Lake to River’s Sarah Boyarko inducted into Association of Ohio Commodores
On Saturday, Sarah Boyarko, Vice President of Economic Development for Lake to River, was inducted into the Association of Ohio Commodores following the organization’s annual meeting in Columbus.
Boyarko joins an exclusive group of approximately 600 individuals who’ve been recognized by the Governor of Ohio as an honorable member of The Executive Order of the Ohio Commodore in the organization’s nearly 60-year history, according to a Monday press release.
Penny Traina, CEO/executive director of the Columbiana County Port Authority, and Grand Commodore David Johnson nominated Boyarko.
“Sarah’s unwavering dedication to driving meaningful economic development and her commitment to the success of our region made her a clear choice for this nomination,” Traina said. “Her leadership has profoundly impacted not only our community’s growth but also the opportunities available to future generations.”
Membership in the Commodores, which was formed in 1966 by Gov. James A. Rhodes, is only possible through appointment by Ohio’s Governor in recognition for outstanding contributions to the economic development of the State of Ohio.
Members include government officials such as members of the Governor’s Cabinet; distinguished university professors and administrators; leaders of trade associations and economic development organizations; and senior executives of large, medium and small manufacturers from across Ohio in a wide variety of industries.
“Being inducted into the Association of Ohio Commodores has been a prideful and rewarding experience because it confirms that my contributions in regional economic development are valued,” Boyarko said. “I am enormously thankful for the guidance and support that I have received throughout my professional career, including the Lake to River Board of Directors and the two members that nominated me. I wouldn’t be here without those individuals.”
In her position at Lake to River, Boyarko, a Boardman native, leads all aspects of the economic development team, which is focused on job growth and investment throughout the four-county region.
Since the creation of Lake to River in April, Boyarko and her team have generated $72 million of pending investment throughout the 4-county region that could result in the creation of more than 200 new jobs, which are expected to be announced in the coming months.
Prior to Lake to River, Boyarko spent nearly 18 years at the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, where she held a variety of executive level positions including operations and human resources and spent 14 years in economic development. Under her direction, the Chamber’s economic development team managed 214 projects, resulting in $6.2 billion of private investment and the creation of 10,178 new jobs throughout the Valley.