Three Thoughts: Labor Day Advice for the Next Governor

 

Labor Day is upon us. 

Ohioan Jacob Coxey from my hometown Massillon led a march on Washington for economic policy in 1894.  Labor Day became a thing that same year as Congress’ answer to the populist demands of the time. 

Not long after, the labor holiday also became the traditional start of political campaigns.  Voter interest picks up in the sprint to November.  

Economic policy and political campaigning are intertwined with Labor Day.  Ohioans still tend to tune in to elections more after Labor Day to ponder how they are going to vote.  It’s also when candidates are starting to think more seriously about what happens after Election Day. 

With that backdrop, I have three thoughts for Ohio’s next governor about what governing looks like after the results have set in.  There are lessons to be gleaned from past governors. 

First Thought: Jobs. Jobs. Jobs.

Ohio Governor Jim Rhodes turned a catch phrase into a governing roadmap.  His “jobs, jobs and jobs” theme is still spot on today.  

His closest gubernatorial race in 1974 was a referendum on manufacturing jobs versus a service sector shift.  The lesson then is the lesson today: Focusing on manufacturing jobs is job one, two, and three for an Ohio governor. 

Keep a focus on Ohio’s economic base.  Bad economic times come inevitably, and the most resilient state economy is one where the base stays diverse and strong.  History shows an economic downtown is worse in places where the base is weakened and overdependent on a few sectors. 

Every cabinet agency should answer the question:  How does this policy affect manufacturing?  Manufacturing is the foundation of our Ohio economy.  

Another Thought: All development is local

Tip O’Neill’s saying, “All politics is local” also applies to development.  

Ohio Governor George Voinovich, himself a local official at heart, coached local officials he met to think about their community needs saying, “If you know what you want, you can get it.”  Local consensus building was central to the Voinovich development approach. 

That translates to:  Empower local communities. 

For example, no development happens without a site or building.  At the core of local economic growth is site readiness—a locally driven endeavor.  State government can only empower local readiness, not replace it. 

Third Thought: Business climate matters

It was a governor, then Texas Governor George W. Bush, who gave the best definition of economic development I’ve heard saying, “Economic development is creating an environment where people are willing to risk capital.” 

Some things only a Governor can do.  Governor Mike DeWine famously met with corporate decision makers over Fran’s breakfast.  That sincere, personal touch—something only a governor can deliver—is how even multibillion-dollar, job-creating investments get closed. 

There’s more to this business climate factor, as the recent CNBC rankings demonstrate.  

Infrastructure and workforce are woven into business climate and that’s where a governor is both a general and a front-line soldier.  

Grassroots political campaigning causes gubernatorial candidates to see more from the front lines of the economy and development than any state aides will ever see.  You can’t visit dozens of county fairs, festivals, and parades and not absorb an understanding of the wants and needs of Ohioans.  Trust what you learn. 

Labor Day is when governing questions come into focus for Ohioans and for future governors alike.  Manufacturing jobs focus, local economic resilience, and business climate should be at the forefront.

Feb. 22, 1894; Newark Advocate, page 2

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This column is a regular column in The Columbus Dispatch.

Three Thoughts: Simple, Welcoming Gestures

It’s simple.  Clap while a group of kids walk into a building. 

Four years ago, a friend invited me to join a clap-in ceremony at a youth gathering. I did.  Now, I’m hooked. 

My friend was opening my eyes to a broader way to reach a future workforce and an audience receptive to learning the value of STEM skills.  

For 20 years, our Port Authority has made it our job to reach STEM learning audiences and boost industry engagement.  

Tewahedo Social Services brings over 500 young people from its summer camps together each year for a youth summit.  This August saw the 16^th consecutive year of the ETSS Youth Summit in Central Ohio. 

First Thought: Simple welcoming gesture

The clap-in is a great way to open the Youth Summit.  As kids get off their buses and walk to the auditorium, the clappers do what they do—clap their hands. 

We clappers quickly learn that some of the kids are lifted by our clapping right away while some need a little more effort and attention.  As a four-year veteran clapper, I know I can focus my claps on a kid to see if I can turn a snarl into a smirk. 

A simple clap is a signal of welcoming. 

The clapping welcomes the children to a place to learn about each other’s cultures, gain community appreciation, and hone their leadership skills.  It’s a metaphor for something bigger: welcoming young people into new possibilities. 

