Better Business Bureau Marks 50 Years in Valley

By Melissa Ames
BBB President & CEO

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – As the Better Business Bureau of the Mahoning Valley Inc. has evolved since its founding July 1, 1974, two constants remain: Businesses and consumers want to find trusted businesses, and fraudsters will still find their victims. Since 1974, BBB has assisted in finding reputable businesses and has helped Valley residents avoid fraud.

In the past 50 years, BBB has transformed into an international association with a local footprint. It works with local businesses, from being just a member to becoming a BBB Accredited Business, defining what it means to be a trusted business and setting the standard for ethical conduct in the marketplace.

In 2023, we provided more than 300,000 instances of service to users. Much of this work is facilitated through our website, BBB.org, where users can research reputable businesses, seek assistance for dispute resolution and  leave customer reviews.

We also understand the value of personal interaction and many users choose to call a BBB representative for counseling about marketplace issues and fraud prevention or recovery.

In 2023, we announced BBB Learning, an on-demand platform with a custom course on trust and ethics. BBB Learning gives businesses tools to advance their skills while keeping ethical business practices top of mind.

As BBB celebrates its 50th year serving the Mahoning Valley, we celebrate good business practices through events such as the BBB Torch Awards for Marketplace Trust and we build the foundation of new business owners through our Ethics and Integrity Scholarships.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.