SitemapTwenty-eight young professionals have been deemed this year’s 25 Under 35 honorees since October, but three – Ian Beniston, Dr. Patrick Brine and Dr. Courtney Stryffeler — stood out as the three MVPs Thursday night.
All 28 honorees were nominated by their peers and co-workers for the 25 Under 35 Awards. A panel of judges assessed and scored the honorees based on three areas: careers accomplishments, their levels of education and service to their communities. The top three are chosen as the MVPs. While the 28 finalists have been known since October, the judges kept the identities of the three MVPs a secret until last night when they were announced before a crowd of 400 well-wishers at Stambaugh Auditorium. The 25 Under 35 class of 2018 actually included 28 nominees, all of whom were recognized last night. “The three MVPs this year are just wonderful,” said Rose Shaffer Saborse, Mahoning Valley Young Professional chairman of the awards. “We have people who really concentrate on the community.” In their remarks, Brine, Stryffeler and Beniston iterated the importance of community and community service. Brine is associate program director of internal medicine residency at Mercy Health at St. Elizabeth Hospital Youngstown. “I am just truly honored and humbled to receive this award. Being somebody who was raised here, giving back is a part of what we need to do and who we need to be,” he said. Stryffeler is nurse manager of perioperative and infusion services at Mercy Health at St. Elizabeth Hospital, Youngstown. “I truly have a passion for people and showing kindness and love and trying to give back as much as I can. I’ve been blessed throughout my entire life and I need to make sure I’m giving back blessings to other people,” she said in her remarks. Beniston is executive director of Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. “I don’t take this MVP for me I take it for YNDC,” he said. “What we do every day in neighborhood revitalization and community development is not something that one person can do. We need you all to participate in what we’re doing. We need everyone to work together to continue to improve the city.” To read the full story from The Business Journal, click here.