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AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED: The Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber has announced the organization’s Salute to Business award recipients. They will be honored at the chamber’s annual Salute to Business breakfast 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Sept. 2 at the Eastwood Event Centre, Niles.

Tickets for the event are $40 for chamber members and $50 for nonmembers.

The winners are:

Business Advocate of the Year — Dean Harris, executive director, Western Reserve Transit Authority;

Nonprofit Professional of the Year — Dr. Ronald Dwinnells, chief executive officer, ONE Health Ohio;

Entrepreneurs of the Year — Holly and Jeff Swartz, owners, Personal Protected;

Small Business Person of the Year — Fred Moran, owner / partner, Window World; and

Salute to Labor Achievement — Jim Burgham, business manager, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 64.

Keynote speaker for the breakfast is Barry Zekelman, CEO of Zekelman Industries, the largest independent steel tube manufacturer in North America. Part of his company is Wheatland Tube in Howland.

LOCAL FIRM RECOGNIZED: HD Davis CPAs in Liberty recently was named by Accounting Today as one of the best accounting firms to work for in 2021. Accounting Today is a nationally recognized accounting publication that sends daily news updates and information to more than 325,000 professionals.

Accounting Today holds an annual competition among accounting firms across the U.S. Information about those companies are gathered through surveys sent to the employees of participating firms. Company policies, procedures and diversity also are reviewed. Accounting Today uses the information to recognize the top 100 companies, three of which are located in Ohio, including HD Davis CPAs.

More than 250 firms applied for the 2021 award.

SHERMAN MARKS 25 YEARS: Sherman Creative, a promotional product distributor based in Youngstown, is celebrating 25 years of business.

To mark the occasion, the firm hosted an online pop-up style shop with proceeds going to the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley.

The company was founded in 1996 by Bruce and Carol Sherman.

AKRON CHILDREN’S NAMED TOP COMPANY: LinkedIn, an online professional networking and career development service, has recognized Akron Children’s Hospital as one of the 25 top companies in the greater Cleveland-Akron-Canton area.

The rankings are based on LinkedIn’s analysis of company data focusing on seven pillars that have been shown to lead to career progression: ability to advance, skills growth, company stability, external opportunity, company affinity (supportive culture), gender diversity and educational background.

People on the move

MONACO JOINS BANK BOARD: Canfield-based Farmers National Banc Corp. has added Frank J. Monaco to its board of directors as a class three director with a term expiring in 2022.

Monaco serves as a senior partner at 415 Group, a certified public accounting, business consulting and IT services firm in Canton. In this role, he leads the consulting division of the firm, which includes business and estate planning, business valuations and merger support. Monaco has been with 415 Group for 27 years and previously served as managing partner from 2003-2019.

He also holds accreditations of certified public accountant and is certified in financial forensics, along with being accredited in business valuation and part of the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts.

DAVIS JOINS PREMIER BANK: Premier Bank has hired Jehmall Davis as community mortgage lender serving the Mahoning Valley.

Davis, who has 12 years of mortgage lending experience, recently served as a senior mortgage originator at a nationwide mortgage lender headquartered in Brecksville.

In his new role, Davis will work to develop new retail mortgage business designed to create homeownership opportunities for targeted borrowers and develop relationships with brokers, Realtors, community development and faith-based organizations, developers / builders and community housing counseling agencies.

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