BUSINESS UPDATES | YSU basketball player joins Burgan Real Estate team
CANFIELD — Justin Bofenkamp is the latest Realtor to join the Burgan Real Estate team.
Bofenkamp, a native of Vienna, grew up in a log cabin on his family's farm, where he helped sell Christmas trees grown on their land.
"All of our agents have an inherent ability to be leaders in our industry and in our community," Patrick Burgan, co-owner and broker at Burgan Real Estate, said in a news release. "The addition of Justin Bofenkamp to our team adds a new dimension of energy and talent to our team that we will use to build a foundation of the new generation of Burgan agents to grow and lead our company and community to be better than we have ever been."
Bofenkamp is pursuing degrees in both business and psychology at Youngstown State University, where he is a point guard for the men's basketball team.
"I am someone who wants to win at everything I do. In basketball, I have been able to do that against people who may have had an edge on me, but it required me to work harder, better and smarter than anyone else to succeed," Bofenkamp said. "I found a team in Burgan Real Estate that believes in that same work ethic and has proven they have consistently been the best real estate company in the area and couldn't find a better fit for me as a part of a team to start my career."
Blue Wolf Tavern celebrates 20 years in business
BOARDMAN — Blue Wolf Tavern, 1295 Boardman-Canfield Road, is celebrating 20 years in business.
The family-owned restaurant opened in 2001 in Struthers. It expanded and moved to Boardman in 2004.
"The community was behind us when we moved to Boardman," Joe Rzonsa, executive chef, said in a news release. "Struthers and other communities followed us to our current location and were happy about our success and expansion. We couldn't be where we are today without all the support we've gotten. And that's not just the people that eat here, but it's also the people that work here and trust us with their livelihoods. The people make us who we are."
Rzonsa's wife, Stacey, is vice president of Blue Wolf Tavern and director of Blue Wolf Events.
"This journey has given me a family and a career that I love," Stacey said. "The success we've had is the perfect cherry on top. It's a great feeling to know that the work Joe and I have done is paying off. And the most fulfilling part is that we've done it as a family."
Instead of focusing on a single type of cuisine, Blue Wolf offers a diverse, farm-to-fork menu. Offering award-winning handcrafted recipes, Joe believes that the consistency of the food and staff is their recipe for success.
"We've done things pretty consistently over the past 20 years," Joe said. "There have been some small changes to our menus and recipes, but for the most part we do the same thing we did 20 years ago, and we still do it as good as we did then."
BRITE Energy Innovators releases 2020 annual report
WARREN — BRITE Energy Innovators issued its 2020 annual report, which highlights the efforts of the organization and its clients.
In 2020, BRITE's clients generated more than $17 million in revenue, created 382 jobs and received more than $113 million in investment.
"As an organization, our core mission and purpose are to serve our clients," Sara Daugherty, director of partnerships, said in a news release. "By validating their solutions and helping them get to market, we are working to prepare them for success. With success, they create jobs and attract investment into our community and state. These metrics validate the work we're doing as a small organization, and they highlight just how far we've come."
BRITE foresees a continued increase in demand for its entrepreneur services for energy storage, grid resiliency, electric mobility and other energy technology clients due to the Voltage
Valley initiative and the national focus on energy security, the release states.
"BRITE's work is validated every time we help a founder take the first step, or when a startup reaches a new, exciting milestone," Rick Stockburger, president and CEO of BRITE, said. "That's something we take a lot of pride in as individuals, as an organization and as a community for founders."
ModWash to open Youngstown location in the fall
YOUNGSTOWN — ModWash will open a new location at 750 Boardman-Poland Road in the fall.
Hutton, a commercial real estate, development and investment company, has closed on the property and will start construction this spring.
The new ModWash, the second in Ohio, is expected to open in October.
"ModWash has been growing tremendously this year, and we can't wait for our brand to become a staple throughout Ohio," Karen Hutton, founder and owner of ModWash and founder of Hutton, said in a news release. "We look forward to providing Youngstown and its surrounding communities a customer experience that is memorable and exceeds expectations. We are committed to creating a positive ripple effect through our customer services, growing our team to be leaders and fundraising to positively impact the community. We cannot wait to make lasting relationships that are impactful and connect us with one another throughout the community."
Youngstown's ModWash will offer the latest technology and amenities, such as the "newest fully automated bug prep" for all washes, free vacuums, air tools, automatic mat cleaners, window cleaner, microfiber towels and more, the release states.
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This story was originally published March 28, 2021 at 6:55 AM with the headline "BUSINESS UPDATES | YSU basketball player joins Burgan Real Estate team."