Another Thought: A spark with STEM learning

Sharing the value of science, technology, engineering, and math skills with the youth can be just as simple.  It’s another simple, welcoming gesture. 

This year, our Port Authority brought industry partners along with us.  Young people explore everything from the physics of gyroscopes with a spinning bike wheel to engineering by mixing colored polycarbonate plastic pieces. 

Just as clapping can change a young person’s mood, seeing STEM skills at work can change how they imagine a future career. 

STEM learning is happening alongside burning off energy in soccer and volleyball.   Among the kids dreaming of becoming the next Lionel Messi may be some who discover they want to be the next Neil deGrasse Tyson. 

Third Thought: Seeing a future

Not every spark to a future career comes from inside the four walls of a classroom.  I know from experience that industry engagement can be, and is, inspiring.   I’ve watched the learners of 2006 become the engineers and scientists of 2026. 

Sometimes, simple industry engagement is all it takes to inspire.   It’s worth it if you inspire just one kid. 

STEM learning can give a young person hope for a future career.  The local relevance from meeting companies in their own community plants seeds for those future careers right here in Central Ohio. 

Five hundred young people gathered at one place.  Welcomed with a clap. Introduced to real-world STEM. Encouraged to imagine their future. 

Call me an optimist.  I believe these simple, welcoming gestures translate well. 

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This column is a regular column in The Columbus Dispatch.

Three Thoughts: Ohio Ranks, Again

 

Site selectors used to get asked, “Why is Ohio on our list?”  Now, if they leave Ohio locations off from the list of potential sites for their business clients, they’re asked “Why isn’t Ohio on our list?” 

Site selectors are the consultants behind corporate decision making.  These are the folks involved in every “mega” project finding their location.  By many estimates, 60% of large job-creating deals flow through site selectors. 

In July, CNBC named Ohio the number one state in its “America’s Top States for Business” annual list for 2026.  The news that Ohio tops the list is still reverberating weeks later. 

The site selector listing change tends to parallel the CNBC ranking changes. 

Ohio ranks top because of the state’s leadership, manufacturing edge, and natural location advantages. 

First Thought: Manufacturing edge matters

“Manufacturing is not simply part of Ohio’s success story. It is the reason Ohio leads.”  The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association leadership’s assertion on the CNBC ranking is true. 

Ohio’s economic success is owed to the manufacturing sector.  Among the top three manufacturing employment states, Ohio is number one in per capita manufacturing.  The edge in manufacturing is evident in Ohio too. 

Few were predicting that Ohio would reach $1 trillion GDP as fast as it did just as fewer were predicting Ohio would leapfrog to the CNBC top rank this year.  Manufacturing is indeed the reason behind the economic side of the gains. 

Another Thought: Location advantages matter

CNBC cited Ohio’s infrastructure as a top reason for the top spot ranking. 

Ohio has long had natural advantages in infrastructure.  Historically, Ohio has been an industrial development leader because of cost of doing business, abundant energy, transportation access, natural resources, and human capital.  

Market access matters.  Logistically, Columbus is tops for reaching 60% of U.S. and 50% of Canadian markets. 

The CNBC ranking confirms that Ohio is leading the way in putting these Ohio-specific attributes to work again in growing our state’s economy. 

Third Thought: Leadership matters at all levels

Who’s at the helm matters. The get-things-done leadership of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has made a difference.  We’ve all been witness to his hands-on approach to winning capital investment especially when it plants the seeds for future jobs. 

The business climate focus of the Ohio General Assembly is leadership that matters.  Taming taxes and focusing on regulations that aid electricity customers have been critical. 

The JobsOhio model is the envy of other states for its business-minded approach.  JobsOhio tilts the scale for Ohio’s success with marketing prowess that communicates our state’s advantages coupled with smart incentives.  That’s leadership that CNBC noticed. 

Local leadership matters too.  Local industrial development shines where it has been ready to receive the manufacturing surge, taking advantage of expansions of existing industry and new locations. 

No top ranking occurs without competitive local real estate--ready-to-go buildings and sites.  No improved ranking occurs without local infrastructure readiness or local workforce development capabilities. 

Now, every business looking for a place to invest and bring jobs has to take notice—Ohio ranks, again.

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This column is a regular column in The Columbus Dispatch.