About Us
In 1978, CASTLO formed as a community improvement corporation to bring new opportunity in the face of the shrinking steel industry. We invested more than $5 million to clean, level and landscape the 120-acre campus of the former Youngstown Sheet & Tube property. CASTLO Industrial Park is the first re-purposed, shovel-ready brownfield development in Ohio. CASTLO also established a community fund to provide leadership, mentoring and workforce training programs for a new generation of talent.
Our Team
SARAH LOWN
Executive Director, Economic Development
slown@westernreserveport.com
Sarah Lown has 18 years of experience in public-sector economic and community development. Prior to joining the Port Authority, Sarah worked for the City of Youngstown, Mahoning County and the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments. She has extensive experience in planning and project management. She secured over $25 million in state and federal grants for the region.
Sarah joined the Port Authority’s Economic Development Division in November 2011, where she established partnerships among various jurisdictions and economic development agencies to promote a collaborative approach to community revitalization. She also coordinated private-sector financing projects such as capital lease and tax increment financing, as well as PACE financing.
RANDY PARTIKA, PE
Board of Trustees Chairman
rpartika@westernreserveport.com
Randy Partika brings 31 years of engineering and technical experience to the economic development sector serving the Mahoning Valley.
Randy comes to the Port Authority following 31 years at the Mahoning County Engineer’s office, where he served as Bridge Engineer for the last 28 years. Randy has extensive project management and grant writing skills, as well as planning, design, and construction management experience. He has successfully overseen nearly $120 million worth of public infrastructure investment while achieving the highest distinction of performance and financial audit compliance.
He has served on various community and technical committees association with Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, County Engineer’s Association of Ohio. He was honored by the State of Ohio Economic Development Association as Volunteer of the Year in 2016 for his many years of dedicated service to the CASTLO CIC.
Randy is a proud graduate of Youngstown State University and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Ohio.
Denise Simon
Industrial Park Administrator
William Binning
President
Jean McBride
Secretary/Treasurer
Ray Calcagni, Jr.
Finance Chair
Marion Creed
Industrial Park Management Chair
Vivian Powers
President
Kristen Olmi
Program Chair
Photos by Frank Marr Photography
Contact Us
100 South Bridge Street Struthers, Ohio 44471