WRTA’s 2025 Small Business of the Year Announced!

Pictured above are this year’s Top 12 Small Businesses

Last Wednesday, (April 30th), WRTA held it’s 4th annual “Give Small Biz a Lift” event and it was well-attended. The awardees and their families along with WRTA staff, Sponsors and Campaign Co-Chairs gathered to celebrate this year’s event. This annual event honors local, small businesses that exemplify entrepreneurship and the Valley’s work ethic.

The 2025 WRTA Top Twelve Small Businesses:

All Star Driving School
Basinger Auction Service
Concrete Queen LLC
Financial Security Management
GC Laminate Solutions, LLC
Gunner Pressure Washing
J.E. Washington Funeral Services
J Hardie Construction
Memories by the Yard
Neal’s Shoes & Uniforms
Ross’ Market
Shirt Wizard

2025 Small Business of the Year

New to this year’s event is the “Small Business of the Year,” and this year’s winner was J.E. Washington Funeral Services. They’ll receive a $3,000 TV Advertisement package from WKBN, a $4,000 Social Media Marketing package from StrategiX Social, and a $1,000 “Business Booster” check from First National Bank.


	Brandan Washington and Rev. Lewis W. Macklin II, accepting their “Business Booster” check from Dan Segool, First National Bank.

Thanks to our Co-Chairs and Sponsors!

WRTA would like to thank our Campaign Co-Chairs, Atty. Nicholas Cerni, Daniel Procopio (Product Manager at CBC Global), and Rob Zabel (President of Zabel’s Restaurant Equipment and Supplies).

Thank you also to our generous sponsors, Adsposure, Business Journal, First National Bank, StrategiX Social, and WKBN.

Voting has closed for Small Business of the Year

WRTA 2025 TOP TWELVE SMALL BUSINESSES

Selected by a panel of business and community leaders from more than 100 nominations. These businesses will be honored April 30, 2025 at a special event.

All Star Driving School
Basinger Auction Service
Concrete Queen LLC
Financial Security Management
GC Laminate Solutions, LLC
Gunner Pressure Washing
J.E. Washington Funeral Services
J Hardie Construction
Memories by the Yard
Neal’s Shoes & Uniforms
Ross’ Market
Shirt Wizard

Thank you for your interest. Voting has now closed. The WRTA 2025 SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR winner will be announced on April 30th. Stay tuned!

2025 WRTA Give Small Business a Lift Campaign Has Begun. Nominate Your Business

Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA) has announced the start of the WRTA Give Small Business A Lift campaign. The campaign, now in its fourth year, promotes and honors local small businesses, their owners and employees.

WRTA provides transportation for the workforce of many of local businesses and wants to recognize and support their efforts.

More than 200 Valley businesses have participated in the first three years of this event.

Dean Harris, WRTA Executive Director said, “We cannot overstate how important small business is to our local and national economy. But starting a small business also seems to take a special sort of grit and determination that exemplifies what America is all about.”

NOMINATE YOUR ORGANIZATION TO BE RECOGNIZED AS A 2025 TOP TWELVE SMALL BUSINESS

12 local small businesses that exemplify the Valley’s entrepreneurial spirit and work ethic will be chosen by a panel of fellow business and community leaders and recognized as a 2025 TOP TWELVE BUSINESS

Does Your Business Qualify?

In order to be eligible to be recognized as a 2025 TOP TWELVE BUSINESS, your organization must qualify for the campaign. The qualifications are:

OPERATE AS A BUSINESS – Your organization must be an operating business as defined by the State of Ohio as a sole proprietorship, general partnership, limited liability company (LLC), S Corporation or C Corporation. Non-profits do not qualify unless they operate as a business and sell a product or service.

LOCATION -Your businesses must be located in or border Mahoning County.

COMPLETE THE FORM –The short entry form below must be completed by an owner or authorized officer/manager.

COMMUNICATE – You must answer your phone and reply to emails.

ENTER BY DEADLINE — Nominations are being accepted now through Monday, April 14, 2025.

ATTEND THE AWARD EVENT APRIL 30, 2025 – If your business is selected, you must attend the award event in order to receive the award and the benefits.

NON-PROFITS DO NOT QUALIFY* Non-profit organizations do not qualify unless they sell something to the public as part of their regular ongoing operations. WRTA honors non-profit organizations during the annual HOLIDAY LIGHTS campaign each November and December . If you represent a non-profit, please nominate your organization for that campaign.

Twelve Businesses will be chosen, honored and promoted as a 2025 TOP TWELVE SMALL BUSINESS

AWARD NIGHT — The twelve businesses will be notified and honored at the kickoff event on Wednesday April 30 at Lariccia Community Center in Boardman Park.

