Wayne Growth Report - March, 2008: Wayne County Economic Development Council

Wayne County
Growth Report

March, 2008

Our Vision:

Wayne County will encourage high quality growth and development while maintaining a balance between agriculture, industry, commercial and residential development.

Future growth will contribute to an increase in the prosperity of the county's residents, in the competitiveness and profitability of industry and commerce, a high quality of life and the fiscal stability of local governments.

Our Mission:

To promote and facilitate business retention and strategic business growth in Wayne County.

Strategic Priorities:

- Coordinate community and regional resources to generate economic growth.

- Create job opportunities using a balanced approach of targeted recruitment, global brand recognition, business creation and existing business retention and innovation.

- Maintain a strong investment advantage through competitive product offerings.

- Develop plans for continuous organization development and resource acquisition.

For more information visit our website.

Quality Growth Investors

Platinum Level

City of Wooster

JM Smucker Co.

Luk

National City

Noble Foundation

Seaman Corp.

Stan & Flo Gault

United Titanium

Wayne County Board of Commissioners

Western Reserve Group

Gold Level

Akron Brass

Campbell Construction

City of Orrville

City of Rittman

Frito Lay

OARDC

Ohio Legacy Bank

Silver Level

American Electric Power

Buckeye Container

Cleveland Clinic

College Hills Honda

Critchfield, Critchfield & Johnson

D&S Distribution

Dominion East Ohio
Dunlap Memorial Hospital

Dyer, Hughes, Roche & Wilson

Embarq

First Energy

First Merit Bank

First National Bank

Freeman Building Systems

G&S Titanium

Huntington Bank/Huntington Insurance
Insite Real Estate

JLG

Magni-Power

Marshall Construction

Meaden and Moore

Metals USA

Nu-Way Construction

Orrville Trucking

Pallotta Ford / Lincoln Mercury

PFI Displays

Rea & Associates

Smith Dairy

Snap-On Business Solutions

Spectrum Industries

Stan Welty

Technigraphics

Tekfor

Wayne Co. Community Found.

Wayne Co. Schools Career Center

Wayne County Farm Bureau

Wayne Dalton Corporation

Wayne Mutual Insurance

Wayne Savings Comm. Bank

Westfield Bank

Will-Burt

Wooster Area Chamber of Commerce

Wooster Brush

Wooster Community School District

Wooster Glass Co./Ralph Jones

Wooster Hydrostatic

Wooster Iron & Metal

Bronze Level

Apple Creek Bank

Baaron, Inc.

Bernhardt Producing

Bogner Construction

Bosch Rexroth Corporation

Briggs Financial

Chippewa Township

Clear Picture

Commercial Savings Bank

Cox Bruner

Daily Record

Dalton Chamber of Commerce`

FJ Designs

Frontz Drilling

Gerber's Poultry

Gerstenslager

Hal Franks Realty

Holmes Wayne Electric

Insurance One

Logee, Hostetler, Stutzman & Lehman

Long, Cook and Samsa

Luke Engineering & Manufacturing

Metal Dynamics

Morrison Custom Welding

Mull Iron

Murr's Printing
Orrville Area Chamber of Commerce

Orrville Printing

Orrville Utilities

Performance Pontiac

Prairie Lane Corp

RBB Systems

Red Ferris Chevrolet

Reed Warehouses

Rittman Area Chamber of Commerce

RJ Corman

Shreve Business Association

Shreve Printing

Snyder Advertising & Design

Sprenger Retirement

Stark Development Board

Venture Products

Village of Doylestown

Wal-Mart

Washington Properties

Waste Management

Wayne Machine Shop

Wes Martin Interiors, Inc.

Whitaker Myers Insurance

Woodlyn Acres

WRL Advertising

Thank you to these visionary investors for supporting Wayne County's Quality Growth initiatives!

Wayne County Named Top Midwest Micro - Again!
Wayne County has been named the Midwests top performing micropolitan economy and third best in the entire nation for 2007 by a leading site selection publication.

The Top Micropolitans rankings are part of the Governors Cup awards given by Site Selection magazine. It annually ranks nearly 400 such regions across the country based upon new investment and jobs announced in the previous year.

