YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Williamson College of Business Administration at Youngstown State University will present the 2025 Outstanding Alumni Awards and honor four alumni Oct. 24.
The reception and buffet will begin at 5:45 p.m. in Williamson Hall, with the award program to follow at 7 p.m.
Recipients of the 2025 WCBA Outstanding Alumni Award are Anthony Trevena, executive director of the Western Reserve Port Authority and Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport, and Jerry Wiant, managing director and head of financial institutions investment and corporate banking at Truist Securities. Dylan Anders, a philanthropic strategy and investment adviser for the Cleveland Foundation, will receive the Outstanding Recent Alumni Award. Michele Merkel, president of Junior Achievement of Eastern Ohio, will receive the WCBA Service Award.
Trevena received his Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education and his Master of Business Administration from YSU. He assumed his role as the executive director of the WRPA and the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in 2022. He originally joined the port authority in 2015 as director of economic development, where he advanced his long-standing commitment to fostering economic growth throughout the Mahoning Valley.
With 30 years of senior-level experience, Trevena has a unique background that bridges both the public and private sectors. He began his career in public service as a congressional district field representative, where he sharpened his advocacy skills and deepened his commitment to community service. He went on to serve as deputy director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and as a congressional chief of staff.
Trevena also owned and operated a fine dining restaurant.
He serves on the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber Board of Directors, where he chairs the Government Affairs Committee. He is also a board member of the Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission and the Minority Business Assistance Center. He is chairman of the Valley Partners SBA Loan Committee and a member of the Mahoning County CIC, Warren-Trumbull County CIC, the BBB Board of Directors, the board of OH WOW! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science & Technology, the Ohio Aviation Association PAC and the Youngstown Flight School, where he is a founding member.
He also served as chairman of the Economic Action Group from 2019 to 2022 and was vice chairman of Brite Energy Innovators from 2017 to 2022.
Wiant previously held leadership positions at Bank of America, Lazard and Credit Suisse prior to joining Truist in 2023.
During his 25 years in the industry, he has assisted clients on domestic and cross-border merger and acquisition transactions representing more than $250 billion of announced deal value. He’s been recognized for building a leading advisory practice that was consistently ranked among the top U.S. financial advisers in U.S. Bank M&A.
Recently, he has advised on several of the most notable M&A and capital markets transactions in the FIG sector, with a particular focus on the intersection of private credit, specialty finance and insurance.
Wiant is originally from Ohio, where he graduated from Youngstown State University and began his career with Deloitte & Touche as a CPA. While at D&T, he spent several years advising the Ministry of Finance in the Czech and Slovak Republics on the privatization of state-owned companies. He later attended the University of Chicago, earning a master’s degree in finance and international business. He lives in New York and serves on the Advisory Council to The Kiran Anjali Project, a nonprofit dedicated to providing educational opportunities to underprivileged children in India.
Anders graduated from YSU in May 2019 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration in business finance and marketing. During his time at YSU, he was involved in campus leadership, participating in organizations such as the Student Government Association, Student Leadership Council, Beta Gamma Sigma and the WCBA Business Leaders Program.
He joined the Cleveland Foundation in February as a philanthropic strategy and investment adviser. He introduces donors, families and organizations to the foundation’s philanthropic tools and strategies. Drawing on his background in wealth management and trust administration, Anders helps donors turn their passion into purpose through impactful giving.
Prior to joining the Cleveland Foundation, Anders served as a trust officer and relationship manager at Western Reserve Trust Co. and as a portfolio and trust administrator at PNC Private Bank in Cleveland.
In addition to his professional achievements, Anders is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Cleveland, Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club, Northern Ohio Charitable Gift Planners and the Financial Planning Association of Northeast Ohio.
Merkel, a 1993 graduate of YSU and a longtime Trumbull County resident, has devoted more than 28 years to Junior Achievement, including 18 as president of Junior Achievement of Eastern Ohio.
In her time at JA, Merkel has overseen significant growth – expanding the organization from a single after-school program to more than 500 in-school and after-school programs annually, reaching over 17,000 K-12 youths. Under her leadership, JA of Eastern Ohio has earned the 5-Star recognition from Junior Achievement USA for 10 consecutive years, reflecting excellence in financial solvency, program impact, quality and managerial effectiveness.
Merkel’s connection to YSU spans 28 years, including a collaboration with WCBA. Through the partnership, JA has engaged YSU students and faculty in programming such as Business 2020, Financial Starting Points, the JA Titan Competition and the JA Stock Market Challenge.
JA has welcomed numerous YSU interns who have used their experience as a launchpad for successful careers, and many YSU students have volunteered in local classrooms.
Most recently, the partnership expanded through the development of the JA Economic Education and Workforce Center at Eastwood Mall, which will house JA BizTown and JA Finance Park, along with dedicated office space for YSU to support student interns and continued collaboration.
Merkel is a community leader, a Mahoning Valley Leadership alum and has served as president of the Youngstown Kiwanis Club and treasurer of the Junior League of Youngstown. She is a member of the Youngstown Air Reserve Base Community Council. In 2006, she was honored as one of the top five young professionals in the Mahoning Valley’s 40 Under 40 and was a 2007 Athena Award nominee.
To attend the 2025 Outstanding Alumni Awards, RSVP HERE by 4 p.m. Oct. 10.
For more information, contact WCBA’s Office of the Dean at 330 941 3064.