YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Melissa Ames, president of the Better Business Bureau of Mahoning Valley, discusses the organization’s annual meeting of accredited businesses and the BBB’s expanding role in supporting consumers and companies across the Valley.
Ames says the BBB handled over 5,000 one-on-one counseling calls and delivered 343,000 instances of service to local residents and businesses this year – impact made possible through the support of accredited members across Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties.
At the annual meeting, Ames emphasized that the BBB torch remains a powerful symbol of consumer trust. “When you talk to people, it means this is a business I can trust,” she said, noting that businesses value accreditation because it signals reliability across every industry – from manufacturers and accountants to home improvement professionals.
Ames also announced two new initiatives: Grow with Google, a program that provides accredited businesses access to digital skills training and tools for employees and owners, and the Aging With Trust Guide, a new publication for adults age 55 and older featuring scam prevention tips, consumer advice and insights for proactive decision-making.