JobsOhio 2020 Annual Report Shows Success Despite Challenges

J.P. Nauseef
JobsOhio

In what was a unique year for every person, business, and industry the world over, the positive results for Ohio are evidence of our state’s perseverance, ingenuity, and strength in the face of adversity. Starting with steady and bold leadership provided by the DeWine/Husted Administration and through partnerships and collaboration across the state, we collectively and successfully navigated the challenges of the pandemic, producing impressive achievements for Ohio’s economic development along the way.

Key takeaways from the JobsOhio annual report:

• We worked on 307 projects (the most in our history),
• worth $7.8 billion in capital investment,
• that resulted in 19,021 new jobs created,
• with $1 billion in new payroll.

2020 Initiatives

While focusing on economic development, challenged by the Governor, JobsOhio and our network partners also quickly pivoted to help Ohio businesses and workforce make it through the pandemic. Top initiatives in 2020 included:

1. Talent: We redoubled efforts to expand support for our workforce with solutions to help companies find the talent they need to thrive in Ohio.
2. Sites: We invested in multiple initiatives related to job ready site and building development to increase Ohio’s potential to win projects.
3. Diversity and inclusion: We focused on developing several programs that have helped make Ohio a state where anyone can thrive, particularly for underrepresented population groups and distressed areas of our state.
4. Innovation: We launched a strategy in 2020 to increase Ohio’s competitiveness across the innovation continuum.

Site Selection Accolades

We’d also like to thank you for helping Ohio to win the Site Selection Governor’s Cup for most new corporate facility projects per capita than any other state for the second year in a row! Congratulations to the DeWine-Husted Administration and cities across the state. Because of your work, you’ve proven that Ohioans persevere and our state can come out on top even in difficult times.

2020 showed the world what Ohioans can do when we work together. JobsOhio is excited by what the future holds for Ohio and we are confident that the best is yet to come! We look forward to being on that journey with you.