KRAVEC RECOGNIZED: Dr. James Kravec, chief clinical officer for Mercy Health-Lorain and Youngstown and system medical director of graduate medical education at Bon Secours Mercy Health, was recently named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s 2025 list of Great Leaders in Healthcare.

This list highlights health care professionals who are driving innovation, fostering inclusivity and expanding access to care. As a dedicated physician and leader, Dr. Kravec’s unwavering commitment to patient care, graduate medical education and community health has solidified his reputation as a transformative leader in health care.

“Dr. Kravec’s leadership and dedication to our mission are instrumental in advancing the compassionate, high-quality care we provide,” said Dr. John Luellen, president, Mercy Health – Lorain and Youngstown.

“There is no doubt his passion for improving the health and wellbeing of the communities we serve is making a lasting impact every day,”

A native of Youngstown, Kravec’s life mission is to improve health care access in Northeast Ohio. His leadership in physician recruitment has expanded significantly Mercy Health’s network of providers, ensuring local communities receive comprehensive and specialized medical care. Additionally, his commitment to graduate medical education has played a vital role in further strengthening the health care workforce.

SLICE OF VICTORY: Benjamin Hoover, owner and operator of Franky’s Pizza and Deli in downtown Warren, captured fifth place for his Sicilian-style spicy pepperoni pizza at the 2025 International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Hoover also claimed 13th place for his specialty sandwich, The Countach.

Hoover competed March 24 to 26 with a field of 260 competitors from the United States, Italy, Mexico and Japan for the best pizza and sandwiches. Franky’s Pizza opened on Scott Street in October.

The award-winning Sicilian-style spicy pepperoni pizza features Hoover’s house-made Italian Chili Crunch oil, red sauce, capicola and pepperoni. The Countach, which pays homage to the Lamborghini, highlights house-made basil pesto with a breaded chicken cutlet, Prosciutto di Parma, fresh mozzarella and roasted red peppers.

An estimated 11,000 people attended this year’s event at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Franky’s Pizza and Delicatessen is part of the family owned Monday Dinner Project, which includes Cockeye BBQ and Cockeye Creamery.

LEADERS WANTED: Applications for the Leadership Mahoning Valley Class of 2026, which will begin this September, are available.

Through this program, which includes a series of speakers, tours, hands-on activities and site visits, participants will gain knowledge of programs, services, businesses and institutions in the Valley. Program days are centered on topics such as history and heritage of the Valley, government and justice, health and human services, quality of life, business and economic development, housing and community development, diversity and culture, and education.

Additionally, participants will participate in a personality assessment to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and others. Participants will enhance their personal leadership development by increasing the skills necessary to raise self-awareness and improve teamwork, productivity, and communication.

Participation is open to recognized and emerging leaders with demonstrated commitment to community service. Leadership Mahoning Valley is designed for individuals who live and / or work in Mahoning and Trumbull counties. The selection committee seeks to accept a diverse class, representative of our community.

For more information, visit leadershipmahoning

valley.org. The deadline to apply is July 11.

YSU PROGRAM UNVEILED: Youngstown State University’s STEM Workforce Education and Innovation has announced a new pre-apprenticeship program for broadband industry careers.

The program launched in partnership with the national leader in telecom apprenticeships, the Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP), powered by the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA).

Through previous joint initiatives, YSU and WIA created opportunities that connect individuals with high-growth careers in telecommunications, broadband and 5G technology. This new program expands this partnership by adding a formalized pre-apprenticeship training program between the organizations, ensuring direct employment pathways and ongoing workforce development opportunities for graduates.

Enrollment for the program is now open. For more information, contact Chris Riedel, program manager of Networking and Telecommunications, at ctriedel@ysu.edu or 330-941-2036.

OPERATION READY GRADUATION: The first cohort within the Opportunity Ready small business accelerator program has graduated with a class of eight members.

The initiative, supported by the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber, provides economic opportunities to bolster late-stage startups and early-stage growth companies through a 10-week program that helps owners scale their business and build capacity, as well as promote vendor and supplier diversity.