These awards are considered to be the most prestigious awards in economic development.

Wayne County is one of only six micros nationwide to have an annual average ranking of 25 or better in each of the years since the study began in 2000.

Ron Starner, General Manager of Conway Data Inc. and Site Selection Magazine, said "Wooster and Wayne County are not only among the most competitive locations for industrial companies in Ohio; they rank among the top locations in the entire U.S. when compared to communities of comparable size. Wayne County has consistently shown an ability to outperform the vast majority of micropolitan areas in the U.S. by targeting the right companies, helping existing industry grow and serving as an effective tool for job retention and expansion."

Site Selection also named Ohio as the recipient of its Governors Cup for the second year in a row for logging the most qualifying projects of any state in the country.

OARDC Begins Construction on State-of-the-art Feedstock Processing Research Facility

The Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) has begun construction of a state-of-the-art Feedstock Processing Research Facility, which is expected to increase the quality of feeds for vital livestock and poultry research and aid in the development of renewable industrial products.

"The $5.5 million project is scheduled for completion in 2008. The research done in this facility will contribute to the value-added

economy of agriculture and bioproducts in Ohio," said OARDC Associate Director David Benfield.

The new facility will help develop and improve the nutritional value of feeds for Ohio State University's internationally recognized livestock and poultry research programs. It will support the work of researchers in the Department of Animal Sciences, the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, and the Food Animal Health Research Program.

In addition to supporting food-animal research, the facility will play a key role in the processing of oils and proteins from field crops (especially soybeans) for innovative applications in bio-based fuels, chemicals, polymers and materials - a research and commercialization area in which OARDC is taking the lead in the state through its Ohio BioProducts Innovation Center (OBIC).

"An important area of research is the processing of biomass at a biorefinery to create multiple products such as specialty chemicals, advanced materials, bio-based fuels and renewable energy," said OBIC Director Stephen Myers. "The feedstock processing facility will have the capabilities to perform the

initial stages of a biorefinery, such as grinding/sizing, mixing/blending and extraction. Linked to other centers at OARDC and throughout Ohio, this facility will be integrated into a network of research scientists helping to champion an emerging bioeconomy in our state."

The largest and most comprehensive agricultural research facility in the United States, OARDC is the research arm of Ohio States College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. The Center brings together some 230 scientists engaged in more than 400 research projects at any given time. Through collaborations with industry and government agencies, OARDC generates more than $1 billion of annual economic impact and cost savings to Ohio and the United States.

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More than $146 million was invested by Wayne County companies and organizations in 2007.

East Union Township and the Village of Apple Creek created Wayne County's first Joint Economic Development District (JEDD) while Doylestown and Chippewa Township pursued their own JEDD to spur growth along SR.21.

The City of Rittman is identifying available industrial sites and has worked with Caraustar to maximize the future use of that former packaging facility.

Rittman Mayor Robertson Honored for Development Leadership

Rittman Mayor Bill Robertson was named the first recipient of the Chris Schmid Award for Economic Development at the WEDC's Annual Meeting held on March 4th.

"The award was established last year to honor our past chairman Chris Schmid, who has really set the bar for economic development leadership in our county and region," said WEDC Chairman Steve Shapiro. Robertson was presented the award before a record crowd of more than 240 business and community leaders gathered at The Pines in Orrville for the WEDC's Annual Meeting.

In giving the award, Shapiro praised Robertson's leadership as Mayor of the City of Rittman. "Mayor Robertson has really exemplified the commitment, hard work and determination necessary for carrying out an effective economic development program," Shapiro said. He then went on to cite the many activities that have demonstrated Robertson's leadership including:

Serving as the Rittman Chambers representative on the WEDC Board of Directors.
Leading a community strategic planning and visioning process for Rittman.
Initiating the Small Town With a Big Heart branding effort and Big Heart Awards to recognize community and economic improvement efforts.
Leading efforts to bring a new grocery store and other businesses to Rittman.
Working extensively with the EPA and Caraustar to redevelop that property for the betterment of Rittman.
Actively engaging in regional economic development efforts like the FFEF.
Partnering with City Manager Larry Boggs and the Community Improvement Corporation on Rittman economic development issues.
As a member of the Rittman School Board, working to develop a joint operating agreement that includes a shared superintendent and other administrative positions.
Actively working with the Rittman Chamber on Downtown Revitalization.
Building support for and awareness of economic development issues with a weekly newspaper column.

