Regional Chamber Promotes Santucci and Phillips

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio –The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber has promoted Nick Santucci to director of government and public affairs, while Michelle Phillips has been named director of research.

Santucci joined the chamber in 2015, serving as the director of education and workforce development. He supported the creation of partnerships in the business and education sectors and launched the Community Connectors program in 2015 after securing multiple state grants. The program targeted 11th and 12th grade students, with the goal of preparing them for the workforce through the development of professional and customer service skills. Santucci also led the chamber’s JobsNow workforce program that provides three levels of services, including connecting job seekers with employers, no-cost drug testing and talent attraction.

Santucci, who received his bachelor’s degree in political science from John Carroll University,  sits on the Trumbull and Mahoning County Workforce Development Boards and is vice chair of the Youngstown City Schools Academic Distress Commission.

Longtime chamber employee, Phillips, joined the organization in 1999. Over the years she has provided a variety of services including entrepreneurial counseling, business research and coordination, supply chain analysis and grant writing.

In recent years, she has overseen the request for information process aligned with the site selection services both in local expansions and attraction of new investment.

Pictured: Michelle Phillips 

In her new role, Phillips will continue to oversee the gathering, analysis and reporting of data relative to the area’s economy, as well as community and industry demographics—information that is used by most companies during their decision-making process. She’ll also work to expand the chamber’s supply chain strategy and play a greater role in the research necessary to support its business retention, expansion and attraction efforts.

The Austintown resident earned her associate’s degree in computer technology, bachelor’s degree in computer information science and certificate in multimedia, all from Youngstown State University.

Pictured at top: Nick Santucci 

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