Business

Quick takes

SPEAKER: Eastern Gateway Community College will host Dr. Ricardo Zambito as a guest speaker on April 15.

Zambito will address students in the college’s dental assisting program. He is slated to discuss innovative dental equipment, before and after patient cases and student performance during the interview process.

Zambito is a promoter of the college’s dental program. He has been instrumental in spreading the word about EGCC’s program and has hired EGCC alumni to work with him.

He is a staff member at Wheeling Hospital and Ohio Valley Medical Center, as well as a consulting dentist at Bishop Hodges Continuous Care Center and Home of Good Shepherd. He received his doctor of dental surgery degree from the West Virginia University School of Dentistry and has since received additional certifications and training in the areas of laser dentistry, implants, CAD CAM Cerec dentistry and Botox.

Zambito is a member of the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce and holds several professional society memberships, including the American Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, Wheeling Dental Society and America’s Top Dentists.

RECOGNIZED: Jefferson Behavioral Health System at Trinity Medical Center East recognized employees, as part of Social Workers Month, for their longtime dedication to helping those in the community who are suffering from addiction or behavioral health disorders.

The following workers have a combined social-work history of more than 200 years – Mary Ann Curfman, Linda Ratcliffe, Robin Petrovich, Cheryl McCombs, Ilona “Nena” Lepura, Randy Cottis, Jeana Mitchell, Robert Block, Emma Kingland, Daniel Cook and Wendy Besese.

MOVING: Advantage Tank Lines will be leaving the village of Leetonia in Columbiana County for Newell in May or June.

The move, rumored for the last month or so, was confirmed Monday by Patty Harcourt, spokeswoman for the Kenan Advantage Group, Advantage’s parent company based in North Canton.

Advantage operates a station for tanker trucks, employing 45 drivers and five mechanics at the Pearl Street facility.

Harcourt said the move to Newell will keep the company in the area, about 25 miles away, but will be closer to the product sourcing facility.

Leetonia Mayor Kevin Siembida said he had heard rumors.

“Obviously it’s been in the works a long time,” he said.

According to its website, the Kenan Advantage Group, established in 1991, is North America’s largest tank truck transporter and logistics provider through services such as delivering fuel, chemical industrial gases and food-grade products.

It says it is the only independent fuel delivery carrier with a nationwide network, having operations in 40 states and the ability to deliver within all 48 states of the continental United States and Mexico.

SETTLEMENT: A settlement has been reached in a class-action lawsuit involving a Michigan clinic and a 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak that killed 64 people and sickened more than 750 people in 20 states.

The Livingston Daily Press & Argus reports (http://bit.ly/22LdqiT ) that the deal reached Friday in Livingston County Circuit Court covers 311 patients of Michigan Pain Specialists.

Patients of the Genoa Township clinic were injected with tainted steroids for pain. The steroid solution was mixed at a center in Framingham, Massachusetts, and shipped to other states.

The Michigan patients and their survivors would share in the $10.5 million settlement reached Friday.

Randy Hackney, an attorney for the Michigan clinic, called the settlement “fair.”

The patients also are covered under a $210 million settlement involving the Massachusetts center.

Business

Quick Takes

WINS AWARD: The Phil-Mor Tuxedo Shop, located at the Wedding and Event Center in Wintersville, has been recognized as a Silver Elite dealer by Jim’s Formal Wear. The award is based on sales volume, presentation, performance at the retail level and involvement in the community.

Jim’s Formal Wear is one of the nation’s largest wholesale tuxedo companies, with 5,000 retailers in the United States.

Established in 1929, the Phil-Mor sold men’s clothing for many years until going exclusively into formal wear in 2000. Men’s suits will return to the shop beginning April 1, owner Jim Fonow said.

“Recent wedding trends and the shop’s long history of selling fine men’s clothing are a natural extension for the shop. The shop is presently being remodeled to accommodate the new addition of men’s suits and accessories.”

HONORED: Jeff Schuetz, owner, funeral director and embalmer of Schuetz Funeral Home in Mingo Junction, received the Funeral Services Partner of the Year Award from Lifeline of Ohio.

The award, which recognizes a member of the funeral services community who has demonstrated professional excellence in support of organ, eye and tissue donation, was presented during Lifeline’s Evening with the Stars event held March 12 in Columbus.

In addition to the awards, individuals whose lives have been impacted by donation shared their stories with the attendees, including a donor family member, organ transplant recipients and an individual whose loved one died while waiting for an organ transplant.

An independent, non-profit organization, Lifeline of Ohio promotes and coordinates the donation of human organs and tissue for transplantation. It serves 72 hospitals in 37 counties in Ohio and two in West Virginia.

PROMOTED: Keith Anstine has been named vice president of systems integration by Wayne Homes.

“Keith’s diverse Wayne Homes’ experience and broad understanding of our operations, coupled with strong analytical skills and attention to detail, make him a perfect fit for this role,” said Todd Brown, the company’s vice president of finance.

Anstine started his career with Wayne Homes in 1994 as an assistant controller. He has held many positions in the company and became regional vice president of construction in 2007. In his new role, he will focus more on management tools and systems that will enhance employee and customer experience and continuous improvement.

Anstine and his wife, Rebecca, reside in Uniontown, Ohio, with their two sons, Mitchell and Jackson.

Wayne Homes is an Ohio-based custom home building based in Uniontown. For information about the company, visit WayneHomes.com.

Business

Quick takes

NEW AGENT: Kelle Blount is one of the newest agents at Cedar One Realty.

