Williamson College of Business

YSU College of Business Administration Announces 2007 Alumni Award Winners

YOUNGSTOWN, OH -The Warren P. Williamson, Jr. College of Business Administration (WCBA) at Youngstown State University announces the recipients of 2007 WCBA Outstanding Alumnus Awards. The recipients will be honored at the 12th Annual WCBA Alumni Banquet at 6 p.m. on Friday, October 19, 2007 in the Chestnut Room of Kilcawley Center.

The Outstanding Business Alumnus Award will be presented to Frank Dixon, CPA, of New Springfield, a partner for Cohen & Company, Ltd. He was formerly the managing partner in charge of the Youngstown office. Prior to joining Cohen and Company in 1983, Dixon worked for Touche, Ross & Company and DeNicholas, Leicht, Masters & Sakony, Inc., Certified Public Accountants, both in Youngstown, Ohio. He graduated from YSU with a bachelor of science in business administration in 1977.

Dixon has volunteered for many local organizations including the Regional Chamber, and was selected as its Small Business Advocate of the Year in 1993, Mill Creek Children’s Center and the Youngstown/Mahoning Valley United Way. He is a 1990 graduate of Leadership

Mahoning Valley. He is currently a member of the board of trustees and an executive committee member for the Better Business Bureau, and served as its past board chair. He assists the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley as a member of the administrative committee, and formerly served as its board treasurer. After serving on the board and executive committee of Humility of Mary Health Partners, Dixon also continues to stay involved with its Finance Committee, formerly serving as its chair. He also served in many leadership capacities for Parkview Counseling Center.

Dixon is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants and served two terms as past president of the local chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants. Dixon also participates as a panel speaker for the Outreach Program at Youngstown State University.

William Pallante of Canfield will be recognized as Outstanding MBA Alumnus. He is vice president – commercial at RTI International Metals in Niles, Ohio. Pallante graduated from Youngstown State University with a bachelor of science in business administration in 1987 and received a master of business administration in 1994.

Pallante started with RTI in 1998 as a national account manager/managing director of Far East sales and was later promoted to vice president fabrication - RTI Fabrication & Distribution. Pallante began his career in 1983 as a research and development technician with Mold-Tech and was then hired as manager of market development for Thomas Steel Strip Corporation.

Pallante was a Williamson Marketing Fellow in 1987 at YSU and has served as guest speaker during Business 2020 and in EMBA and undergraduate classes. He also volunteered on various committees for the Williamson College of Business Administration. During his education at YSU Pallante was recognized as a Distinguished WCBA Student and a WCBA Departmental Honor Student in Marketing. Pallante is an active supporter of WYSU. He is a member of the board of directors for MetalWorks Worldwide Ltd. of Cleveland, OH.

Joseph Gregory of Boardman, general manager of the Youngstown SteelHounds, will be named the WCBA Outstanding Recent Alumnus. He graduated from YSU with a bachelor of science in business administration (2001) and began his career as operations assistant with the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic before graduation. He later became the coordinator of tournament operations and sales and marketing before leaving the firm to become director of business development for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in Niles, Ohio.

Gregory was recognized as Outstanding Young Professional for the Mahoning Valley 40 Under 40 in 2005 and a YSU Success Story 2006 and 2001. He helped found the Mahoning Valley Professional 20/30 Club in 2003 and served as both trustee and vice president. He was also chosen as Sigma Tau Gamma Beta Gamma Alumnus of the Year in 2001.

Gregory is a board member of the Youth Philanthropist Fund, the Mill Creek Children’s Center, and the Edward J. DeBartolo Memorial Scholarship. He also serves on YSU’s Centennial Committee, Cardinal Mooney High School 50th Anniversary committee, and the YSU Heritage committee. He is a football coach for St. Charles Elementary School in Boardman. Gregory enjoys speaking in the classroom and at various WCBA events including Business 2020 and the Professional Networking & Etiquette Luncheon.

Ted Schmidt of Canfield, senior vice president and regional manager of corporate banking at National City Bank, will receive the Outstanding Service Award. He graduated from Youngstown State University with a bachelor of science in business administration in 1987. Prior to National City Bank, Schmidt worked at Ernst & Whinney. Schmidt received the National City Bank Excel Award in 2007 and was a graduate of the National City Leadership Development Program in 2005.

Schmidt serves as a board member for The Community Corporation, The Rich Center for Autism, the Children’s Museum of the Valley, and The Better Business Bureau. He also serves on the executive committee for the Youngstown/Mahoning Valley United Way and is a member of Leadership Mahoning Valley – Class 2004.

Schmidt is a member of the Accounting Advisory Committee and also the Nonprofit Leadership Community Advisory Council for Youngstown State University. He is a member of the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants, The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts.

Schmidt assists with Canfield Community Baseball and Canfield Soccer Club. He also helped raise funds for the Canfield Toddler Town.

Sponsorships from area businesses toward the banquet support scholarships for business students. Sponsorships to date include Cohen & Company; Fifth Third Bank; Anness, Gerlach & Williams, CPAs; Cope Farm Equipment; Sherman Creative Promotions; Huntington Bank; Butler, Wick & Company; and Studio Metro, LLC/Colorado.

To make reservations for the WCBA alumni banquet or to receive additional information, please contact Christine Shelton, coordinator of external relations of the Williamson College of Business Administration at 330-941-3068 or e-mail cgshelton@ysu.edu.

Our many thanks to the sponsors for the banquet that include Anness, Gerlach, & Williams CPAs; Butler Wick & Company, Inc.; Cohen & Company, Ltd.; Cope Farm Equipment, Inc.; Falcon Transport/Comprehensive Logistics; The DeBartolo Corporation; Fifth Third Bank; General Motors Lordstown Complex; Huntington Bank; Mahoning Valley Hospital; National City Bank; Packer Thomas; RTI International Metals, Inc.; Sherman Creative Promotions, Inc.; and Yurchyk and Davis, CPAs.