First Posted: 3/4/2015
VAN WERT — In the past year local communities have been adding new jobs and expanding businesses — and they recently were recognized for it.
Van Wert, Wapakoneta and Findlay were recognized by Site Selection magazine, a corporate real estate strategy and area economic development magazine, in its ranking of 2014 top micropolitan communities in the nation.
Van Wert and Wapakoneta tied with each other and other cities for number 23 of 576, each with four “corporate facility investment deals,” according to http://siteselection.com. Micropolitan communities are described as areas with “an urban core of at least 10,000 residents but less than 50,000 population,” according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
For the Van Wert community, the ranking brings “greater awareness of Van Wert” and “just an awareness of what the micropolitan-sized cities have to offer to companies to attract new business,” said Cynthia Leis, Van Wert City Economic and Community Development Director.
Leis said she believes two capital projects made the difference in the city’s ranking: a Braun Industries expansion and employee increase and an Advanced Biological Marketing expansion.
“I think overall it does show that we are on an upward trend for economic growth,” Leis said.
For Greg Myers, executive director of the Wapakoneta Area Economic Development Council, the ranking is a good selling point for not only the city, but Auglaize County, as the ranking includes other cities in the county, such as Minster, St. Marys and New Bremen.
“It’s an important way to validate our statement that Auglaize County is a very good place to do business because you don’t have to just take our word for it, we actually have the statistics to back it up,” Myers said.
Wapakoneta has ranked in the top 25 micropolitans for nine of the last 10 years, Myers said.
“We’re very proud of that,” he said. “But it’s really our companies … they’re the ones that make it possible.”
Also on the list of top micropolitans were Bellefontaine and Sidney, tied with many others for number 74, with two corporate facility investment deals each. Lima didn’t rank for its projects as a micro or metropolitan area in 2014.
Findlay topped the list, making it the top micropolitan community in the nation out of 576, according to a release from the Findlay/Hancock County Economic Development group.
Ohio also ranked well among other states, scoring No. 2 in projects per capita and number of projects, with 582 projects, according to http://siteselection.com.
