Valley Organization Names 2024 Woman of the Year

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Amy Less Shope, managing partner at Lehner Shope Wealth Group, has been named the Youngstown Business and Professional Women’s Woman of the Year.

Shope, of Canfield, will be honored during a special event Oct. 22 at The Lake Club in Poland. The event will coincide with National Business Women’s Week.

Shope, a Kent State University graduate, has been advising clients in northeastern Ohio for more than 25 years. She has a passion for empowering women and began the Women’s Power Lunch series to enable like-minded women to connect, network and collaborate. She also developed a spinoff workshop series called Health & Wealth: Invest in Yourself. 

Shope has been actively involved in the autism community for more than 10 years. She previously served on the board of the Autism Society of Mahoning Valley, and she currently serves on the advisory board of Spectrum Education Center at Mount Union University. She and her husband, Kevin, recently formed Dylan’s House, which focuses on raising funds and awareness to improve and enrich the lives of young adults with autism. 

“Amy has been an avid champion for local businesswomen. Her commitment to her Power series and the empowerment it brings to local women across all industries is inspiring,” said Erinn Vranches, YBPW president. “Amy has created a safe space for women to collaborate and support each other. That, coupled with her commitment to the special needs community in Youngstown, make her the perfect recipient for our Woman of the Year honor.” 

Tickets for the Woman of the Year event are $60. Proceeds from the event will help fund scholarships for women pursuing higher education in the greater Youngstown area.

For more information about YBPW or to reserve a spot at the event, contact LaDonna Thomas, YBPW treasurer, at [email protected].

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.