As I was reading the Wall Street Journal last Friday, an advertisement caught my eye...I'd flipped past the 3/4 page, 5 (of 6) column ad and then came back to it when I realized it was about Ohio. It's titled "Why Ohio - A Series" and it starts with this quote from Nancy Kelly, Executive Vice President of Huntington National Bank:
"Business is great in Ohio. And so is my life."
It continues with her photo and her story, concluding with this:
"For Nancy Kelly, balance is the key to success in the office and at home. Find your balance at OhioMeansBusiness.com or call 1-877-466-4551."
This ad is part of the "Build Your Business. Love Your Life." campaign sponsored by the Ohio Business Development Coalition, a non-profit group charged with developing a sales and marketing strategy for the state.
Why is this important to Northwest Ohio? Because yesterday I received the following press release from the Regional Growth Partnership:
Regional Growth Partnership Joins Forces with OBDC To Promote Northwest Ohio
TOLEDO, Ohio – Promoting a statewide marketing campaign to attract new jobs, business and capital investment to Ohio, the Regional Growth Partnership has received approval for a $54,000 matching grant.
The state grant will support the RGP’s editorial marketing initiative, which is designed to draw national and international media coverage to northwest Ohio’s strengths, resources and assets.
In putting forth its proposal to the Ohio Business Development Coalition (OBDC), the Regional Growth Partnership became the first regional economic development entity in the state to apply for and receive funding under the matching grant program.(emphasis added)
“We are excited the OBDC saw the value of our editorial marketing program, and through this grant, we can now promote both northwest Ohio and the state as an ideal location for new business,” said Steve Weathers, president and CEO of the RGP. “The Ohio brand is already recognized by investors nationwide, and we’re now building on that same message to convey all of the wonderful opportunities in northwest Ohio.”
In September 2006, OBDC unveiled a new Ohio brand, summed up for the business community in the brandline, “Build Your Business. Love Your Life.” The new brandline communicates that Ohio offers balance without compromise; everything businesses need to thrive and provides ample opportunity for executives and employees to achieve their personal aspirations as well. As part of its editorial marketing program, the RGP will promote how the Toledo region uniquely delivers the Ohio promise.
The RGP already has some successes to point to when it comes to national articles highlighting businesses in our area. Congratulations to them for being the first in the state to qualify for the matching grant!
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Maggie;
I have to respectfully disagree. In my opinion public money should never go to promote business; business should promote business. Government’s role is to ensure the environment is most conducive for business growth. Until Ohioans realize this we will continue in the malaise we currently are.
Funny you should mention economic growth and the latest ambulance chase! I covered both of them in detail today myself!
Brian - you're correct that public money shouldn't be spent in this way.
However, once the politicians in Columbus violate this principle, should our locally-eligible entities forego such funds and allow them to spent elsewhere?
This dilemna has bothered me over my years in elective office...I even had a discussion with Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) on this issue, considering his traditional 'no' votes on anything not Constitutionally required.
And the conclusion that I came to is that we should fight against the allocation/appropriations of such public expenditures, but, having lost such a fight, we can be glad when local entities - who can at least demonstrate the monies will be spent as intended with the targeted results - are receiving those dollars.
If you have another way to deal with this issue, I'd love to hear about it.
Rusty - nice way to tie in the President, but I'm not sure it's applicable. Ohio and Michigan have failed to do what is necessary to keep the jobs we have. The U.S. imports more jobs than we export, so I'd suggest that your statement is way to place the blame elsewhere - rather than upon ourselves.
There are other states who are seeing an increase in manufacturing...we'd be better served finding out WHY companies would rather locate in those states than in Ohio. I'd guess that the answer won't be about Bush, but about our own internal issues - like state taxes, state regulations, local laws and costs of labor.
Placing blame on federal policies can lead us further away from where we want to be by giving us an excuse for not changing how we do business in this city, county and state.
"Feel good money" designed to make Ohioans think that, "Ohio ain't THAT bad..." (IMO).
Although I do respect what the RGP has done previous to taking this bribe.
(Yeah, I know, it's kinda harsh. But, I calls em as I see em.)
Post a Comment