July 6, 2021

Today, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation released the report from its latest Lunch, Learn, & Lead Discussion Series event titled “Opportunities for Ohio in a Post-COVID Economy.” The report highlights the conversation between Lydia Mihalik, Director of the Ohio Development Services Agency, Charlie Rowell, Director for North American Business Development of JobsOhio, and Dr. Dave Shideler, Chief Research Officer at Heartland Forward and co-author of “Reshoring America: Can the Heartland Lead the Way?”

There are several key takeaways from the discussion:

• Ohio enjoys advantages available to few other states in the US and is in a position to capitalize on the reshoring of companies looking to bring their manufacturing back to the United States, or those seeking to modify their supply chains in response to the pandemic.
• An accelerating transition to instant access and faster delivery for consumer goods through e-commerce underlines the need for robust investment in broadband internet access to boost economic opportunity for entrepreneurs, businesses and communities across Ohio.
• The establishment of public-private partnerships such as the three Innovation Districts, and the announcement of JobsOhio’s Growth Capital Initiative, will provide strong anchors for the future of research and development as Ohio cements its place as a leader in the 21^st century economy.
• Talent attraction and retention are key drivers of economic opportunity as businesses seek a ready, well-trained workforce for their operations.

“We want to give special thanks to our panelists for joining us and highlighting the lessons learned from the pandemic and how they’re translating those lessons into strong leadership to benefit our state,” said Justin Barnes, Executive Director of the Ohio Chamber Research Foundation. “Ohio continues to be a great place to do business, and companies looking to relocate or expand their operations will find plenty of opportunity here.”

To access the report, “Opportunities for Ohio in a Post-COVID Economy,” click here.

For a recording of the panel discussion, visit this link.

To see previous reports from our Lunch, Learn, & Lead Discussion Series, click here.