Nov. 20, 2009 6:33 a.m.
By Maraline Kubik
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio Five shining stars from among 40 of the Mahoning Valley's most accomplished young professionals received special recognition last night when they were named MVPs during the 40 Under 40 Awards ceremony at the DeYor Performing Arts Center.
The 40 Under 40 Awards, sponsored by the MVP 20/30 Club and the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, honor tri-county residents 40 years old or younger who have excelled in their professions and have demonstrated a commitment to community involvement. This is the fifth year for the annual event.
"There's a lot of success to celebrate out there, and it's nice to see that the talent is spread throughout the Valley," said Patricia Brozik, Community Foundation president. This year, Brozik pointed out, MVP honorees hail from each of the three counties represented: Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana.
In years past, honorees and MVPs were primarily from Mahoning and Trumbull counties and it wasn't unusual for the judges to rank different honorees among the top five. In 2004, that led to a tie and the naming of a sixth MVP. This year, the judges were unanimous in their choices for four of the five MVPs, Brozik said.
The 2009 40 Under 40 MVPs are Adam C. Earnheardt, M. Brigid Kennedy, Shawna L. L'Italien, Heather Marie McMahon and Allen L. Ryan.
Earnheardt, 39, is an assistant professor in Youngstown State University's communications department and was recently appointed executive director of the Ohio Communication Association. He said encouraging his students "to give back to the community through the various service-learning projects available in my courses" is among the most important charitable work he does.
Earnheardt, of Liberty, also volunteers for YSU's annual Press Day and the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. Cary L. Horvath, chairwoman of YSU's department of communications, nominated Earnheardt for recognition.
Kennedy, 39, of Boardman, is associate director of the Ursuline Sisters HIV/AIDS Ministry. She said that after returning to the area from Ireland, where she had been studying for her master's degree, she was surprised to learn that HIV was a problem here and "even more surprised that the nuns were the ones doing something about it." She volunteered to help, and that led to a part-time job and, eventually, to her current position.
"My work in HIV is the foundation for all of the other work I do related to children, poverty, the homeless, parish life and social justice," Kennedy said. "HIV work has introduced me to spiritual leaders and secular heroes, taught me how to advocate and agitate, build and beg, and open myself to new people." Her oldest son came from one of the first families she met as a volunteer and she credits him for inspiring her to foster other children. Sister Kathleen Minchin nominated Kennedy for the 40 Under 40 Awards.
L'Italien, 39, a partner at Harrington, Hoppe & Mitchell Ltd., said she knew that she wanted to be an attorney from a very young age because she "wanted to help people." Although her area of expertise is business law, she cited as her proudest professional moment the completion of an adoption case in which she represented a family adopting two siblings with American Indian background. "We had some snags with the Indian Child Welfare Act" because of the children's heritage, she explained. Once the adoption was final, she reflected, "It was an amazing feeling."
Howard E. Rohleder, president and CEO of Salem Community Hospital, and LuAnn Haddad, vice president of institutional advancement at the hospital, where L'Italien sits on the board, nominated her for the award. She resides in Salem.
McMahon, 33, of Youngstown, is development director of the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative. She discovered her passion for city planning as a child, she recalled, when she declared to her parents that she would never live in a suburb or on a cul-de-sac. In college, she found her courses in urban studies to be the most exciting and since then, McMahon said, she has "dabbled in economic development, community development, and now community organizing." She refers to herself as a "boomeranger" because she grew up in the Valley, left for several years and "returned to build a life where my heart lies."
Joel Ratner, president of The Raymond John Wean Foundation, nominated McMahon for recognition.
Ryan, 38, of Niles, is director of corporate affairs at Covelli Enterprises. He credited his law degree with opening several doors of opportunity, including the one that led to his current position. "After running the successful Tim Ryan for Congress Campaign in 2002, an opportunity presented itself to become in-house counsel for Covelli Enterprises," he explained. That, in turn, led to him overseeing Covelli's marketing and public relations department as well as the human resources department.
Because Covelli Enterprises is involved in several charitable organizations, Ryan said it is difficult for him to say which is most important to him. "Anytime I am volunteering at an event they are sponsoring you realize that life is about giving back to those in need," Ryan explained. Jim Fogarty, president of 2 Ticks & The Dog Productions.
Copyright 2009 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio