4 New Members Join YSU Foundation Board of Trustees

4 New Members Join YSU Foundation Board of Trustees

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Youngstown State University Foundation Board of Trustees elected four new members this week.

James Dascenzo, Daniel Letson, John McNally and Lawrence Richards joined the YSU Foundation board for an initial three-year term.  

“The YSU Foundation has a rich history and tradition of outstanding leadership from the board of trustees,” said Nader Atway, who was elected board chairman. “We are grateful to James Dascenzo, Daniel Letson, John McNally and Lawrence Richards for agreeing to join the board and share their knowledge and expertise to advance the foundation’s mission.” 

Dascenzo, a CPA, earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from YSU and has been at the Youngstown office of Hill, Barth & King since 1988. He is the national director of HBK Manufacturing Solutions, a group of specialists focused on manufacturing clients and their unique needs. Dascenzo is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants and serves on a variety of local boards, including the Youngstown Business Incubator, Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber and Youngstown Symphony Society.

Letson has been practicing law for 38 years in Warren, where his practice centers on probate matters. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history from Grove City College in 1979 and received his J.D. from the School of Law at the University of Akron in 1986. His previous board services include the Visiting Nurse Association of Trumbull County, Trumbull County Children’s Services Board and the Trumbull County Bar Association.

McNally was a Mahoning County commissioner from 2005 to 2012, and then the mayor of Youngstown from 2014 to 2017. He serves as general counsel and vice president of administration for Boak & Sons Inc. He is a 1987 graduate of Ursuline High School, a 1991 graduate of Georgetown University with a bachelor’s degree in foreign service and a 1996 graduate of the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law with his J.D. and a master’s degree in public administration.

Richards has been an attorney in the Canfield area for more than 20 years. He graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in accounting in 1970, his J.D. from the School of Law at the University of Akron in 1976 and his LLM in taxation from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1999.

The foundation also announced a newly elected executive committee made up of the YSU Foundation officers and committee chairs. The YSU Foundation Executive Committee for 2024-2026 includes:

  • Nader Atway, chairman.
  • Jude Nohra, vice chairman.
  • Ed Muransky, immediate past chairman.
  • Rajiv Taneja, secretary.
  • Ben Keck, assistant secretary.
  • Ted Schmidt, treasurer.
  • John Moliterno, assistant treasurer.
  • Rick Blasé, human resources committee chairman.
  • Lee Burdman, finance committee chairman.
  • Scott Schulick, investment committee chairman.
  • Germaine Bennett, development committee chairwoman.
  • Garry Mrozek, audit committee chairman.
  • Martha Bushey, governance committee chairwoman.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.