Teamwork is the Secret to Ohio’s Success

There are several reasons Ohio is a hub for job creation. According to John Minor, president and chief investment officer for JobsOhio, teamwork plays a key role in retaining businesses and bringing companies into Ohio.

JobsOhio is a private, nonprofit corporation established in 2011 to drive job creation, new capital investment and economic growth in Ohio. Minor says that before JobsOhio there was no single group or entity that coordinated these kinds of efforts.

“With JobsOhio, we are able to work together and share ideas,” Minor says. It is no wonder the company has been an integral part of growing the state’s agribusiness and food processing sectors.

Companies such as Daisy Brand, the largest sour cream manufacturer in the U.S., show how working together can pay off. In June 2013, after considering multiple locations throughout the Midwest for its third sour cream plant, Daisy Brand committed to Ohio; the new facility will bring89 new jobs and $116 million in capital investment. Minor attributes this success to teamwork between local and state agencies.

“We had numerous conference calls with the company that included our regional partners as well as key state officials and JobsOhio leadership,” says Minor. He noted that through these calls, the company’s questions and needs were addressed and efficiently handled. He added that “Daisy Brand’s CEO was amazed that all of these agencies and groups actually talked to one another.”

Statistics show the teamwork approach is working. In 2012 more than 1,566 jobs were created in Ohio’s agriculture industry alone. According to Minor, 75 percent of all the jobs created come from companies already located in the state.

“We are building relationships with Ohio companies and learning how we can help them expand and grow – now, in the next three to five years and beyond.”

Ohio’s central location, strong infrastructure and research centers make it a smart place for agriculture expansion. For companies like Daisy Brand, Ohio provides quality cream from more than 2,000 dairy farms and access to abundant clean water. Thanks to other companies such as Nestlé and General Mills, the state ranks fifth in the U.S. for food processing.

Minor encourages company decision makers to seek out JobsOhio, take the opportunity to talk with their experts who understand industry needs and can help resolve issues and make strategic decisions. “Our goal is to create an environment and landscape where companies can be successful and thrive,” Minor says.