A Martins Ferry native, Blount will serve Jefferson and Belmont counties. She began her property management career almost 10 years ago while living in Columbus. She worked on a large property as a leasing agent and bookkeeper, working her way up to property manager.

After returning to the Ohio Valley, she joined Cedar One Properties as a tenant relations specialist. Blount recently graduated at the top of her class from the real estate program at Eastern Gateway Community College and passed the Ohio and national real estate exams. She can be reached at (740) 219-0340.

CENTENNIAL: James Funeral Home will celebrate its 100th anniversary with a dinner-dance benefiting the American Cancer Society Relay for Life Saturday at St. Francis Centre in Follansbee.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with dinner to be served at 6 p.m.

Music will be provided by disc jockeys Dave and Her. There will be drawings for a variety of gift baskets and a 50-50 drawing.

Tickets are $30 per person and $50 per couple and may be purchased at James Funeral Home or Chambers Funeral Home in Wellsburg through Wednesday. Call (304) 527-1717 for information.

ADDITION APPROVED:

The West Virginia Board of Education has approved Bethany College’s revised, proposed pre-kindergarten to kindergarten, grades K-6 and grade 5-adult multicategorical special education with autism programs.

Bethany officials said the college is the only one in West Virginia to offer the three programs.

In order to receive the approval, existing courses had to be revised to include greater coverage of autism and three new courses in teaching methods, reading and family involvement were added. In addition, Bethany students must gain six weeks’ field experience in a classroom with children with autism.

In addition, teachers already in the field may earn a pre-K-K endorsement by completing five courses in the program.

For information about the preK-K endorsement, call (304) 829-7182.

Business

Quick takes

NAMED: Mike Jacoby has been named vice president, business development for the Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth. He will manage JobsOhio project development and industry attraction efforts for the 25-county region, one of six JobsOhio network partners.

Jacoby and the three-person business development group work directly with companies that want to locate or grow in the region. He joined APEG in 2015 to direct shale energy development and will continue to be involved with some shale projects.

“Mike is eminently qualified to lead our business development team,” said John Molinaro, president and CEO of APEG, upon announcing Jacoby’s promotion. “He is well known and well respected around the region for his work in rural economic development.”

Jacoby has spent 20 years fostering economic development in Appalachian Ohio. His experience includes a regional role with the Ohio Department of Development as well as leading economic development efforts in Washington and Jefferson counties. As executive director of the Zanesville-Muskingum County Port Authority for five years, Jacoby recruited several industries into the county’s business parks including Halliburton and Fanatics.

The Marietta native holds a master’s degree in public administration from Ohio University.

He replaces the retiring Marty Walsh who held the position since the start of the APEG region.

The Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth serves all 32 of Ohio’s Appalachian-designated counties with economic and work force development programs and initiatives. APEG’s funding partners are JobsOhio, Ohio Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Make It In America Challenge grant and the U.S. Small Business Administration through the newly created wood products Regional Innovation Cluster initiative.

He is a former director of Progress Alliance in Jefferson County.

ACCEPTED: J. Michael Moores, founder and CEO of Envalo Inc., has been accepted into the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program, a public-private partnership designed to unlock the growth and job-creation potential of small business owners.

Moores attended Jefferson Union High School and graduated from Indian Creek High School in 1989. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Bethany College and his master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University. He also spent eight years with the Navy Reserves.

He founded Envalo in 2012. The Cleveland-based company helps small- and mid-market merchants, manufacturers and distributors use the Internet to grow their businesses.

“As an entrepreneur and small business owner, I greatly value advisers, mentors and coaches,” Moores said after being accepted into the program. “Having heard about this program and seeing a list of the alumni, I felt it would help me grow as an entrepreneur and Envalo grow as a business.”

JOINS GROUP: John W. Cucarese of New York Life recently joined a group of agents authorized to offer AARP members a range of financial solutions through AARP life insurance, annuity and long-term care options from New York Life.

To become part of this group of agents, Cucarese followed a certification process established by New York Life, which includes training on products and regulations, education on evaluating client needs, state licensing and a commitment to service. AARP Services, AARP’s for-profit subsidiary, provides quality control over the certification process and training.

New York Life has been offering AARP-branded products to AARP members since 1994. Since then, the relationship has grown to include a portfolio of annuity products (added in 2006) and now most recently long-term care options (2016).

Cucarese has worked at New York Life in Steubenville for more than 10 years assisting people throughout the Tri-State Area with their retirement, insurance and investment planning needs.

Business

Quick takes

JOINS FIRM: Grant J. Bake is the newest addition to Cedar One Realty.

Bake is a sophomore at the University of Mount Union and is majoring in business management and economics. He graduated from Carrollton High School in 2014, and has been licensed since Jan. 25. Bake offers representation from Carrollton to Steubenville.

He can be contacted at at (330) 771-0436, or at grant@cedar-one.com.

CENTENNIAL: James Funeral Home in Follansbee will celebrate its 100th anniversary with a dinner-dance on March 19 at St. Francis Centre.

Tickets are $30 per person and $50 per couple, with proceeds going to the Brooke-Hancock American Cancer Society Relay for Life.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with the dinner to begin at 6 p.m.

Call (304) 527-1717 to purchase tickets.

OPEN HOUSE: Unique Treasures, a new business specializing in repurposed furniture and other unique items, will hold an open house at 9 a.m. on March 19.

The business is at 854 Main St., Follansbee.

There will be drawings and prizes.