Shapiro noted that Mayor Robertson's dedication was exemplified by the fact that he had used vacation days from his real job to attend meetings for the betterment of the City. "I can't think of a more deserving and honoree for this inaugural award," Shapiro concluded.

Local Companies, Communities Work Together to Propel GrowthThe investments range from planned new business parks to individual corporate expansions like those made by P. Graham Dunn in Dalton. The new capital investments spurred the addition or retention of an estimated 1,331 jobs paying an average wage of $15.39 per hour. The majority of the new investments came from existing companies in Wayne County.

Another trend that continued in 2007 was the attraction of foreign investment, this year from Speed North America, whose Montreal headquarters relocated to Wooster. In recent years, Wayne County has seen foreign direct investment from Italy, France, Germany and Canada.

Communities also continued to plan for future growth by investing in infrastructure to support economic development. Orrville began planning for a third industrial park while in Wooster, community leaders secured funding to move forward with the BioHio Research Park. Meanwhile, the Wayne County Commission streamlined its tax abatement process, revitalized its CIC to assist a local company in purchasing land for expansion and granted two small business loans through its Revolving Loan Fund.

"The spirit of cooperation that exists here is a true competitive advantage for attracting business, said WEDC chair Steve Shapiro. We appreciate all of our private and public sector partners whose continued investments have allowed Wayne County to be national leader in economic and job growth."

Educational Attainment Key to Development Says Chancellor Fingerhut at Annual Meeting

New Website An Effective Marketing Tool

The Wayne Economic Development Council's new website has proven to be popular among visitors. Since its launch at the beginning of 2008, the site has drawn an average of nearly 5,000 visitors per month.

The previous site had averaged approximately 2,700 visitors per month.

"We worked for many months to develop a design that was pleasing and informative while still delivering significantly deeper and broader content," said WEDC President Rod Crider.

"We worked to gain the feedback of our many audiences, especially the site consultant community," Crider said.

"We estimate that more then 80% of all site searches begin with the internet, so it is absolutely critical for a community to have an easily navigable and informative website," says Bob Ady of Ady International. Ady International is a leading site selection consultant based in Chicago.

"Our challenge will be to keep the site fresh with new content and to develop a search engine optimization strategy that raises Wayne County's internet presence above our many competitors," Crider concluded.

The new website also carries a new domain name. It is now located at www.waynecountyedc.com. The organization's email has been changed to reflect the new domain name also. Staff emails are now: Rod Crider,rcrider@waynecountyedc.com; Brian Gwin, bgwin@waynecountyedc.com ; Alyssa Bowman, abowman@waynecountyedc.com and the general email box is now info@waynecountyedc.com. Please note these changes for contacting us and feel free to forward suggestions or comments on our new website.

Lt. Governor Lee Fisher to Make Major Announcement at Technigraphics

Ohio Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher will make what his office has termed as a major announcement regarding economic development on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. at the corporate offices of TechniGraphics in Wooster.

Members of the Board of Directors of the Wayne Economic Development Council, the Wooster Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee and other dignitaries are among those expected to attend the event.

Wooster and the State of Ohio have been vying with other states where TechniGraphics has facilities for a chance to secure an expected expansion of the business. The company recently submitted an Enterprise Zone application to the City of Wooster and the Wayne Economic Development Council has worked with the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) to structure an incentive package. In its application, the company said it planned to create 150 new jobs and invest over $4.4 million in new facilities and equipment.

TechniGraphics is a global company focused on Product Lifecycle Management solutions, CAD services, and multi-CAD data migration. With offices located in Wooster, OH, Alpharetta, GA, Bellevue, WA, Brunswick, OH, Costa Mesa, CA, Fort Collins, CO, Southfield, MI, and St. Louis, MO, the company strives to help its customers manage processes, drive innovation and cut costs through visualization and simulation of products, processes, and environments.

