The Williamson College of Business Administration will present the 2025 Outstanding Alumni Awards and honor four alumni Oct. 24 in Youngstown State University’s Williamson Hall.

The reception and buffet will begin at 5:45 p.m. with the award program to follow at 7 p.m.

Recipients of 2025 WCBA Outstanding Alumni Award are Anthony Trevena, executive director of the Western Reserve Port Authority and Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport, and Jerry Wiant, managing director and head of Financial Institutions Investment and Corporate Banking at Truist Securities.

Dylan Anders, a philanthropic strategy and investment adviser for the Cleveland Foundation, will be receiving the Outstanding Recent Alumni Award. Michele Merkel, president of Junior Achievement Mahoning Valley, will be receiving the WCBA Service Award.

Trevena received his Bachelor of Science in secondary education and his Master of Business Administration from YSU. He assumed his role as the executive director of the Western Reserve Port Authority and the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in 2022.

He originally joined the Port Authority in 2015 as director of Economic Development, where he advanced his long-standing commitment to fostering economic growth throughout the Mahoning Valley.

With 30 years of senior-level experience, Trevena brings a unique background that bridges the public and private sectors. He began his career in public service as a congressional district field representative, where he sharpened his advocacy skills and deepened his commitment to community service.

He went on to serve as deputy director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and as a congressional chief of staff. Complementing his public service, Trevena also owned and operated a fine dining restaurant — demonstrating his entrepreneurial drive and dedication to supporting local business.

Trevena serves on the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber’s board of directors, where he chairs the Government Affairs Committee. He also is a board member of the Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission, the Minority Business Assistance Center, chairman of the Valley Partners SBA Loan Committee and a member of the Mahoning County CIC, Warren-Trumbull County CIC, the BBB Board of Directors, the board of OH WOW! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science & Technology, the Ohio Aviation Association PAC and the Youngstown Flight School, where he is a founding member.

He also served as chairman of the Economic Action Group from 2019 to 2022 and was vice chairman of BRITE Energy Innovators from 2017 to 2022.

Wiant is managing director and head of Financial Institutions Investment & Corporate Banking at Truist Securities. Wiant has previously held leadership positions at Bank of America, Lazard and Credit Suisse prior to joining Truist in 2023.

During his 25 years in the industry, Wiant has assisted clients on domestic and cross-border merger and acquisition transactions representing more than $250 billion of announced deal value. As a proven team leader, his success has been recognized for building a leading advisory practice that was consistently ranked among the top U.S. financial advisers in U.S. Bank M&A. Recently, he has advised on several of the most notable M&A and capital markets transactions in the FIG sector, with a particular focus on the intersection of private credit, specialty finance and insurance.

Wiant is originally from Ohio, where he graduated from Youngstown State University and began his career with Deloitte & Touche as a CPA. While at D&T, he spent several years advising the Ministry of Finance in the Czech and Slovak Republics on the privatization of state-owned companies. He later attended the University of Chicago earning a master’s in finance and international business.

Wiant lives in New York and serves on the Advisory Council to The Kiran Anjali Project, a nonprofit dedicated to providing educational opportunities to under-privileged children in India.

Anders graduated from YSU in May 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in business administration in business finance and marketing. During his time at YSU, he was actively involved in campus leadership, participating in organizations such as the Student Government Association, Student Leadership Council, Beta Gamma Sigma and the WCBA Business Leaders Program.

Anders joined the Cleveland Foundation in February 2025 as a philanthropic strategy and investment adviser. In this role, he introduces donors, families and organizations to the foundation’s wide array of philanthropic tools and strategies. Drawing on his background in wealth management and trust administration, Anders helps donors turn their passion into purpose through impactful giving.

Prior to joining the Cleveland Foundation, Anders served as a trust officer and relationship manager at Western Reserve Trust Company and as a portfolio and trust administrator at PNC Private Bank in Cleveland.

In addition to his professional achievements, Anders is an active member of the Estate Planning Council of Cleveland, Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club, Northern Ohio Charitable Gift Planners and the Financial Planning Association of Northeast Ohio.

Merkel, a 1993 graduate of YSU and a longtime Trumbull County resident, has devoted more than 28 years to Junior Achievement, including 18 as president of Junior Achievement of Eastern Ohio.

In her time at JA, Merkel has overseen significant growth — expanding the organization from a single after-school program to more than 500 in-school and after-school programs annually, reaching over 17,000 K-12 youth. Under her leadership, JA of Eastern Ohio has earned 5-Star recognition from Junior Achievement USA for 10 consecutive years, reflecting excellence in financial solvency, program impact, quality and managerial effectiveness.

Merkel’s connection to YSU spans 28 years, including a strong collaboration with WCBA. Through this partnership, JA has engaged YSU students and faculty in impactful programming such as Business 2020, Financial Starting Points, the JA Titan Competition and the JA Stock Market Challenge.

JA has welcomed numerous YSU interns who have used their experience as a launchpad for successful careers, and many YSU students have volunteered in local classrooms. Most recently, the partnership expanded through the development of the JA Economic Education and Workforce Center at the Eastwood Mall, which will house JA BizTown and JA Finance Park, along with dedicated office space for YSU to support student interns and continued collaboration.

Merkel is an active community leader, a Mahoning Valley Leadership alum, and has served as president of the Youngstown Kiwanis Club and treasurer of the Junior League of Youngstown. She is a member of the Youngstown Air Reserve Base Community Council. In 2006, she was honored as one of the top five young professionals in the Mahoning Valley’s “40 Under 40” and was a 2007 Athena Award nominee.

Sponsorships from area businesses and organizations for the 2024 WCBA Alumni Banquet include: Donand and Barbara Graham; Canfield Industries; Simon Roofing; Payroll Pros; HD Growth Partners; Financial Institutions Investment Banking Group; Truist Securities; Western Reserve Port Authority; Youngstown Business Incubator; Sherman Creative Promotions; YSU Foundation; Hunter-Stevens Land Title Agency; Better Business Bureau of the Mahoning Valley; Cleveland Foundation; PNC Bank; and Schroedel, Scullin and Bestic Certified Public Accountants.

To attend the 2025 Outstanding Alumni Awards, RSVP at https://ysu.edu/alumnibanquet25 by 4 p.m. Oct. 10.

For more information, contact WCBA’s Office of the Dean at 330-941-3064.

If you go …

WHAT: 2025 Outstanding Alumni Awards

WHEN: Oct. 24; reception and buffet, 5:45 p.m.; award program, 7 p.m.

WHERE: Youngstown State University’s Williamson Hall

RSVP: By 4 p.m. Oct. 10, ysu.edu/alumnibanquet25

For more information: 330-941-3064