Premier Bank Donates $7,500 Toward Regional Chamber Efforts

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber’s top priorities include providing ready building sites, a strong workforce and more jobs for the Mahoning Valley. Premier Bank on Monday gifted $7,500 toward supporting those efforts.

“Premier’s investment is getting split evenly over those three priorities,” said Michael McGiffin, president of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber Foundation, noting the money will be earmarked for the general economic development support fund.

As a member of the regional chamber’s board, Josh Toot, Premier Bank’s Mahoning Valley market president, knows the good things the chamber, McGiffin and chamber President and CEO Guy Coviello are doing in the region to support business and jobs.

“We value our partnership with the chamber,” Toot said. “We know what they do for the community. We know what they do for downtown, for businesses in the surrounding areas. I think it goes hand in hand with what Premier does. We’ve been a part of downtown for over 100 years, and we see what a difference the chamber, Michael and Guy’s teams are making, and we’re all in.”

McGiffin talked about the importance of leadership being given by both Toot and Premier Bank President and CEO Gary Small, who is on the chamber foundation’s board.

“Both of these leaders are sharing their wisdom with us, sharing their business sense with us, helping us navigate the macro economy and our changes to the economy within the Youngstown MSA [Metropolitan Statistical Area],” McGiffin said.

The regional chamber has taken on some recent initiatives, which have included JobsNow, Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission, Route 442 Corridor Redevelopment and Victory for the Valley. The chamber and Coviello have emphasized the need to reverse the outmigration in the area as it continues to grow with new jobs anticipated in the next few years.

“The financial contribution is funding our slate of priorities in economic development, and that is sites, people and jobs,” McGiffin said, adding in order to grow the economy, it is important to create jobs and then attract, retool and retain a talented workforce.

McGiffin emphasized the importance of mitigating brownfields, cleaning up old industrial sites and making them shovel-ready for the next business and manufacturing opportunities in the Mahoning Valley.

Toot touted the chamber’s efforts in business support.

“We think with them, they are kind of the foundation with what’s going on for everything good, business-wise around our community – retaining talent, making sure that companies have what they need.”

Pictured at top: Josh Toot, left, Mahoning Valley market president for Premier Bank, presents a $7,500 check to Michael McGiffin, president of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber Foundation.

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