RGP Annual Meeting Showcases Successes and New Opportunities

The purpose of the event was to celebrate successes from the previous year as well as highlight and address new opportunities in high-growth industries that will help drive future development and investment.

“There’s a lot happening across Northwest Ohio and there’s going to be some special announcements in the next couple months, certainly the next 12 to 24 months,” said Dean Monske, president and CEO of the Regional Growth Partnership.

Among the successes was the attraction of a Portuguese-based company, Intraplas, to Northwest Ohio. The RGP presented a case study on the project, going behind the scenes in describing the extensive process, more than a year in the making, to bring the company to Van Wert. The purpose was to show the RGP’s efforts and role in this site selection process, and to demonstrate the broad collaboration with many regional and state partners necessary for successful economic development.

Moving into the second half of the meeting, the RGP focused on a prioritized effort of attracting technology and white-collar jobs. The RGP’s Executive Vice President Gary Thompson discussed the interrelationship between power, technology and innovation – how Northwest Ohio is realizing new opportunities tied to those components. He also recognized many tech industries requiring increasing amounts of power. With that, Thompson noted, this region is well-positioned in the energy sector, and ensuring a reliable, sustainable and affordable energy supply will serve as a major selling point for attracting tech-related businesses.

Monske closed the meeting by noting that the RGP will continue focusing on the region’s historic strengths – the core industries where Northwest Ohio has a competitive advantage. He said new technologies and innovations that the RGP pursues will only improve our position in those core industries.

“Our plan is to position this region where we enthusiastically embrace new initiatives, build on our current professional ecosystem, and draw targeted businesses to Northwest Ohio,” Monske concluded.