As published in Development News - June 1, 2018
The Regional Growth Partnership’s headquarters is within 300 Madison Avenue in downtown Toledo
RGP named one
of top 15 ED groups
Region exceeds $4B of
new capital investment in 2017
Recognizing the robust level of activity across northwest Ohio in 2017, a national publication has named the Regional Growth Partnership (RGP) as one of the top 15 economic development groups in the US.
The Mac Conway Awards for Excellence in Economic Development presented by Site Selection magazine highlighted the RGP as part of its “Best to Invest” feature in the May issue. Site Selection is a leading publication for the economic development and site selection industries.
“This award is a testament to the many private and public economic development partners across our region, as well as JobsOhio, who are committed to the ongoing success and prosperity of northwest Ohio,” said Dean Monske, president and CEO of the RGP.
According to officials, award winners are determined by an index that examines corporate facility investment projects in US metro areas as tracked by Site Selection’s proprietary Conway Projects Database in 2017. Scores are awarded based on six criteria: total projects, total investment associated with those projects, and total jobs associated with those projects; those same three numbers calculated per capita for the metro area.
In northwest Ohio, RGP reported the creation of nearly 4,000 new jobs by businesses with capital investment approaching $4 billion. Several significant projects in 2017 included:
- Campbell Soup Company – 220 new jobs / $50 million capital investment
- Cliffs Natural Resources – 130 new jobs / $668 million capital investment
- deSter –70 new jobs / $5 million capital investment
For Toledo, according to the RGP, its economic development efforts helped in landing 31 projects in 2017, earning the city a number three ranking for Site Selection’s Governor’s Cup Awards presented earlier this year. In addition, those same rankings named the city of Findlay the top “Micropolitan” in the US for the fourth straight year. The cities of Tiffin and Van Wert also placed among the top micros nationally.
“All of us in northwest Ohio understand the business assets our region offers,” said Monske. “And now, the successes we see across our communities, through corporate investments and new jobs, validates that northwest Ohio is a prime location for development.”
Regional economic development groups in Columbus and Cincinnati were also recognized in the Mac Conway Awards, revealing the strength of Ohio’s economic climate across the entire state.
The Regional Growth Partnership is a private, non-profit development corporation dedicated to fostering local, national and international investment opportunities for Northwest Ohio. The RGP serves as northwest Ohio’s network partner for JobsOhio.
