Thirteen Regional Projects Win Top Honors at Team NEO’s
Economic Development Plus Awards
Team NEO honored communities and organizations for 2013 economic
development initiatives that created or retained jobs, attracted
investments and developed opportunities for Northeast Ohio at the
organization’s eighth annual Economic Development Plus Awards
ceremony. Winners in 10 categories were announced. The event, held
at the InterContinental Hotel & Conference Center, drew a crowd
of more than 400 business and community leaders, economic
developers, politicians and chamber of commerce representatives
from the 18 counties of Northeast Ohio.
“The Plus Awards gives us the opportunity to recognize the
many talented, resourceful people behind the most innovative,
impactful economic development activities from across the 18-county
region,” said Tom Waltermire, CEO, Team NEO. “We
recognized 25 projects that represent almost 2,000 new jobs, 1,000
retained jobs and more than $400 million in capital
investment.”
A panel of judges selected 25 finalists, from which the
following winners were chosen:
ASSET CREATION
-
BioEnterprise, City of Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic, Cuyahoga
County, Greater Cleveland Partnership, MetroHealth System,
Positively Cleveland, Sisters of Charity Health System and
University Hospitals for The Global Center for Health
Innovation
BUSINESS ATTRACTION
(FEWER THAN 100 EMPLOYEES)
-
City of Wooster, Wayne Economic Development Council and
Wayne County for attraction of Daisy Brand
BUSINESS ATTRACTION
(MORE THAN 100 EMPLOYEES)
-
City of Solon and Greater Cleveland Partnership for
attraction of Nestlé pizza division
BUSINESS EXPANSION
(FEWER THAN 100 EMPLOYEES )
-
Richland Community Development Group and Village of
Lexington for expansion of Next Generation Films
BUSINESS EXPANSION
(MORE THAN 100 EMPLOYEES)
-
City of Strongsville, Greater Cleveland Partnership and
MAGNET for expansion of Vitamix
BUSINESS RETENTION
-
City of Willard, Development Finance Authority of Summit
County, Huron County Commissioners and Huron County Economic
Development Council for retention of Pepperidge
Farm
FOREIGN INVESTMENT
-
City of Akron and Greater Akron Chamber for the Akron
USA outreach program
FOSTERING ENTREPRENEURSHIP
-
Summit DD Microenterprise Program for creating the
Microenterprise Program -
University Hospitals for creating the Harrington
Project for Discovery and Development
MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
-
City of Cleveland for creating the Community Benefits
Agreement program
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
-
City of Canton, Jackson Township Trustees, Stark County
Port Authority/Stark Development Board, Stark State College, The
Timken Company and Timken Foundation of Canton for developing
the first Technology and Test Center in America
REGIONALISM AND CROSS-BORDER
COLLABORATION
-
City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, MAGNET and NASA Glenn
Research Center for creating the Adopt a City pro bono
program
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
-
Towards Employment for the WorkAdvance program
In addition, Dr. Luis Proenza was presented with the H. Peter
Burg Regional Vision Award, Team NEO’s highest honor. This
annual award commemorates the late chairman and CEO of
FirstEnergy Corporation, a regional leader who was the founding
chairman of Team NEO. Dr. Proenza was recognized for his
leadership in making the University of Akron a powerhouse for
regional economic development. For example, his work with Dr. Roy
Church, President of Lorain County Community College, to build the
Innovation Alliance and his contribution to the University of Akron
Research Foundation (UARF), which provides intellectual property,
commercialization and enterprise creation support to Ohio
entrepreneurs, innovators and business owners.
The 2014 Economic Development Plus Awards were sponsored by: PNC,
Medical Mutual, City of Cleveland – Division of Water,
AT&T, Buckingham Doolittle, FirstEnergy, FirstMerit Bank, Jones
Day, Lorain County Community College, The Sherwin-Williams Company,
Squire Patton Boggs and University Hospitals.
- Plus Awards