Julie Michael Smith, Chief Development Officer for Youngstown Business Incubator gave and interesting presentation of the growth that the Youngstown Business Incubator is enjoying.
Brian Laraway filling in for Dr. Cafaro called on Gary Reel to give the Invocation, Pledge and singing of God Bless America.
GUESTS: Visitors Tom Niemi from Landmark Real Estate Service, Beverly Flowers from Christoff Management and Julie Michael Smith from the Youngstown Business Incubator were our guests.
Chuck Baker, our song leader, led us in singing "America The Beautiful".
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
40 Under 40 Awards will be given out this Thursday. David Buttar, Dr. Mike
Cafaro, and Brian Laraway will be given awards. Quite a feat from our club.
We ring Salvation Army bell at Santisi's on December 6, from 8 to 8 p.m.
Rotary Christmas Party December 12 at Mojo's on Mahoning Ave., 6 p.m.,
signup sheet passed around, also would be good time to bring a prospective
member, collecting toys ($10.) for Akron Children's Hospital.
November 24, we serve dinner at Rescue Mission, still room to sign up.
Immaculate Heart Church is having a benefit dinner for Officer Ross Linert on
December 14 from 12-6, followed by a holiday concert and basket raffle at 7,
asking for a $6 donation.
We will contribute again to the Wickliffe Circle Christmas tree lighting on
December 4.
Rotary board meeting on November 26 at 7:30 A.M. at Lucianno's, counts as a
makeup, all Board members need to attend.
Our 40th Anniversary party will be January 31 at Fifth Season Banquet Center
on Rt. 46, hoping to have many past Presidents, past members, spouses, and
friends of Austintown Rotary that night, mark your calendars. Melissa Crowley
is chairing that night, so it will be a nice event.
Reverse Raffle is March 7, 2009 at Maronite Center. Be ready to sell tickets
A donation was made to the Wickliffe Christmas Tree Committee.
Also need items for the Chinese auction.
FELLOWSHIP:
Hillary Prestridge asked the question about last week's meeting. How many passouts were given? Only one table had the correct answer. The rest paid dearly.
RAFFLE: Racheal Solida took the little prize but did not draw the Queen.
Julie Michael Smith, Chief Development Officer for Youngstown Business Incubator gave and interesting presentation of the growth that the Youngstown Business Incubator is enjoying.
At the recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Austintown, Julie began by stating how eye-opening experience it is to go from the board of directors to being an officer of an organization. The Incubator has received positive press over the past few years and was started as an urban redevelopment project. The City hoped to set this up as a catalyst to start development and renovation of downtown Youngstown.
In the late 90s the State of Ohio developed a more strategic plan in investing funds in order to advance economic development. The Youngstown Incubator in the meantime had as its focus information technologies with emphasis on business to business. In the beginning they were not sure of what would work. They soon attracted people who were interested. Turning Technologies, born in 2002, last year did $30 million and this year will be doing $60 million. They boast 170 employees.
A new culture is being created downtown. People are committed to staying here and keeping these businesses in the Mahoning Valley.