BOARDMAN - The Regional Chamber honored area business and community leaders at its annual meeting Thursday at Mr. Anthony's banquet center in Boardman.
Winners were:
l William G. Lyden Spirit of the Valley Award: The Core Six group of business leaders who led construction of a house for Joe Kaluza, a fast-food restaurant manager who was left paralyzed in a wheelchair after being shot by a robber in March 2008. Building the $300,000 house took just 70 days and included 450 volunteers.
Housing contractor Sam Pitzulo received the award for the group, which grew to seven over time. The group consists of Steve Bott of Mark Thomas Ford in Cortland, Don Murphy of Donnell Ford in Boardman, Joe Reinthaler of Reinthaler Auto Village in Canfield, John Morvay of American Portfolio in Canfield, Jim Rach of C&K Welding in Canfield and Tom Parazino of Bernard Daniels Lumber Yard in Canfield.
l Donald Cagigas Spirit of the Chamber Award: Regional Chamber board member, businesswoman and community volunteer Florence Wang played a key role in the chamber's economic development trip to China in November.
Through her work with the International Red Cross, she was able to access high-level government ministers, who arranged meetings between chamber visitors and leaders in China's Shandong Province, which has China's second largest economy.
l Chairman's Award for Political Achievement: Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams won the honor for his work, along with Girard Mayor James Melfi, to land V&M Star's $650 million investment in a high-tech steel-tube rolling mill in Youngstown.
Williams said the area's recent economic successes send two messages: That the area is as relevant to the state and nation as the state's larger cities that start with the letter ''C'' Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati; and that the only way for the area to succeed is through collaboration.
''We succeed when we do it as a region,'' he said.