Regional Growth Partnership

Friendly Reminder: Our 2025 Annual Meeting is next week! Register now for the opportunity to mix and mingle with the finest business minds in Northwest Ohio and hear what our leaders have to say about the region: https://ow.ly/m4Ec50Vaalh

Site Selection Magazine announced this morning the recipients of the 2024 Governor’s Cup awards and, not surprisingly, Northwest Ohio walked away with a bevy of trophies.     These awards recognize states for their business development projects.     Toledo was tied for ninth in total projects and alone in ninth on a per capita basis among Tier 2 metros.     Lima was tied for fourth in total projects and alone in second on a per capita basis among Tier 3 metros.    Out of all micropolitans – those communities with populations between 10,000 and 50,000 – the following cities in Ohio were recognized:   🏘️ Findlay  🏘️ Tiffin  🏘️ Defiance 🏘️ Fremont  🏘️ Bucyrus  🏘️ Van Wert     All in all, another stellar showing by the Buckeye State! Read the full story at the link: https://lnkd.in/eznHz5cy 

Northwest Ohio is making waves! 🌊   Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and JobsOhio president and CEO JP Nauseef, announced today that First Quality Tissue has chosen Defiance as the home of its new ultra-premium towel and tissue production facility.   The new 1.6 million square-foot facility will be located on a 1,000-acre site at the Baltimore Avenue Industrial Corridor, which was the first location primed for future economic development with support from the All Ohio Future Fund.   Here is why this is such a big deal, straight from Governor DeWine:   “The All-Ohio Future Fund was established to attract and support projects just like this in which an established company like First Quality Tissue is prepared to hit the ground running and make a significant investment in jobs and capital in our state. Attracting more than 400 new jobs to a site in Defiance that is already prepared for development is a win-win for Ohio, Defiance County and First Quality Tissue.”   Get the full story at https://lnkd.in/dzpsxW9H cc: Defiance County Economic Development

Pulling talent from our own backyard is vital to keeping the region humming along. With the emerging hydrogen economy expected to trigger new jobs in the United States, it’s vital we have the workforce capable of doing these jobs.   Enter: The University of Toledo.   The university is leading a collaborative aimed at training regional workers for new and existing jobs in this field.   Here is what Dean Monske, our president and CEO, had to say about this arrangement:   “Talent rising from The University of Toledo helps northwest Ohio remain competitive in the global market. When it comes to hydrogen energy, this rapidly evolving industrial landscape requires knowledge-based talent with the enhanced skillsets necessary for these growing sectors. In our role of helping companies meet the talent needs of business, we turn to educational institutions like UToledo to ensure success.”   Here's the full story: https://lnkd.in/eyFnzX8d

D. Paul Zito, our vice president of international development, made a trip overseas last week to participate in a business forum in Florence, Italy that was co-hosted by RGP and the Federation of Italian Football. The purpose of Paul’s visit was to network and give interested companies a tutorial, of sorts, on how to operate in the American market. By all accounts, it was a hugely successful event that showcased what Northwest Ohio has to offer.

Finding the right talent in a highly-skilled field can be tough. That’s why companies continue to lean on community colleges to help provide skilled workers: they have the resources and assets needed to get programs off the ground.   We’ve seen how this can be successful via the partnership between North Star BlueScope Steel and Northwest State Community College that was supported by JobsOhio.   Now, companies like GROB Systems, Inc are investing in apprenticeship programs with community colleges to take advantage of classrooms and labs that are set up and ready to go, as is the case with Rhodes State College.   This shows how powerful these partnerships can be, and we can’t wait to see them continue.   Ohio businesses 🤝 Ohio community colleges   Full story: https://ow.ly/sxII50V0gbr

One month from tomorrow – March 13, 2025 -- is RGP’s Annual Meeting, our yearly gathering where we bring together the people who make Northwest Ohio the vibrant community we all know and love.   Registration is now open so secure your spot today: https://ow.ly/XLmQ50UV38t

Since its inception 15 years ago, JobsOhio has served as a model organization providing a significant competitive advantage for Northwest Ohio (and the entire state) in our economic development efforts. As a private organization, JobsOhio offers a unique business model, allowing it to drive high-growth business investment and job creation that are helping propel the state’s ingenuity and ambitions forward.    “JobsOhio serves as an incredible partner to the Regional Growth Partnership, putting forth dynamic programs and initiatives designed to support businesses of all sizes, communities both large and small, and industries across a diverse set of business sectors. Their incredible efforts have helped the RGP, in collaboration with our regional partners, in generating more than 22,000 new jobs and $12 billion in capital investment in just the last five years.” – Dean Monske, RGP President and CEO Read why other Ohio business leaders agree that we need to continue this innovative funding model: https://lnkd.in/gQVNTjvp Cc: Ohio Business Roundtable, Pat Tiberi, Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Steve Stivers, JP Nauseef

XLIV Italian Bowl is coming back to Toledo on Saturday, June 28, and we are looking forward to welcoming the Italian Football League’s championship to The Glass Bowl on the campus of The University of Toledo. Tickets for the game are on sale now and start at only $20! Get them before they are gone: https://lnkd.in/euFqkfVD

The city of Lima, Ohio is one of our biggest success stories, proving that we are not beholden to helping companies that operate near Toledo.   In 2023, Lima and Allen County contributed 19 projects, 179 new jobs, and $139 million in investments to the RGP, including notable projects with Procter & Gamble and Charles River Labs.   RGP president & CEO, Dean Monske, doesn’t see business slowing down anytime soon.   “The relationships we’ve built over the last 20 years will lead to an incredibly bright future,” he said. “When it comes to technology and data centers, all of the biggest of the big companies that are household names — we’re working with every one of them.”   Lima, Ohio 🤝 RGP   Read more about Lima’s success at the link:https://lnkd.in/ePVMJphN