The twelve featured businesses will be honored at April 30 kickoff event and then receive promotion with a 90-day marketing campaign that includes

Advertising on the giant WRTA digital sign at Federal Station
Bus Advertising
TV Advertising
Social Media

As Part of the Give Small Business a Lift Campaign, one of the Top Twelve Businesses will be selected by vote as the 2025 Small Business of the Year. This business will receive custom individual campaigns including

A 90-day TV campaign donated by WKBN TV
A 13-week Social Media Campaign donated by Farris Marketing/StrategiX Social.

Campaign Timing

The three-month-long promotion of the twelve featured businesses is scheduled will start May 1, 2025. Some of the past winners have indicated this has reported substantial increases in sales from this campaign.

WRTA encourages all small businesses in the county to apply — even if the business applied previously.

Thank you to all those organizations that entered! The deadline for nominations has now closed. The businesses selected will be notified by email and announced on WRTA’s website and social media.

KEEP YOUR BUS STOP

Property owners grant WRTA permission to put in a bus stop. When trash and store carts are left at a bus stop, the property owner can revoke permission for the stop. We’ve already lost TWO bus stops because of trash. If the bus stop you use is convenient, the best way to keep it is to keep it clean.

Washington and Columbus Come to Youngstown and WRTA

Representatives from the offices of United States Senator Bernie Moreno, U.S. Congressman Dave Joyce and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine paid special visits to Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA) this past week.

These introductory meetings were casual but informative. Youngstown-based WRTA had aimed to impress and appears to have accomplished that goal.

“The government representatives seemed happy to come here and we appreciate their interest.” said Dean Harris, WRTA Executive Director. “They were surprised by how many people we serve — now over two million rides each year.”

WRTA’s accomplishments seem to have attracted a lot of attention around the state. Observers believe that attention is due to WRTA’s success with increasing ridership, but also the connections it’s forged with local businesses and non-profits. Also impressing the legislators is the the leading role WRTA has taken in advancing autonomous and zero-emission vehicles.

Harris added, “We are hoping the excitement and interest the representatives showed during their visit translates into continued and additional support for public transit in the Mahoning Valley.”

March Board Meeting Cancelled

Please be advised that the March Board of Trustees Meeting set for Thursday, March 27 at 10:00 a.m. has been cancelled.

WRTA Bus Stop Removed and Location Changed at Austintown Walmart Location

AUSTINTOWN — At the request of the property owner, the WRTA bus stop located in front of Dollar Tree in near Walmart in Austintown is being removed.

“This is a well-used stop and we hate to inconvenience our passengers, but we don’t own the property. We must comply with the owner’s demand to remove the bus shelter and the stop.” said WRTA Executive Director Dean Harris.

ROUTE CHANGES

The 9-Austintown Route and the 27-Austintown Loop bus will no longer go into the Walmart plaza effective March 18, 2025. WRTA passengers will now be picked up and dropped off on Mahoning Ave near the traffic light at the Walmart entrance.

Passengers will soon see new maps for 9-Austintown and 27-Austintown Loop under “Rider Info” on WRTAonline.com.

FREE FARES CONTINUE!

Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA) is pleased to announce its free fare policy will continue until at least Dec. 31, 2027. Free fares were temporarily instituted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and have since extended each year since then. Valley residents can ride free on any WRTA bus. ##

February Board Meeting Cancelled

Please be advised that the February Board of Trustees Meeting set for Thursday, February 27 at 10:00 a.m. has been cancelled.

Minor Route Changes Take Effect March 9th

Minor changes have been made to WRTA routes to better serve the community. The routes that will be affected are the 1-Elm, 14-Mosier The new turn-by-turn information and updated maps for the Elm and Mosier routes are shown below. These changes will take effect on March 9.

1-ELM

NOTE: The #1-Elm route will no longer service Giant Eagle. However, Wal-Mart has been added to the route. The bus stop at Goldie Rd. and Hadley will be removed.

Outbound

Leave Federal Station heading north
Right on Federal Plz W
Right on Fifth
Right on Commerce St.
Left on Wick (Y.S.U.)
Left on Westbound service rd.
Right on Elm
Right on Thornton
Left on Logan
Left on Gypsy Ln.
Right on Belmont
Right on Colonial
Left on Hadley Ave
Left on Goldie
Right on Belmont
Right into Liberty Plaza (at the traffic light)
Right at the first stop sign
Drop off at the New Bus Stop (across from the Pharmacy)
Right down first aisle (drive heading towards Arby’s)
Right to the stop sign
Left toward traffic light
End of Line

Deadhead

Leave Garage to Union Square Plaza – Follow this route picking up all passengers Left on Mahoning-Left over Spring Common Bridge-Cont on Fifth – Left on Wood – Right on Belmont – Right on Gypsy To Union Square Plaza Set Headsign to 1- Elm – Leave Union Square Plaza

Inbound

Left at the traffic light
Left on Goldie
Right on Hadley Ave
Right on Colonial
Left on Belmont
Left on Gypsy
Right on Elm
Left on Eastbound service rd.
Right on Wick
Right on Commerce
Cont. to Federal Station

14-Mosier