330.941.2146 ohioapex@ysu.edu
APEX THROUGH THE YEARS

APEX Through the Years

Since 1985, APEX Accelerators have been serving companies across the nation. Each APEX is unique. Each APEX has a story to tell. This is the story of Ohio APEX Accelerator at YSU.

1985
4
1985

PTAC Created

Congress authorized the creation of the PTAC program, now known APEX Accelerators, paving the way for Centers to be established nationwide. With fervent congressional support, a regional APEX Accelerators was established in the heart of Youngstown to provide assistance to companies throughout the Mahoning Valley. 

2016
4
2016

Partnership with YSU

Mahoning Valley PTAC, now known as APEX Accelerators, partners with the Ohio SBDC at YSU. This partnership allowed APEX Accelerators to leverage the education and skills of interns throughout the counseling process while providing them with real-world educational opportunities. This partnership also paved the way for the evolution of the Ohio APEX Accelerator at YSU.
2023
4
2023

Rebranding

In 2023, PTAC rebranded and transitioned its name to Ohio APEX Accelerator at YSU to better reflect its mission of accelerating innovation, fostering ingenuity, and establishing resilient and diverse supply chains.

APEX Accelerators

As the world of government contracting evolves, so, too, must APEX Accelerators evolve to better assist their clients. That natural evolution led to a new APEX Accelerators being created and hosted at YSU to provide assistance to companies throughout Trumbull, Mahoning, and Columbiana Counties. Located in the Williamson College of Business Administration alongside the Ohio SBDC & EAN at YSU, the Ohio APEX Accelerator at YSU provides the highest quality assistance to both established government contractors and those companies who are new to the government marketplace.

Our 2021 Community Impact

Awarding Agencies

Award Actions

Dollars in Awards

%

State & Local Awards

%

Federal Awards

Our Team

Scot Loveland

Director, Ohio APEX Accelerator at YSU

Scot Loveland is a graduate of the University of Mount Union and the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA. After serving in the Army and the federal government as an intelligence specialist and linguist, Scot entered the private sector. He was often tasked with leading aggressive growth strategies in both the commercial and government spaces for small businesses. That experience was useful when Scot found himself engaged as a project manager on a $100 million IDIQ training contract for Special Operations Command.

As a veteran, business management consultant, and a former client of the Ohio APEX Accelerator at YSU, Scot is uniquely equipped to aid companies looking to initiate or expand relations with the federal and state governments. Scot’s office is located at the Williamson College of Business Administration in Suite 1154 and can be reached at 330-941-2146 or swloveland@ysu.edu.

Dillan Pickel

Counselor

Dillan Pickel has a BA in Business from Purdue Global University. She previously worked at Defense Logistics Agency in Columbus supporting contracting officers and engineering activities for the Warfighters. She was a Quality Assurance Specialist, assisting with pre-award and post-award contract reviews to assess quality assurance recommendations and requirements. Dillan is currently in the Ohio Army National Guard and has proudly served her country since 2011. With Dillan’s unique background in DLA, she is well-positioned to assist manufacturing clients looking to engage the Department of Defense.

Dillan’s office is located at the Williamson College of Business Administration in Suite 1152 and can be reached at 330-941-1886 or dpickel@ysu.edu.

Beeghly Fellows

Part of government contracting is having the right business, but the other part is having the right team. The Ohio APEX Accelerator at YSU expert counselors will assist businesses with government contracting needs from researching viability for your products and services to renewing registrations and certifications. The Ohio APEX Accelerator at YSU is partnered with the Williamson College of Business Administration, allowing us to leverage the education, talent, and experience of the students to provide more specialized client assistance.