Where companies flourish in a conducive business climate built for success. Where people thrive within a culture that encourages and rewards innovation and hard work. Where challenges are eagerly met. And where creativity and vision produce groundbreaking solutions.
It’s not a coincidence eight Northwest Ohio communities ranked among the top performing nationally in 2024, according to Site Selection magazine’s annual Governor’s Cup awards, which were announced earlier today.
“The success we’ve had comes from our assets that we know companies are looking for. These include things like our location in North America where we sit at the very heart of the population base. Our transportation assets are second to none, and we have a workforce that can compete with anyone around the globe.”
– Dean Monske, Regional Growth Partnership President & CEO
In Lucas County, Toledo ranked No. 9 among Tier 2 metros (populations between 200,000-1 million). Lima ranked No. 4 in the Tier 3 category (and No. 2 per capita) for populations between 50,000-200,000. And six “Micropolitans” in Northwest Ohio, those communities with populations between 10,000-50,000, finished in the top 100 among the nation’s 500-plus micro areas. Findlay ranked No. 1 in the country among micropolitans.
Monske spoke to the credibility of the awards by touting Site Selection magazine as “The Bible” in the economic development world. He added that site consultants, businesses and corporate real estate professionals recognize the significance of these rankings coming from a highly respected publication.
For Findlay, this marks the 11th consecutive year as the No. 1 Micropolitan. Other regional “micros” to make the list included Tiffin (#6), Defiance (#12), Fremont (#19), Bucyrus (#39) and Van Wert (#70).
“The state of Ohio’s general business climate has consistently ranked number one in the Midwest,” Monske continued in recognizing the region’s rankings. “And all of this comes with a backdrop of world-class collaboration among our economic development partners. We compliment all the communities in our 17-county region for their business-first approach when speaking to companies about expansion or new investment projects.”
The 70-year-old Atlanta-based Site Selection magazine has awarded the Governor’s Cup annually since 1988, based on new and expanded corporate facilities as tracked by the proprietary Conway Projects Database.
In addition to the Northwest Ohio region, the state of Ohio secured the No. 3 spot for overall projects as well as third for per capita investments in 2024.
“These exceptional results highlight our sustained excellence and momentum across every corner of the state. From our largest cities to our smallest communities, Ohio is demonstrating that our business-friendly approach, strategic investments in infrastructure, and commitment to workforce readiness are creating an environment where companies and people can thrive.”
– Mike DeWine, Ohio Governor
“These consistently high rankings are a clear scorecard showing that our intentional, collaborative approach is generating real returns for Ohioans. Vital industries are not just coming to Ohio; they are converging to form powerful economic clusters statewide that are catalyzing emerging super sectors in advanced air mobility, life sciences, semiconductors and microelectronics, artificial intelligence, energy, and critical military and federal missions – all empowered by a premier workforce.”
– J.P. Nauseef, JobsOhio President and CEO
The Regional Growth Partnership is the lead economic development organization serving 17 counties in Northwest Ohio. As a private nonprofit development corporation, the RGP is dedicated to fostering regional, national and international business investment opportunities across the region. The RGP serves as Northwest Ohio’s network partner for JobsOhio. Visit www.rgp.org for more information.
JobsOhio, Ohio’s private nonprofit economic development corporation, enhances company growth and personnel development through business attraction, retention, and expansion across ten competitive industry sectors. With a team of seasoned professionals, JobsOhio utilizes a comprehensive network to foster talent production in targeted industries and attract talent through Find Your Ohio. Collaborating with seven regional partners, including Dayton Development Coalition, Lake to River Economic Development, Ohio Southeast Economic Development, One Columbus, REDI Cincinnati, Regional Growth Partnership and Team NEO, JobsOhio delivers world-class customer service to provide companies with a competitive advantage. Learn more at www.jobsohio.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.