana County, Ohio, and the Oh Wow Children’s Center for Science and Technology in Youngstown, Ohio.

There is also the National Packard Museum in Warren, Ohio, and the McKinley Memorial Library, Museum & Birthplace Home in Niles, Ohio, which honors President William McKinley. Butler Institute of American Art showcases 21,000 paintings and sculptures at its locations in Youngstown, Salem and Howland Township, Ohio.

Curtain Calls Theater buffs can find plenty to keep them entertained. Performing arts organizations and venues in the region include the New Castle (Pa.) Playhouse, the Warren (Ohio) Philharmonic Orchestra, the DeYor Performing Arts Center, which hosts the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, the Scottish Rite Cathedral and its 2,800-seat auditorium in New Castle, and the Westminster College Celebrity Series in New Castle.

Another group getting established is the New Castle Lyric Opera, which has held several fund-raisers since October 2010 to become a professional opera company in the region.

“We want to reach a point where we ultimately pay musicians and singers, plus be based at a wonderful place like Scottish Rite Cathedral,” says Anne Hagan Bentz, New Castle Lyric Opera executive director and professor of voice and opera at Westminster College, located in Lawrence County, Pa. “Not only do we want our opera to eventually bolster cultural performing arts in this region, but we also hope it will contribute to the economic stimulus of western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio.”

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Left: Patrons explore Fellows Riverside Gardens, a 12-acre botanical garden at Mill Creek Park.

Above: Guests peruse art at the Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts in New Castle, Pa., which hosts workshops, festivals and 24 annual exhibits.

Can you imagine ‌ a world without children?

We Can’t.

Call 1-800-996-4100 to help. www.stjude.org

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visit our

advertisers

Risk-assured?

Austintown Comfort Inn www.choicehotels.com/ hotel-austintown-ohio-OH266

Do you feel confident that your business is protected?

Insurance is only part of the solution. If that’s where conversations with your broker start and stop, you may be exposed. How about a fresh approach to business risk management? One that explores all of the risks your business faces and offers unique, multidisciplinary solutions.

Gilbert’s Risk Solutions partners with successful, growth-oriented companies throughout the OhPenn Region. They trust our proprietary, consultative Risk ShieldTM Process to protect their profits and lower the total cost of risk.

Bruce & Merrilees Electric Company www.bruceandmerrilees.com Butler County Community College www.bc3.edu City of Farrell www.cityoffarrell.com City of Hermitage www.hermitage.net Ellwood City Area Chamber of Commerce www.ellwoodchamber.org First National Bank www.fnb-corp.com Gilbert’s Risk Solutions www.gilbertsrisksolutions.com Hampton Inn www.youngstownnorth.hamptoninn.com

Call us to explore how your business can benefit from a no-obligation Risk Shield™ Audit.

Jameson Health System www.jamesonhealth.org

Kent State University at Trumbull www.trumbull.kent.edu

30 E. State St. | Sharon, PA 16146 | 800.660.6832 Jane Reese, COO | jreese@gilbertsrisksolutions.com

Laurel Business Institute www.laurel.edu Lawrence County Tourism Promotion Agency www.lawrencecounty.com Mahoning Valley Economic Development Corporation www.mvedc.com New Castle School of Trades www.ncstrades.edu Penn-Northwest Development Corporation www.penn-northwest.com Sharon Regional Health System www.sharonregional.com Trumbull Career and Technical Center www.tctchome.com Wampum Underground www.gatewaycc.com West Central Job Partnership www.ohpenn.org

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Gallery

The National McKinley Birthplace Memorial Library and Museum in Niles, Ohio

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Old Main Building at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa.

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McConnells Mill State Park in Lawrence County, Pa.

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“Polychrome Cube with Cones”

by Norman Mercer at The Butler Institute of American Art

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“The Steelmakers” by Geroge Segal at The Youngstown Historical Center of Industry.

Photo by Antony Boshier

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Ad Index

35 Austintown Comfort Inn

4 Laurel Business Institute

10 Bruce & Merrilees Electric Company

56 Lawrence County Tourism Promotion Agency

14 Mahoning Valley Economic Development Corporation

31 New Castle School of Trades

6 Butler County Community College 19 City of Farrell 2 City of Hermitage 46 Ellwood City Area Chamber of Commerce 14 First National Bank

C3 Penn-Northwest Development Corporation

49 Sharon Regional Health System

50 Gilbert’s Risk Solutions

43 Hampton Inn

10 Trumbull Career and Technical Center

39 Jameson Health System

27 Wampum Underground

23 Kent State University at Trumbull

C2 West Central Job Partnership

economic profile Population (2010) Mahoning County, OH: 238,823 Columbiana County, OH: 107,841 Trumbull County, OH: 210,312 Lawrence County, PA: 91,108 Mercer County, PA: 116,638 Oh-Penn Region: 764,722

Cost of Living (YoungstownWarren MSA) Composite: 91.3 Grocery Items: 90 Housing: 81.2 Utilities: 105.6 Transportation: 95.3 Health Care: 82.8 Misc. Goods/Services: 96.1 U.S. Average = 100 Source: C2ER 2011

Median Household Income (2010) Mahoning County, OH: $40,123 Columbiana County, OH: $39,502 Trumbull County, OH: $42,296 Lawrence County, PA: $42,570 Mercer County, PA: $42,573

Business snapshot The five-county Oh-Penn region is a hub of commerce that built on its legacy industries to create new growth sectors. The region’s many advantages include lower land costs, highly skilled workers, affordable labor rates, ample building and sites, high-caliber higher education and superior transportation that provides access to major markets. The region has built on its industrial heritage to form a robust advanced manufacturing cluster and emerging technology, life sciences, financial services and logistics sectors.

Major Employment (Youngstown-Warren MSA) Trade, Transportation & Utilities: 21% Educational & Health Services: 20% Government: 13% Manufacturing: 13% Leisure & Hospitality: 10% Professional & Business Services: 20% Construction & Mining: 4% Financial Activities: 4% Information: 1% Other: 4%

Transportation

Airports

Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport www.yngwrnair.com

Water

Columbiana County Port Authority www.ccpa-ohioriver.com

Rail

CSX csx.com Norfolk & Southern www.nscorp.com/nscportal/nscorp Amtrak www. amtrak.com Warren & Trumbull Railroad www.gwrr.com Youngstown & Austintown Railroad www.gwrr.com

Highways

Interstate 76, I-79 and I-80 (includes Ohio Turnpike) and key state highways have drawn more than 500 trucking firms to the region.

What’s Online For more in-depth demographic, statistical and community information on the Oh-Penn Interstate Region, go to businessclimate.com/ohpenn and click on “Facts & Stats,” then “Demographics.”

This section is sponsored by

Lawrence County …

our location is YOUR advantage!

• Skilled workforce • Desirable quality of life • Shovel-ready sites 724-658-1488 www.LawrenceCounty.com 56

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Economic Development Corporation Chamber of Commerce • Tourism Promotion Agency