YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – It’s been one month since CNBC ranked Ohio No. 1 in the country in its Top States For Business study, and Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel want to make sure those in the Buckeye State know all about it.

“This truly is our time,” DeWine said during a panel event at America Makes on Monday. “We have more jobs filled in Ohio than at any time in Ohio’s history.”

Youngstown was the second stop of a visit to nine cities as part of DeWine and Tressel’s Heart of Opportunity Tour. The tour kicked off at an event in Cleveland earlier that morning. The goal is to highlight Ohio’s ability to attract top-notch companies, new jobs, its success making strides in education and to thank communities across the state for their support.

“These are real team efforts,” DeWine said. “We talk about the big wins, but the truth is it’s the small wins, too, that matter. What is going on in the Mahoning Valley is very, very exciting.”

Joining DeWine and Tressel on the Youngstown panel were Barb Ewing, YBI CEO, and Alex Hertzer, Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition executive director. 

DeWine cited the region’s success in attracting new companies, business startups and investment, underscoring a strong confidence in the Valley. “People don’t do that if they think an area is not going to move forward,” he said. “Businesses are voting with their own money to come in here.”

He emphasized the formation of Lake to River Economic Development, which represents Mahoning, Trumbull, Ashtabula and Columbiana counties, as a catalyst for regional growth in northeastern Ohio. “It made sense to me,” he said. “You have unique advantages. The uniqueness of this community is very exciting.”

Ewing praised the governor for recognizing the specific qualities of this region and the creation of Lake to River as one of Jobs Ohio’s seven development districts in 2024. “We really don’t see the county lines and the community lines in the same way that we used to,” she said. “We hear a lot from our state and federal legislators about the community speaking with a single voice, that we are willing to step outside our immediate needs and try to build something bigger and better for everybody.”

She said the Valley has never veered from its core identity – manufacturing. “It’s been a powerful part of the story as we work to bring Kimberly-Clark to Trumbull County or Graphite One to Ashtabula County,” she said. “It truly sets us apart.”

YBI is in the process of developing its sixth building at its downtown campus. The new facility will serve as the Youngstown Innovation Hub for Aerospace & Defense. It is the state’s fourth innovation hub. 

Tressel highlighted efforts by the state to partner with local training organizations to help prepare those seeking positions in the workforce. “We’re trying to make it easy with WorkOhio,” an initiative launched earlier this year that connects those looking for a job with a facilitator who can help job seekers navigate resources and training opportunities.

In April, MVMC was named the East Regional hub leader for the program. “Behind the scenes, we’re working with training providers, workforce development boards, career and tech education, K-12, community based organizations,” he said. “The key is that we always start with employers” to determine what opportunities and specific skill sets are needed in the modern workforce. “Then we work backwards to build programs that we can provide to individuals in our community that have a direct connection to an employer,” he said.

America Makes, an innovation hub within the portfolio of Manufacturing USA that is dedicated to the adoption of additive manufacturing and boosting American competitiveness, hosted the event Monday. The hub was the first of its kind when it was formed in 2010 and today works with the world’s most prestigious contractors in defense and aerospace to support the advanced manufacturing supply chain.

“We knew our success would not come from one massive breakthrough,” said John Wylczynski, executive director of America Makes. “Instead, it would come through consistent, coordinated pushes that build momentum over time,” he said, not unlike the governor’s strategy.

“This is very similar to the approach that has been taken by the governor’s team,” he said. “They have been working relentlessly over the years to make the state of Ohio the best place to do business. And now they have proof to show it.”

DeWine also touted state improvements in infrastructure, brownfield development and investments in fiber networks, downtown revitalization and riverfront improvement projects. Other initiatives included educational achievements such as the expansion of Imagination Library, which has distributed 27 million books to children age 5 and younger throughout the state. These foundations are important to those businesses looking to relocate or start operations in Ohio, he said. 

“Ohio has proven to have the perfect environment for business to move here, expand here and stay here,” DeWine said. “Youngstown is no different. There are quality, stable jobs right here in northeast Ohio where Ohioans have the opportunity to reach their God-given potential.”

Pictured at top: From left are Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Gov Jim Tressel, Barb Ewing and Alex Hertzer.