Young Professionals Group to Become Regional Chamber Affiliate

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Mahoning Valley Young Professionals announced Wednesday it will become an affiliate of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber as part of its ongoing reorganization to better serve the community.

As an affiliate under the Regional Chamber umbrella, MVYP intends to unleash new programs to help local employers recruit and retain young professionals, integrate the region’s post-secondary students into the organization, invigorate its annual 25 Under 35 event and more.

“The resources that the Regional Chamber brings to MVYP will enable us to fulfill our desire to become one of the premier young professional organizations in the nation,” said Steven Weeden, MVYP board president. “We had reached the limits of our success as an all-volunteer group and feel the chamber is the right vehicle to take us to new heights.”

The Regional Chamber received a grant from the Regional Chamber Foundation to provide staffing to establish new programs, such as mentorship from senior leaders to MVYP members, and mentorship from MVYP members to high school and college students.

“This aligns well with the community’s priority of growing the population, especially in the prime workforce ages of 24 to 44,” said Guy Coviello, Regional Chamber president and CEO. “This also aligns well with the chamber’s priority of developing the next generation of corporate executives.”

MVYP previously announced the launch of myMVYP, an online membership portal to transform the member experience, and that it would unveil a new website with a suite of tools designed to elevate how members connect, network and grow.

“We see how the current MVYP leaders have elevated their organization to better serve the Valley, and we are inspired by their vision for our future, so funding this effort was a no-brainer,” said Matthew Blair, Regional Chamber Foundation board president. “We will soon have one of the most vibrant young professional networks in the U.S., making the Mahoning Valley more attractive to employers.” 

MVYP joins other chamber affiliates, including the Warren Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Foundation, Warren Area Chamber of Commerce Education, Civic & Cultural Foundation and Lake to River Holding Company.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.