YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Confidence in the future of the Mahoning Valley and determination to shape it was on full display Friday night as a new generation of community and business leaders took center stage at the 25 Under 35 awards ceremony.

The sold-out event, held at Stambaugh Auditorium, recognized the career accomplishments and public service dedication of 25 area residents, all age 35 and younger. Three nomineees were singled out for MVP Awards: Brandy Kelly Gilea, clinical director for Turning Point Counseling Services, Youngstown; Brian Laraway, partner in Bury Financial Group, Youngstown; and John B. Slanina, manager of international research for Revere Data, a Youngstown Business Incubator portfolio company.

Slanina, active in promoting and improving the city’s Rocky Ridge neighborhood among many community activities, said he’d like “to do more with the streetscape of Youngstown.” But for Slanina and all the 25 Under 35 honorees, the Mahoning Valley’s revitalization is not just a distant objective but a here-and-now rebirth they are committed to parent.

"Back in the day, 100 years ago, the churches were the portal communities where [people] found jobs, language, cuisine, and met friends,” Slanina explained. “Now, I think, as young professionals, we have to be those portal communities. We have to find new people and be welcoming to them, find cuisine and all those things that make Youngstown special."

MVP Laraway pointed to the rebirth of downtown Youngstown. “Ten years ago, it was hard to have event like this in Youngstown," he said. "Here we are, 10 years later, and it's the place to be in this area. Great things are going on in Youngstown and I hope people will start to realize that and come downtown."

For Brandy Kelly Gilea, the third MVP, the recognition was “a humbling experience,” she said. “This is a fabulous networking opportunity to meet other professionals passionate about what they do and working in the community to make a difference.”

The 25 Under 35 program is co-sponsored by the Mahoning Valley Young Professionals club and the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley. The MVPs, are selected by a committee formed by the Community Foundation who make the top awards based upon professional and public service categories.

The event, successor to the 40 Under 40 awards program that was established eight years ago, has several purposes, organizers say. Emerging community leadership is recognized, young professionals are given opportunities to network and build on each other’s public service, and money is raised to support the Young Philanthropist Fund.

“That makes this a full-circle event,” said Lori Shandor, chairman of the 25 Under 35 awards program. “We’re honoring young professionals for their achievements, but were also giving back and ensuring that we’re contributing to the next generation, so they can sit on this stage."

All 25 nominees were recognized during the awards ceremony. In addition to Slanina, Laraway and Gilea, the nominees were:

• Ian J. Beniston, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp.
• Brian Forward, Mahoning Valley Vacuum.
• Melanie Gemmell, Cafaro Co.
• Daniel C. Havalo, United States Steel Corp.
• Joshua Hiznay, The Law Offices of Joshua R. Hiznay LLC.
• Kelly J. Kiraly, Bury Financial Group.
• Geoffrey Korff, Quaker City Castings.
• Claudia Kovach, City Machine Technologies Inc.
• Tara Mady, United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley.
• Karen McCallum, Boardman Township Park.
• Laura J. McCaskey, Youngstown State University.
• Ellie Platt, Platt Insurance Group LLC.
• Mathew Polinsky, Belleria Pizzeria.
• Nicole Ramson, Packer Thomas.
• Roxann Sebest, WKBN/WYTV.
• Ryan Silvashy, Falcon Foundry.
• Anthony Spano, Hope Foundation of the Mahoning Valley.
• Alexa Sweeney Blackann, Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC.
• Beth Ann Tabak, Park Vista of Youngstown.
• Jordan Taylor, Mahoning Valley Scrappers.
• Kera A. Thompson, St. Joseph Health Center.
• Melissa Willamson Cherne, Youngstown City Schools.

Copyright 2013 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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