2024 Honorees

Attorney John J. Masternick

 

Attorney John Masternick Jr. gets his strong work ethics from his parents, and grandparents, Giuseppe from Noicattero, Puglia Italy and Theresa from Colobraro, Basilicata, Italy. These hard-working people came to this country and settled in Briar Hill and started a family that included 10 children!

 

John’s father, John Sr., met Mother Dorothy, a nurse at North Side Hospital, while both were attending Youngstown College (YSU now).  John Sr & Dorothy married and had 4 children.

 

After attending a Cursillo, (a course in Christianity) John an attorney, had a calling to aid the elderly who needed loving and supportive care later in life.  With that in mind Windsor House was founded in 1959. That first house was gifted to Beatitude House.

 

His daily prayer Matthew 25:40 – “Amen I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” 

 

From the time he was 14, John Jr. had a mop or broom in his hands and began working for his parents. After law school John Jr., was a part time prosecutor in Girard and vice president for Windsor House. He became President and CEO upon the death of his father. He continues the mission of his parents to deliver the best in long term care. The company has grown to 17 care centers in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

 

John had the best teachers in life and philanthropy. He is modest about his charitable giving but the Mercy Health Foundation, YSU, Hospice of the Valley, Beatitude House, and Girard Schools to name a few, are most grateful for his generosity.

 

John & wife Melissa have 3 children, with hopes that they will continue in his footsteps.

 

 

Humtown of Columbiana, Ohio is a family-owned, three generation business that has served the foundry industry for more than 60 years. President & CEO Mark Lamoncha and his team of 65 “Industrial Athletes'' turned his father’s humble pattern shop into a global leader in conventional and 3D printed sand cores and molds. Under Lamoncha’s visionary leadership, the company has not only seen remarkable financial growth, doubling its sales in the last three years, but has also significantly impacted the community through financial contributions, educational and technical assistance to the community, and job creation and retention. This nomination highlights the business’s multifaceted contributions to fostering a thriving, educated, and technologically advanced community.

Humtown's innovative contributions extend far beyond the realm of business, reaching deep into the heart of the community. Regular financial contributions to more than 40 esteemed local nonprofit organizations underscore Humtown's dedication to enriching the fabric of its community. However, it's their unwavering commitment to community development that truly sets them apart. With donations to such a wide array of organizations, Humtown demonstrates a holistic approach to corporate social responsibility, making a meaningful difference in the lives of those they serve.

President & CEO Mark Lamoncha is an award-winning entrepreneur, inventor, author, and community leader. For more than four decades, he has been the CEO (Coach Empowering Others) and Head Coach of the Humtown team. His company has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and CNBC. It continues to be visited by institutions such as MIT and the Fraunhofer Institute for its cutting-edge solutions. Humtown Products has become a national pioneer in additive manufacturing, providing 3D sand printing and creating disruptive innovation in the foundry industry. This has led to partnerships with organizations like SBDC, Youngstown Business Incubator, America Makes, and Youngstown State University.

The contributions of Humtown to the local community - spanning financial support, job creation, technical assistance, and educational advocacy - exemplify the spirit of small business philanthropy. Their actions have not only fostered a richer, more educated community, but have also set a benchmark for corporate responsibility and community engagement.

Aundréa Cika Heschmeyer

 

Aundréa Cika Heschmeyer is president and founder of MARQUEE, a strategic communications and special events consultancy. A native of Youngstown, she is a graduate of the former Alliance College in Cambridge Springs (Pa.) and has done graduate-level work in magazine publishing at Standford University and nonprofit management at Kent State University.  

Heschmeyer has worked as a journalist and as a magazine editor in Ohio, South Dakota, Connecticut, and Washington, DC. She later worked in public and media relations agencies at firms in Washington, DC, and Ohio. 

Heschmeyer is passionate about community involvement and dedicates much of her time to volunteer pursuits. Upon returning to the Youngstown area, she invigorated the Polish-American community in the Mahoning Valley by founding the nonprofit PolishYoungstown in 2008. As director of this nonprofit, she has developed, promoted, and supported various classes, workshops, and events that have raised awareness of the culture throughout the region. 

She was also instrumental in the creation of Simply Slavic, another 501c3 organization and festival for the larger Slavic community. The organization’s mission is to educate the greater Mahoning Valley's large number of Slavic descendants—and the community at large—about the colorful traditions of the countries and tribes that make up this Eastern European region.

Heschmeyer is also the former director of the Autism Society of Mahoning Valley and now serves as the Board Chair. She was also a founding board member of the Autism Society of Ohio. In these roles, she led volunteers in creating awareness and programming, building the Board, and growing two fundraisers to sustain growth for these family-support organizations.  

