Bitontes to Be Honored as Friends of YSU
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Dr. Dominic and Helen Bitonte will receive Youngstown State University’s Friend of the University award at a dinner at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Youngstown Country Club.
The award recognizes the leadership demonstrated and contributions to YSU and the community by an individual or individuals. Recipients are presented a crystal penguin on a base of black marble. The dinner is by invitation only.
Dominic Bitonte grew up in the Brier Hill neighborhood, Helen Bitonte in Campbell.
Dominic, a son of immigrants, was in the first generation in his family to be born and reared in the United States. He followed his brother’s footsteps by becoming a dentist, graduating with his doctorate in dental science in 1947 at Ohio State University. He and his brother once shared a dental practice. During his career, Dominic has served as a dental officer in the Navy.
He has been a member of several professional organizations, including the Corydon Palmer Dental Society, an affiliate of the American Dental Asssociation, which he served as president, secretary, board member and delegate to the Ohio Dental Association. He served on the Ohio State Dental Board and is currently a dental examiner for the North East Regional Board. Last year, Dominic received the ODA Achievement Award.
The Bitontes are members of the YSU President’s Council. Following a gift in 1999, YSU named its college of health and human services in their honor.
Their philanthropy extends beyond YSU to the Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown. In 2004, the couple’s gift there established the Dr. Dominic A. and Helen M. Bitonte Family Foundation Atrium in the Ralph Regula Conference Center.
More recently, the Bitontes have donated funds to Ohio State University to fund a pre-clinic lab in the dental school in memory of Dominic’s parents.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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