Class Notes
Williamson College Honors Exceptional Alumni The Warren P. Williamson, Jr. College of Business Administration recognized four exceptional alumni for their professional achievements and community contributions. The awards were presented at the WCBA’s annual alumni dinner. Chris Allen, North American talent acquisition manager of Vallourec USA Corporation, was presented the Outstanding Service Award. Allen, ’92 BA, began his career with Vallourec Star in 2013 as HR staffing manager of the Youngstown Operations and was later promoted to his current position to expand recruitment of external talent from Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. Allen has served as a mentor for WCBA students, has been involved with enrollment, career development and community outreach efforts for the college, is a member of Pete’s Pride and an executive board member for the American Red Cross, Lake to River Mahoning Valley Chapter.
Northern States Metals in Youngstown as president and chief executive officer. He has served on the board for the American Composites Manufacturing Association, the Advisory Board of Directors for Factory Mutual Insurance Company, the Ashtabula County Civic Development Corporation and the Ashtabula County YMCA Board of Directors. Melanie Cann, vice president of Human Resources for the Cafaro Company, was presented the Outstanding Recent Alumna award. Cann, ’08 BSBA, ’14 MBA, joined the Cafaro Co. in 2000. Following a succession of promotions, she was named to her current position as vice president of Human Resources and Business Aviation Director. Recognized recently as a 40 Under 40 honoree by the Mahoning Valley Young Professionals, she is a former Warren Junior Women’s League president and now serves as an executive board member for Goodwill Industries.
Anthony Vross, co-owner of Simon Roofing, was named Outstanding Business Alumnus. A 2001 BSBA graduate, Vross joined Simon Roofing in 1979 and is recognized as the inventor of the company’s Fume Recovery System, which is used nationwide in schools, food processing plants, hospitals, and other odor sensitive environments. He has developed other innovative concepts and technologies used in the roofing industry, has authored several articles in national publications and serves as a national speaker on roof-related topics. Vross is a member of the Cortland Banks board of directors. A strong believer in community involvement, he has spearheaded corporate support and involvement to many nonprofit organizations and service programs. Thomas Meola, president and chief executive of Northern States Metals and Solar Flex Rack, was named Outstanding MBA Alumnus. Meola, ’80 BSBA in Accounting, ’93 MBA, started his career at Premix Inc. in North Kingsville, where he served as controller, chief financial officer and ultimately, as president and chief financial officer. After four years in the top job at Premix, he came to
Dr. Mark Squicquero of Beaufort, S.C., ’76 BS in Biology and English, is a dentist working in a new dental office in Beaufort, one of several Howard Family Dental offices serving South Carolina and Georgia. Squicquero earned his doctorate at Ohio State University College of Dentistry and previously taught embryology, anatomy and physiology at YSU. Susan Burgess-DeMarco of Knoxville, Tenn., ’77 BA in Political Science, was a speaker discussing “Current Issues in the Wireless World” at the 2015 Claims and Litigation Management Alliance Conference in Atlanta. An attorney, she is a claims consultant for Pennsylvania Lumbermens/Indiana Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Co. She earned her law degree at Catholic University School of Law and previously practiced law in Washington D.C. and Virginia. Martha I. Pallante of Niles, ’77 BA, and Donna M. DeBlasio, ’71 BA and ’76 MA in History, presented at a conference last fall commemorating the 20th anniversary of Teesside University’s Centre for Regional and
Dean Betty Jo Licata, far left, celebrates with graduates recognized at the Williamson College of Business Administration alumni dinner. Honorees are, from left: Chris Allen, Outstanding Service Award; Anthony Vross, Outstanding Business Alumnus; Thomas Meola, Outstanding MBA Alumnus; and Melanie Cann, Outstanding Recent Alumna.
Local History, located in Middlesbrough, UK. Pallante and DeBlasio are both History professors at YSU, and Pallante is also department chair. Pallante holds an MA from the College of William and Mary in Virginia and a PhD in American History from the University of Pennsylvania; DeBlasio completed her PhD in History at Kent State. In their conference presentation, they examined YSU’s management relationship with the Ohio History Connection at the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor. Edward Udovich of Akron, ’77 BSBA, has retired as assistant corporate secretary of FirstEnergy Corp., where he was employed for nearly 40 years. He joined Ohio Edison’s customer accounting department in 1976 and subsequently worked in the controller, budget and corporate departments. He was elected assistant corporate secretary in 1998, shortly after FirstEnergy was created from the merger of Ohio Edison and Centerior Energy. Udovich is a director of the FirstEnergy Family Credit Union and a former director of the International Institute of Akron.
Don Beatty of Martinsburg, W.Va., ’79 BE in Mechanical Engineering, has been named FirstEnergy Corp.’s external affairs manager for Allegany and Garrett counties in Maryland. Beatty Don Beatty will be based at the company's Oakland, Md., service center. He joined the company in 1979 and most recently served as manager of customer support to the Potomac Edison utility.
’80s William T. Hull of Warren, ’81 BSBA in Accounting, was appointed chief financial officer of Orion Energy Systems, based in Manitowoc, Wis. Hull came to the company from RTI International Metals in Niles, where he was chief risk officer, chief financial officer and chief accounting officer. He is also a certified public accountant.
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