The program, a combination of online and in-person learning, avails participants to guidance, mentorship and training, while giving them access to Regional Chamber resources and support. Opportunity Ready is led by Vern Richberg, the Chamber’s director of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Initiatives.

Members of the graduating class were Corey Patrick, YoGo Bikeshare; Marcus Tsilimos, Premier Painting and Finishing Company LLC; Michael MacEwen, Wayfinder Business Solutions; Hasheen Wilson, New Behavioral Health Services; Stacey Grant, Divine Beauty Supply Company; Syl Frazzini, American Business Center; Andrea Mahone-Blackmon, Just In Time Employment Agency; and Leah Beatty, Furrever & After Cat Sanctuary.

To learn more about Opportunity Ready, go to regionalchamber.com under “Initiatives & Programs” in the menu and click on “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.”

A graduation ceremony took place March 28 at the Apollo Event Center in Youngstown.

HONORED: Komar Anchor Plumbing & Drain Services LLC of Youngstown was selected as the $2,500 winner of the HomeServe Skilled Trades Apprenticeship and Training Grant Program.

The grant will be used to help train new apprentices or support workforce upskilling programs.

The grants, totaling $50,000, were awarded to the top 20 applicants, all of whom are contractor companies that are a part of HomeServe’s network.

“At HomeServe, we know the incredible value skilled tradespeople bring to our business and to the communities we serve,” HomeServe CEO Tom Rusin said. “We also recognize the challenges associated with the skilled trades gap where not enough workers are going into these important fields.”

REAL ESTATE PARTNERSHIP: The Youngstown Columbiana Association of Realtors has announced it will continue its partnership with Hondros College to provide prelicensing real estate courses for 2025.

This collaboration will provide aspiring real estate professionals with in-person prelicensing courses at the association’s headquarters in Austintown.

Hondros College will offer real estate prelicensing courses in May. These classes are designed to meet Ohio requirements. Classes will be 8 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. Monday through Thursday, May 5 through May 22.

Call 330-788-7026 for more information.

SCHOLARSHIPS OFFERED: Applications for the Better Business Bureau’s Ethics and Integrity Scholarship are being accepted.

The program’s mission is to provide information and develop resources that promote and build awareness of ethical business practices and marketplace trust to consumers and businesses. The scholarship offers five $1,000 one-year scholarships to graduating high school seniors employed by or are the children or grandchildren of owners or employees of an accredited BBB business.

Applicants also must be a high school senior with a primary residence in Columbiana, Mahoning, or Trumbull counties; have plans to attend a college, university, community college, or trade school in the year immediately after high school graduation; include a 500-word essay or a four-minute video explaining the meaning of “ethics” and “integrity” to the applicant.

Entry materials must be postmarked or emailed by May 1.

Applications are available by visiting www.bbb.org/local/0432/bbbyoungstownscholarship.html. For questions, call 330-744-3111, Ext. 108, or submit applications to info@yougstown.bbb.org.

CLIMBING TO FOURTH: Four Youngstown State University students finished fourth and earned $3,000 in the 2025 Global Scaling Challenge.

The Global Scaling Challenge is a competition between university teams from eight countries run and organized by The Anderson School of Management at the University of New Mexico. The competition features three regional tracks: Americas, Europe and Africa, and Asia and Oceania.

Teams participating must comprehend and solve the complex scaling needs of entrepreneurial small firms and design strategies for their short and long-term growth.

In the finals, YSU students Aleen Kanan, Vince Koludrovich, Batool Alkarain and Lindsay Collins, with their faculty adviser Omer Genc, developed a scaling proposal and presented their plan to a panel of judges and company executives.

SERVICING UPS CUSTOMERS: Sweet Memories Vintage Tees & Candy, 1282 Trumbull Ave. Suite A1, Girard, is an officially authorized UPS service center.

The 5,000-square-foot vintage store — known for its nostalgic tees, retro candy, toys and collectibles — is now a one-stop destination for UPS drop-offs and shipping services.

QR codes are not accepted at this location.To drop off a package, customers must bring the item fully packed, taped and with a prepaid printed UPS label already attached.

Dropoff hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call 330-759-3500.

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