Seven Ohio State Department of Directors attended Lima/Allen County’s Chamber of Commerce event at St. Ritas Medical Center in Lima on Friday.
LIMA — The critical importance of Ohio’s workforce and the impact of federal regulations were key topics at Friday’s third annual “Big 7” Regional Thought Roundtable Luncheon. Hosted by the Lima/Allen Chamber of Commerce, the event brought together seven State Department Directors and local business leaders to discuss economic issues facing the region and state.
A packed room at the Mercy Health-St. Rita’s Graduate Education Center listened intently as directors from various state organizations shared insights on inflation forecasts, population trends, job retention strategies, and the challenge of attracting talent to Ohio.
“There are more jobs available than workers,” said Lorraine Terry, vice president of beverage systems at JobsOhio, highlighting the state’s workforce shortage. This sentiment echoed throughout the discussions, with several speakers emphasizing the urgent need to address the imbalance.
James Lee, director of public policy for the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, shared a success story from the OMA, discussing a work advance program that has led to a 22% increase in wages and higher retention rates among participants, tying the success and placing an emphasis on local collaboration, and sharing with the audience the importance of job creation and retention possibilities in manufacturing.
The looming workforce crisis was a recurring theme. Rick Carfagna of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce expressed concern about the state’s ability to meet future job demands. “We don’t have the population base to keep up with job demand. With thousands of new jobs on the horizon, we need to focus on the best ways to lure talent here,” he said. He also left attendees with questions regarding how Ohio can be convincing to outsiders as a career destination spot.
On the topic of inflation, an optimistic outlook was provided by Alex Boehnke of the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants.
“Retailers are price takers, not price makers,” he said. “While retail margins remain flat, we’re fortunately seeing trends moving in the right direction.”
Other speakers noted that inflation hits hard on businesses, both big and small.
The discussion took a more contentious turn when addressing regulations, particularly those at the federal level.
Ohio Chamber of Commerce SVP of Government Affairs Rick Carfagna pointed out that Ohio ranks as the sixth-most regulated state in the nation, while Lee expressed strong concerns about federal regulations, especially in the environmental sector.
“We’re facing many regulations from the USEPA that are unnecessary and are costing manufacturers billions of dollars,” Lee said.
Lee also emphasized the need for a balanced approach that protects the environment without stifling economic growth. Lee also noted the Biden administration spent more money in four years than the Obama administration did in eight years on environmental regulations.
Ohio Farm Bureau Senior Director of State and National Policy Brad Bales echoed these sentiments, citing a recent meat and poultry farm regulation as an example of regulatory overreach.
“They want farmers to develop and build waste facilities on their property, estimating to cost about $1 million,” he said.
Other directors at the meeting were Cameron Garczyk, assistant state director for the National Federation of Independent Business in Ohio and Kristen Frissora, the executive vice president of the Ohio Business Roundtable.
Reach Cade Higgins at 567-242-0351
