DeWine Appoints 2 New Members to YSU Board of Trustees

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Youngstown State University Board of Trustees is getting two new members.

Gov. Mike DeWine announced Friday that he has appointed area businessman Sterling Williams to the YSU board.

Williams, of Warren, will serve through June 2035. He replaces Molly Seals, whose term recently expired.

“Sterling brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to the community to the YSU Board of Trustees,” said YSU President Bill Johnson. “His leadership and expertise will be invaluable as we continue to advance our mission of providing high-quality education, fostering community partnerships and making YSU the anchor university in Northeast Ohio.”

Williams is the owner of Sterling McCullough Williams Funeral Home, a family-owned business with more than 70 years of service to the Warren and Youngstown areas. Williams also manages multiple companies, including Tax Master Accounting and Tax Services Inc., Twin Realty and Leasing LLC and Steel Town LLC, among others.

Williams is a graduate of The Rayen High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Miami University in 1977 and an MBA from Kent State University in 1980.

He has served on numerous boards, including the Youngstown State University Penguins Club; the Western Reserve Port Authority; the Warren-Youngstown Economic Development Committee; Association of Ohio Commodores; The Medici Museum of Art; Community Foundation Hospice Trust of Trumbull County; Visiting Nurses Board of Northeastern, Ohio; and the Frank Bentley Scholarship Foundation. 

“His remarkable track record of community leadership and business expertise will undoubtedly propel YSU forward,” said Mike Peterson, chair of the YSU Board of Trustees. “I have no doubt that his contributions will enhance the educational experience for all our students.”

DeWine also appointed Zane Perrico of Youngstown to the board as a student member, for a term beginning May 31 and ending April 30, 2026.

A graduate of Canfield High School, Perrico is a member of the YSU Sokolov Honors College and a YSU student senator, serving on the Academic Programs Committee, Academic Grievances Board and Calendar and Course Schedule Task Force.

Perrico works on campus as a peer tutor in the Resch Academic Success Center, assisting fellow students in their studies. He also serves as a student employee in the physics, astronomy, geology and environmental science department in the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. He is a member of the National Mathematics Honors Society and the American Physical Society. He has also served in leadership roles in the Society of Physics Students and the Rocket Club.

“Zane is hardworking, dedicated and passionate about advocating for his fellow students’ success,” Johnson said. “He is going to be a true asset to the YSU Board of Trustees.”   

DeWine also appointed Deana M. Pace of Warren to the State Board of Emergency Medical, Fire, and Transportation Services for a term beginning May 31 and ending Nov. 12, 2025.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.