Whether the Mahoning Valley is able to capitalize on recent successes will depend on one word: collaboration.
“You’re not going to get anywhere without it,” says Guy Coviello, president and CEO of the Youngstown/ Warren Regional Chamber.
“It’s absolutely necessary that organizations in this community and the leadership in this community – both business and government – collaborate on priorities and work together.”
One example of what can be accomplished through collaboration, says Coviello, is the Smart2 project on Fifth Avenue, along the campus of Youngstown State University.
Funding for the project came from a $10.8 million federal grant. Project partners include Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, YSU, the Western Reserve Transit Authority and Mercy Health-Youngstown.
Youngstown will be the “second city in the state to have an autonomous shuttle,” says Coviello.“That took a lot of organizations coming together, speaking with one voice.”
During a recent Brain Gain Youngstown Leadership Podcast, Coviello told Youngstown Publishing Co. CEO Jeff Leo Hermann the Mahoning Valley has four “sustainable competitive advantages:”
They are:
• Logistics: EV supply chain and autonomous mobility.
• Military: Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Camp Garfield, helping businesses to enter the Department of Defense supply chain.
• Additive Manufacturing: America Makes is based in Youngstown.
• Shale: The Mahoning Valley sits on portions of the Utica and Marcellus shale plays.
The Brain Gain Youngstown Leadership Podcast is published every Wednesday at BusinessJournalDaily.com and on Spotify.