O-H-I-O

It has been an evolution for me to identify myself as an Ohioan, let alone one that is proud and defensive of what our state has to offer. I confess to being raised in New Jersey, and will forever have a place in my heart for the shore, diners, Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen. But I now find myself struggling with the perceptions of what the Midwest means to America.

This is not fly-over country. The Midwest is the backbone of America, and I find living in Ohio to be inspirational - from the kindess of its residents and its lower cost of living to the amazing entreprenuerial and resilient spirit that exists along the I-75 corridor. Just how important is Ohio's economy to America's financial success and status in the world? During 2007, the state's economy, if ranked against economies in the U.S. and other nations, would have been the 24th largest in the WORLD.

It is true that Ohio is currently taking some hard hits. Twenty percent of Ohio's economy is dependent on manufacturing, employing 1 out of every 6 residents. And a good percentage of these companies are in some way dependent on the survival of the Big 3 within the U.S. However, many of these small- to medium-sized companies were founded by entrepreneurs that are now up to the challenge of transitioning into more diversified markets.

The good news is that the Ohio Department of Development is aware that the state needs to find new industries to help manufacturing survive. Two key areas of focus are alternative energy and bioscience. Resources exist for companies wanting to transition, and, if you are a business within Ohio, I strongly recommend visiting this website for more information: http://www.odod.state.oh.us/.  It may even be worth your time to invite the Ohio Department of Development representative for your region to visit your business.

I have one last bit of encouraging news to share – a website that is requesting your ideas on how Ohio can begin to recover –  http://www.recovery.ohio.gov/. You never know how far an innovative thought can reach.