With just a few weeks to go before the official openings of Suzie's Dogs and Drafts and Mission Taco in Boardman, restaurant owner Christian Rinehart is putting the finishing touches on a third venture, the Mahoning Valley Hospitality Alliance.

"In our industry, we are seeing a downturn in true professional servers and service in the industry.  My own places included.  It is hard to find people that really enjoy making others happy.  So, we are building this to kind of help people understand this is a profession, it's not just a job to your next job.  It can really make you a comfortable living," said Christian Rinehart the founder of the Mahoning Valley Hospitality Alliance.

Rinehart, along with the 11 other founding members of the newly formed non-profit representing restaurants, bars, coffee shops, hotels and suppliers, hope to tackle some of the current challenges facing the service sector and foster growth among that industry.

Business owners who join the alliance will be able to offer their employees the opportunity to further their education through workshops and job training.  The group will also foster a collaborative environment among business owners in hopes of creating a better service industry in the Mahoning Valley.

"New businesses and old businesses alike can both share ideas, share resources and kind of pool all of those resources together so we can improve the lot for everyone involved," said alliance member Matthew Campbell who owns Branch Street Coffee Roasters.