Columbus, Ohio – Ohio rose to fourth in Site Selection magazine’s annual state business climate rankings this year, up from seventh in 2008, and leads the Midwest in rankings taken from new plant construction data and a survey of site selectors. Ohio’s jump in the ranking reflects the state’s efforts to improve its business environment and create jobs for Ohioans.
“The global recession hit Ohio hard,” Ohio Governor Ted Strickland said, “but we refuse to let our challenges define us. We are holding the line on taxes and cutting red tape so that our businesses can be competitive and create jobs. And we are reducing the size of state government to direct limited resources in ways that help Ohioans attain the education and skills needed to land good jobs.”
Site Selection’s annual business climate rankings are determined by performance in Conway Data’s New Plant Database, which tracks new and expanded business facility activity, and by a national survey of corporate selectors. Ohio’s performance in the executive survey helped the state jump from 17th in 2008 to eighth in 2009.
“Improving a state's business climate in the current economic context is no small feat, but Ohio has done just that," Mark Arend, Site Selection's editor in chief, said. "This accomplishment, along with Ohio's three consecutive Governor’s Cups in 2007, 2008 and 2009, means the state's economic development strategy is on target and delivering tangible results – capital investment and jobs."
According to the Site Selection surveys, state’s transportation infrastructure and access, existing workforce skills, and state and local tax environment were the heaviest influences on executive polling.
“Business executives continue to discover that Ohio is a great place for capital investment,” said Lisa Patt-McDaniel, director of the Ohio Department of Development. “Ohio’s improved rank in this Site Selection poll demonstrates our commitment to an economic development strategy that makes our state the best place in the nation to do business.”
Please visit http://www.ohiomeansbusiness.com/ for more information about Ohio’s business environment.
Below are the rankings as released by Site Selection magazine:
TOP TEN STATE BUSINESS CLIMATES 2009
1. North Carolina
2. Texas
3. Virginia
4. Ohio
5. Tennessee
6. South Carolina
7. Alabama
8. Georgia
9. Indiana
10. Kentucky
EXECUTIVE SURVEY BUSINESS CLIMATE RANKINGS 2009
1. Texas
2. North Carolina
3. Georgia
4. South Carolina
5. Tennessee
6. Virginia
7. Alabama
8. Ohio
9. Florida
10. Colorado
About Site Selection
Site Selection magazine, published by Conway Data Inc., delivers expansion planning information to 44,000 executives of fast-growing firms. The senior publication in the development field, Site Selection is also available via Site Selection Online (www.siteselection.com).