BEST IN CLASS: Larry Moliterno, president and CEO at Meridian HealthCare, has been recognized as one of Crain’s Cleveland Business 2026 Notable Leaders in Healthcare. This honor highlights the exceptional leadership and widespread impact of Moliterno’s work within the northeast Ohio healthcare community.

Moliterno has served as president and CEO at Meridian HealthCare for more than 21 years, spearheading strategic direction and leadership for the organization. He oversees a $23 million budget and more than 250 employees across four sites in two counties. Under his leadership, Meridian HealthCare has expanded services, strengthened operations, advanced innovative care models, and improved patient outcomes by removing barriers and aligning services across its integrated, comprehensive care model.

“This recognition reflects the incredible work that happens every single day at our facilities,” Moliterno said. “It’s rewarding to be part of a team that is deeply committed to improving access to care while supporting each patient’s physical, social, and emotional needs. I’m honored to receive this award and to work within an organization that is making a real difference in our community.”

One of Moliterno’s most significant accomplishments is the implementation of an integrated, comprehensive care model for Meridian patients. This type of coordinated system model encompasses services that include physical health, behavioral support, education, financial literacy, housing, criminal justice involvement and other essential supports.

PARTNERSHIP: Aim Transportation Solutions has announced the approval of its annual registration in the SmartWay Transport Partnership.

SmartWay, a public-private partnership between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the freight industry, is a market-driven initiative that empowers businesses and fleets to drive supply chain efficiency and resiliency, while protecting public health, reducing air pollution, and restoring American energy dominance.

As a SmartWay partner since 2009, Aim will continue to contribute to the Partnership’s growing savings of 397 million barrels of oil and 170 million metric tons of CO2. This is the equivalent of the annual electricity use in 26 million homes. By registering in the SmartWay Transport Partnership, Aim demonstrates its strong environmental leadership and corporate responsibility.

“At Aim, we understand the role we play in shaping a more sustainable future,” said David Gurska, COO of Aim Integrated Logistics. “Through the SmartWay Transport Partnership, we’re taking meaningful steps to reduce emissions, improve efficiency and make smarter decisions across our operations. We’re proud to be part of this initiative and remain focused on doing our part to move the industry forward while continuing to deliver strong results for our customers.”

WORK NEARS COMPLETION: American Transmission Systems Inc., a FirstEnergy Transmission company, is wrapping up major upgrades to the local power grid in Trumbull County.

The upgrades underway in Ohio Edison’s service area are designed to reinforce the electric system and deliver more reliable service to more than 16,000 residents and businesses in and around Howland and Bazetta townships.

At the heart of the project is the rebuild of nearly three miles of the Niles Central-Packard 138-kV Transmission Line. The upgrades will help reduce the number of outages customers experience and speed restoration when outages occur.

The rebuild replaces aging wooden poles with 22 steel structures set in concrete foundations. Crews are also installing modern, thicker wire capable of carrying more electricity and withstanding severe weather, falling trees, vehicle accidents and wildlife interference. Together, these improvements will make it easier to reroute power during emergencies or maintenance, support growing energy use and provide a sturdier backbone for future development in the Mahoning Valley.

Construction began in the fall and is expected to finish by the end of this summer.

This approximately $24 million project is part of Energize365, FirstEnergy’s long-term investment program to modernize and strengthen the electric grid. FirstEnergy plans to invest $36 billion between 2026 and 2030 to build a smarter, more resilient grid that meets the evolving needs of communities across the service area.

YSU FARES WELL: Youngstown State University students earned global recognition for their innovation, teamwork and strategic thinking by placing ninth out of 61 teams from more than 10 countries in the Global Scaling Challenge 2026, an international competition focused on real-world business growth and scalability.

The YSU team — Akriti Parajuli, Tanishka Agnihotri, Aleen Kanan and Lojein Yacoub — developed a comprehensive global scaling strategy for Applied Surface Engineering. Their work addressed real-world challenges across multiple industries and culminated in a professional presentation delivered to a panel of industry experts. Their placement in the Global Finals marks a significant accomplishment and highlights the students’ dedication, collaboration and strategic insight.

“Placing ninth in such a highly competitive, global field is an achievement we are incredibly proud of,” said their faculty adviser, Omer Genc. “The students demonstrated outstanding performance throughout the entire challenge and represented Youngstown State University with professionalism and excellence.”

Beyond the final ranking, participation in the Global Scaling Challenge provided the students with a valuable experiential learning opportunity. They were able to apply classroom concepts to real-world business problems while developing critical skills such as market analysis, strategic planning, teamwork and professional communication.

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