Ohio Recognized for Economic Development Successes in 2022
COLUMBUS, Ohio – JobsOhio, the state’s private nonprofit economic development corporation, has received the prestigious Gold Shovel award and two Project of the Year awards by Area Development, a quarterly publication.
The awards are in recognition of the state’s achievements in attracting high-value-added investment projects in 2022.
All 50 states were invited to submit information about their top 10 job creation and investment projects in 2022. The projects submitted by JobsOhio represented more than $28.3 billion in investment across six industries: advanced automotive, energy and chemicals, food and agribusiness, health care, logistics and distribution and technology.
Ohio took top honors – the Gold Shovel – in the category of states with a population of more than 10 million. Additionally, the $20 billion Intel semiconductor fabrication facility megaproject in Licking County, which will support 3,000 engineering and technician jobs, was named the 2022 Manufacturing Project of the Year. The Medpace life-sciences research megaproject in Cincinnati, which will bring 1,500 new jobs and $90 million in added annual payroll, was named 2022 Non-Manufacturing Project of the Year.
Additional projects noted by JobsOhio include Abbott, Ford, Honda, LG Energy Solutions and SEMCORP. Those final two projects set new records for foreign direct investment in the state and created a record number of foreign direct investment jobs with 3,728.
“The Gold Shovel award symbolizes Ohio’s growing global reputation as a premier hub for innovation,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “The extraordinary successes achieved last year are a testament to the spirit of partnership and collaboration between the state of Ohio, JobsOhio and its six regional network partners. We’ve welcomed major investments across a variety of industrial sectors that have created new job opportunities for Ohioans and have reinforced the strength and versatility of our economy.”
JobsOhio partners regionally with Team NEO.
In 2022, JobsOhio executed 26 Ohio Site Inventory Program projects and authenticated five additional SiteOhio properties, which meant shovel-ready sites and led to significant deals. For 2023, JobsOhio aims to vet 25 projects, authenticate three additional sites and perform due diligence studies on three newly identified large sites.
“Ohio has been able to compete and win huge economic development deals because of our ability to break down barriers for business and establish developable sites for new-build or revitalization projects,” Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said. “Companies from all over the nation and world are choosing Ohio as a place to grow, which in turn provides high-paying jobs and a brighter future for Ohioans.”
Ohio was among five states to earn a Gold Shovel but the only one in its population range.
Pictured at top: An artist’s rendering of the proposed $20 billion Intel project. (Image: JobsOhio)
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