In addition, Heschmeyer is active with the Rotary Club of Youngstown where she has led the growth of youth engagement and the introduction of regional fundraising events for Ukrainian Relief and Polio Awareness. 

Heschmeyer has been married to her husband, Mark, for 30+ years, and together they have five children, five Exchange Student daughters, and a multitude of pets.

Man Up Mahoning Valley was formed in 2010 by a group of physicians, Mercy Health hospital staff, community members and the Mercy Health Foundation - Mahoning Valley.  In the beginning the group focused on raising awareness of the importance of prostate cancer prevention and detection by offering educational materials and assistance to local physicians and community centers.  In 2013, the program expanded to offer screenings to the uninsured and under insured men in the community who cannot afford testing or who lack a primary care physician. 

Since its inception, approximately 2,000 men have had prostate screenings.  Of that number, 190 had elevated PSA levels – two of which were diagnosed with cancer.   Of these men, 421 had never had their PSA level checked before and 310 did not have insurance so they did not have regular medical checkups.  With prostate cancer ranking highest among African American men, this program was able to screen 575 African American men by attending specific events and offering screenings.   All participants in these screenings are followed up by the Man Up Mahoning Valley liaison who ensures they are being followed by their physicians.

The Mahoning Valley has a higher rate of prostate cancer than the state average.  If caught in its initial stages, prostate cancer has a 99% survival rate.  The message that Man Up Mahoning Valley promotes is clear – routine screening, prevention and early detection are key to saving lives.

Patrick and Shelly Marlowe are the proud parents of Harper and Palmer Marlowe, age 11 and 8. Harper is a 6^th grader at Canfield Middle School and Palmer is in 3^rd grade at CH Campbell.

They are volunteers at Project MKC and Animal Charity. Harper plays softball while Palmer plays soccer. Both are good students and better humans.

Justin and Jana Coffin are the proud parents of 5 year old Landry and 22 month Owen. Landry is in Kindergarten at Stadium Dr and Owen is just finding his way in the world. Landry loves Tee Ball and learned to swim with no floaties. She’s a great big sister. Owen is funny and adorable. He’s also a huge Mama’s boy.

When Harper was 2, we had a small lemonade stand to raise money for a friend to buy a van after being paralyzed. She raised $400. We decided to make in an annual event. They now call their lemonade stand HPLO. Last year they raised $11,000 and to date $40,000.

Knowing how important it is to give back, the kids have picked an organization or person in need. It’s hard work to organize and at the end of the day they have the satisfaction of knowing they helped someone. They all have their own jobs. Harper collects the money, Palmer is the photographer, Landry is the pourer and Owen is just there to look cute.

Whether it’s the lemonade stand, playing with someone sitting on a buddy bench, or just paying someone a compliment, it’s important for them to know just to be kind. It’s not that hard.

Thank you for honoring these kids

                                                                        

Known for her generous spirit and tireless volunteering, Ruth Kyle held a deep belief that spirituality was a vital part of life, and that belief was most evident in the way she served her neighbors. Miss Kyle was born in 1908 and was the only child of Charles C. and Rosa E. McGowen Kyle, moving to this area as a child. Her parents valued education, and she was a 1932 graduate of Wooster College, where she received her Bachelor of Arts and a 1942 Graduate of the University of Michigan, receiving her master’s in education. She was employed by the Campbell Board of Education as a teacher, where she taught at Fairview, McCartney, Gordon, and Reed Schools for more than 30 years, retiring in 1966.

Ruth, a 25-year resident of Park Vista, was the fourth resident to move into the campus’s north apartment building in 1984 and was the first elected president of the Resident’s Association.

Ruth left a legacy for our community and inspired others through his or her actions. Though Ruth passed away in 2010, just shy of her 102^nd birthday, her generosity is still felt through the ongoing benefits of her charitable gifts. The Kyle Family Charitable Fund through an external trust in her estate was valued at ~$1,600,000. The beneficiaries of her generosity were:

1.      Easter Seal Society and St. Jude

2.      Tod Children’s Hospital

3.      Park Vista Retirement Community

 

It is a tribute to the Kyle Family who valued spirituality and education that their legacy will live on, touching the lives of many for years to come. During her tenure at Park Vista, she was also very generous, donating $323,800 to Life Care, Eden Alternative, Spiritual Life, Programming and Capital Improvements.

 

Brian Kolenich, ED, Ohio Living Lake Vista, is honored to accept the award in her memory.