The Everybody Works Employment Expo is being held Friday, April 11, 2008 from 12:00 noon until 3:30 p.m. at the University of Akron Wayne College in Orrville. The Expo is being sponsored by the Employment and Training Connection (ETC). The ETC is dedicated to assisting employers in maintaining a stable workforce in Ashland, Holmes, and Wayne counties.

The Employment Expo allows employers to meet prepared job seekers and fulfill current hiring needs while encouraging business expansion in the tri-county area.

For further information on securing a spot at the Employment Expo, contact Carol Pleuss, Coordinator of Career and Assessment Services at the University of Akron Wayne College. She can be reached at 330-684-8928 or by email at cjpleus@uakron.edu.

Further information and registration forms can be found online at the ETC website.

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Smucker to Buy Canadian Food Concern
By Bryan Schaaf, Staff Writer
The Daily Record

Raising the educational environment in Ohio is the first step toward attaining economic growth, higher education Chancellor Eric Fingerhut told a large audience at the Wayne Economic Development Council's annual meeting on March 4th.

"When we create talent, we create enormous economic growth," said Fingerhut, who was appointed Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents in March 2007. "We understand that overall education level is directly tied to economic growth. Universities are places of research, and it is through those research centers that local communities will be able to expand."

Fingerhut shared with the crowd Ohio's rankings in education, which lists the state's work force at 38th out of 50 in the level of educational attainment.

Between public and private institutions in the state, which include 13 public schools, one free-standing medical college, 24 regional campuses 23 community college with 30 campuses between them and a slew of private schools, Fingerhut said Ohio has deep collection of higher education institutions.

However, making those colleges affordable and accessible, particularly to those "nontraditional" students, is the goal of the state, he said.

"Most of the students we need to reach are what we used to call nontraditional," said Fingerhut, who noted public schools in Ohio are in the first year of a two-year tuition freeze. "But there's nothing nontraditional about them anymore. These are adults, people with jobs and families who need to go back to school to enhance their education. As wonderful as it might be to spend four years on campus in Athens or Oxford, the fact is that an affordable and accessible education is what will drive the overall education attainment in our state."

In addition, Fingerhut spoke about a new program from Gov. Ted Strickland called "Seniors to Sophomores," which will offer college credit to high school seniors who take college classes.

The college credits will be transferable to public colleges and universities in the University System of Ohio, according to a statement from Strickland. Students who elect to take a full load of college courses their senior year will be able to enter college on a second-year level, or as sophomores, essentially completing their first year of college for free.

According to Strickland's office, $4 million is available under the program. Because of the source of the funds, eligibility is limited to public high schools, though the program eventually will serve public and private schools. Funds may be used to plan for encouraging high school students to participate in college-level programs.

Reprinted from the Daily Record, Reporter Bryan Schaaf can be reached at 330-287-1645 or bschaaf@the-daily-record.com

Exhibit at the Everybody Works Employment Expo

A unit of J. M. Smucker Co. has agreed to acquire Europe's Best Inc., a privately owned provider of frozen fruits and vegetables that is based in Montreal, Quebec.

Smucker did not disclose terms of the deal for Europe's Best, which Smucker described as the No. 1 brand of all natural frozen fruit in Canada. Smucker said Europes Best recently entered the U.S. market and is now available at select retailers primarily in the eastern and southern regions of the country.

"The addition of Europe's Best is an excellent fit with our strategy of owning and marketing North American food brands which hold the No. 1 position in their respective category," said Tim Smucker, chairman and co-chief executive officer.

Smucker said the transaction is expected to close by the end of March. For Smuckers fiscal 2009, the acquired business is expected to add $70 million in sales and be slightly accretive to earnings.

Administrative functions of Europes Best in Montreal are expected to move to Smuckers Canadian headquarters in Markham, Ontario, by the end of October.

Wayne Economic
Development Council
377 W. Liberty St.
Wooster, OH 44691
Phone: 330.264.2411
Fax: 330.262.5745

info@waynedevelopment.org

Thanks for your interest in Wayne County, Ohio. Please contact us if you have questions, suggestions or comments.