YSU hosts Regional Economic Diversification Summit Sept. 1

In an effort to identify federal resources that can help the Mahoning Valley create jobs and strengthen its economic future, Youngstown State University is hosting a Regional Economic Diversification Summit on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

The virtual conference runs from 8:30 to 5 p.m. and features discussions with industry, government, community and economic development officials about emerging regional sectors, local strengths and challenges.

The Summit is part of the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s “Lordstown Economic Recovery” initiative, created to address near and long-term solutions to unemployment in the Mahoning Valley due to the closure of GM Lordstown. The initiative is led by YSU, in partnership with Eastgate and Cleveland State University.

Among the topics addressed will be: Electric vehicles and lithium-ion battery research; logistics and distribution efforts; additive and advanced manufacturing; petrochemical assets and opportunities; reuse and redevelopment of strategically beneficial sites including the Mahoning river restoration efforts and the Youngstown Air Reserve Station Joint Land Use study; and unemployment mitigation and strategy management including YSU programs, economic development research and solutions, and future planning needs.

For more information, contact Rachel McCartney, 330-941-4700 or rlmccartney@ysu.edu, or Dominic Marchionda, 330-941-2498 or dcmarchionda@ysu.edu.