Cincinnati USA Partnership: play to area strengths

A presentation Thursday by the state's top economic development officials gave participants more than just an overview of Ohio Gov. John Kasich's plan to create jobs; it provided both an ideal setting and a fitting big-picture perspective as the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber presented a new strategic plan for its development arm, the Cincinnati USA Partnership.

Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber Executive Director Dave Dougherty presented a series of goals that he says the Partnership will work toward: the creation of 200,000 net new jobs in the region by 2020, and securing the city a top-quartile ranking in the regional indicators measured by the Agenda-360 Vision 2015 Regional Indicators Report.

Dougherty began the presentation by defining the Partnership as a local extension of JobsOhio's overall plan. And if he had a single theme to his presentation, it could be summed up with the concept of playing to one's strengths.

While he noted the chamber will play a role in JobsOhio's efforts to bring more large-company investment to the state, a key part of the chamber's local efforts will focus on job creation within existing Cincinnati companies. Those businesses have historically counted for 80 percent of the region's new jobs.

"I believe we should fish where the fish are," he says.

Likewise, the chamber will reflect JobsOhio's focus on key 'industry clusters:' industries and related businesses that already have a strong foothold in the state. On the local level, Dougherty said that means the chamber - and through it the state - will be focusing on the industries for which Cincinnati is known, such as branding, consumer products and biomedical. The goal, says JobsOhio Interim CIO and President Mark Kvamme, is to build Ohio's reputation as a hotbed for its strongest industries.

"What you have here is an amazing piece of resources," he says.

Julie Janson, chair of the Cincinnati USA Partnership and president of Duke Energy of Ohio and Kentucky, calls the plan a step toward defining the city's - and state's - best attributes.

"This plan delivers a solid infrastructure to support the high-growth potential of the region," she says via press release Thursday. "We believe this is the right plan at the right time to capture our region's rightful place as one of America's favorite business centers."

By Matt Cunningham