ECONOMICS TALK: John A. List, ranked among the world’s most influential economists, will deliver Youngstown State University’s Fall 2025 Paul J. Thomas Lecture in Economics at 6 p.m. Oct. 15 in the Williamson College of Business Administration auditorium.

His lecture, “Using Field Experiments to Change the World?” will explore how real-world experiments can reshape public policy and business practices, from reducing carbon emissions and advancing education reform to addressing the gender pay gap.

List is the Kenneth C. Griffin Distinguished Service Professor of Economics and director of the Becker Friedman Institute for Research in Economics at the University of Chicago. He is widely recognized as a pioneer of field experiments in economics, with Nobel laureates and peers describing his work as revolutionary.

He is the author of several acclaimed books, including “The Why Axis” (with Uri Gneezy) and “The Voltage Effect,” a Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today bestseller. His research has influenced decision-making in government, philanthropy and major corporations such as Uber, Lyft, Virgin Atlantic and Walmart.

According to RePEc, List is ranked the fifth most influential economist in the world. He has also served on the Council of Economic Advisers and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Econometric Society.

The event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited to 250 guests.

LEACH NAMED: Lake to River Economic Development has named Sarah Leach as its executive coordinator. In this role, Leach will manage executive administrative operations, support internal and board communications, and help coordinate key initiatives led by the CEO and leadership team.

Leach brings a background in hospitality sales and coordination, having most recently served as sales coordinator for three Marriott properties under CTW Development in Canfield. Her experience includes contract management, event execution, client communications and marketing support, which are skills aligned with Lake to River’s dynamic and fast-paced environment.

As executive coordinator, Leach will be responsible for maintaining the CEO’s calendar, preparing materials for board and committee meetings, supporting internal project tracking and facilitating day-to-day operations in the Lake to River office. This newly created position serves as an important internal function at a time of accelerating regional activity.

“We’ve built a high-performing team of professionals who understand what it takes to drive results in economic development,” said Alexa Sweeney Blackann, Lake to River interim CEO. “Adding Sarah to that mix gives us more capacity to execute with precision, keep pace with opportunity and deliver for our region.”

Leach, a Poland native, graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of science degree from Youngstown State University.

NOMINATIONS OPEN: The Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber and MAGNET again will partner to honor a Valley manufacturer with the Chamber’s ninth annual Excellence in Manufacturing Award. Nominations are now being accepted for the award, which focuses on a company’s longevity in business, growth, product or workforce innovation and achievement.

Nominated manufacturers must be located in Columbiana, Mahoning or Trumbull counties and be a member of the Chamber. Candidates are encouraged to self-nominate.

Past recipients for the Excellence in Manufacturing Award include Boardman Molded Products, Haltec Corp., Quality Switch, Panelmatic Building Solutions, Commercial Metal Forming and Schaefer Equipment, a division of Wabtec Corp.

Nominations are due by Oct. 3. The award at the Chamber’s economic forecast breakfast Nov. 5 at Eastwood Event Centre in Niles.

Those with questions about content for the nomination should contact Kim Calvert, the Chamber’s executive vice president, Membership, Events, MarComm at 330-744-2131, Ext. 1235, or Kim@regionalchamber.com.

RECOGNIZED: Akron Children’s has been named to the Forbes list of America’s Best-In-State Employers 2025. This award is presented in collaboration with Statista, the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider.

Forbes and Statista selected America’s Best-In-State Employers 2025 through an independent survey from a sample of more than 160,000 U.S. employees working for companies employing at least 500 people within the U.S.

More than 2 million employer evaluations were considered. The final score is based on two types of employee evaluations: those given by employees themselves and those given by friends and family members of employees, or members of the public who work in the same industry.

“This award, voted on by current and former employees, is a testament to our culture as an innovative, inclusive workplace that supports staff in their professional and personal lives,” said Rhonda Larimore, chief human resources officer for Akron Children’s.

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