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Resilience and Growth In partnership with
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THE LINK BETWEEN
BUSINESS AND PLEASURE.
EVERY THING GROWS HERE.
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Resilience and Growth
Columbus Site Manager
Alan Miller Publisher/General Manager
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Emma Frankart Henterly
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Laurie Allen and Evan Weese DESIGN & PRODUCTION Production/Design Director
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Rob Hardin Advertising Vice President of Sales
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C ontents 04 One Columbus Board and Team 06 Continued Resiliency A note from One Columbus Board Chairman Sue Zazon
08 O n the Fast Track to Success Four companies demonstrate how the Columbus Region supports startup growth.
16 B ecoming a World-Class
Classified Sales
Amy Vidrick MARKETING Marketing Manager
Biotech Hub
Lauren Reinhard
The Columbus Region is on the map, thanks to investment and collaboration.
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22 T he Region at a Glance Get to know the Columbus Region’s 11 counties.
12 W hy Amgen Chose the Columbus Region—and Why It Matters The biopharmaceutical powerhouse’s investment in the Region will have significant impact.
Tia Hardman, Jackie Thiam
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Resilience and Growth
board of Directors
One Columbus
Sue Zazon, Chairman
office of the ceo
President and Executive Vice President, Central Ohio Region, The Huntington National Bank
Kenny McDonald, CEcD
Raja Sundararajan, Secretary
Jackie Pervan
President and Chief Operating Officer, AEP Ohio
Mark Berven, Treasurer President and Chief Operating Officer Nationwide Property & Casualty
Kevin Boyce
President and Chief Economic Officer Executive Assistant to the President and CEO
finance and administration Sean Grant Chief Administrative Officer
County Commissioner Franklin County Board of Commissioners
Jennifer Randall
Corrine Burger
Tara Griffin
Chief Control Officer, Consumer and Community Banking JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Staff Accountant
Haley Young
Brian Faust
Administrative Specialist
Chief Financial Officer, JobsOhio
Alex R. Fischer President and Chief Executive Officer The Columbus Partnership
Colleen Gilger Director of Economic Development City of Dublin
Andrew J. Ginther Mayor, City of Columbus
James A. Keller Executive Vice President, Auto Development Center Honda Development & Manufacturing of America
Senior Staff Accountant
CLIENT SERVICES Matt McCollister Senior Vice President, Economic Development
Matt McQuade Managing Director, Business Development
Deborah Scherer Managing Director, Global Trade and Investment
Justin Bickle Managing Director, Client Services and Project Management
Logan Dawson, Project Manager
Brian Jepson
Tom Stipkovich, Project Manager
President, OhioHealth Central Ohio Market
Jay Knox
Gregory R. Overmyer
Research Manager
Chief Executive Officer, Overmyer Hall Associates
Stephen Cone
Robert H. Schottenstein
Economic Development Coordinator
Chief Executive Officer and President, M/I Homes
Pablo Vegas Executive Vice President and President, Gas Utilities, NiSource Inc.
Dr. Grace Wang Executive Vice President for Research, Innovation and Knowledge Enterprise, The Ohio State University
WORKFORCE STRATEGY David White Director, Workforce and Talent Solutions
Tammy Palasique Workforce Development Specialist
Investor Relations Chip Holcombe Managing Director, Investor Relations
EX-OFFICIO Matthew Bailey, Partner Squire Patton Boggs
Kenny McDonald, CEcD
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Marketing and Communications Amy Harman Director, Marketing and Communications
President and Chief Economic Officer One Columbus
RESEARCH AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
Sean Grant, Chief Administrative Officer
Managing Director, Research and Business Intelligence
One Columbus
Juliet Hall, Research Analyst
Jung Kim
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Resilience and Growth
Continued Resiliency Throughout the past year we have continued to face challenging times, but the Columbus Region has remained strong and resilient. Companies continue to expand and evolve, new projects are breaking ground, and Central Ohio is growing. As we know from the recently released census data, we are constantly changing and diversifying, adding tens of thousands of new residents across our communities.
Photo courtesy One Columbus
This year brought transformational investment in our region, and emerging industries gained momentum. Throughout our 11-county region, our communities found new
Building More Than Buildings®
ways to innovate in order to remain competitive places in which to live and work. We have a location that provides unmatched market access, a talented population and a culture of collaboration. One Columbus, our regional economic development organization, is one of the best in the country. We must remain steadfast and focused on the vision to become the most prosperous region in the United States. Thank you to the investors that support the efforts of One Columbus. I am confident that we will continue to overcome challenges, find critical opportunities and remain a strong, growing region. Sue Zazon President and Executive Vice President, Central Ohio Region, Huntington; Chairman, One Columbus Board of Directors
Building Partnerships in Columbus, Ohio
Building More Than Buildings in Columbus Ohio Gilbane has been building in Ohio since 1957 and has offices based in Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo, in addition to managing numerous projects throughout the state of Ohio. With over 60 years of success and a strong presence in the Columbus community, Gilbane is committed to building the local workforce and supporting community efforts. Over the last ten years, Gilbane has successfully managed several significant projects in Columbus and built long lasting relationships with the community. Central Ohio is important to Gilbane; it is where we live and work!
BEYOND A BUILDER ...A COMMUNITY MEMBER Our team is dedicated to contributing to the overall quality of life in all the communities we call home. At Gilbane, we’re building more than buildings, we’re building communities.
Franklin County Courthouse
Columbus Regional Airport Authority Concourse Modernization
Nationwide Children’s Hospital Livingston Ambulatory Center
Columbus State Community College Mitchell Hall
Big Walnut Local School District New Schools Program
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2014
2017
2019
2021
2012 Scioto Downs Slot Casino
2015
2018
The Ohio State University The Ohio State University Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Building Pomerene and Oxley Halls Renovation
2019
City of Reynoldsburg Community Center and YMCA
2021
State Automobile Insurance Company Corporate Headquarters Renovation
145 E. Rich Street, Columbus, OH 43215 www.gilbaneco.com
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LIVE TO PROGRESS. With a vibrant economy, young and educated workforce and abundance of highly diversified industries, the Columbus Region attracts bold and collaborative leaders with the vision and courage to live forward. columbusregion.com
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Resilience and Growth
On the Fast Track to Success Four companies exemplify how the Columbus Region acts as an incubator for startups.
By Laurie Allen For fast-growing, technology-forward companies, Columbus offers an ideal fusion of talent, knowledge and startup energy, coupled with publicprivate sector alliances and synergies among all the players to launch and cultivate young businesses. Four such businesses—Beam Dental, Lower, Olive and Upstart—are among the up-and-comers that have achieved notable successes in a relatively short time. Here’s a glimpse at each of them.
Beam Dental 226 N. Fifth St., Floor 4, Columbus, 800-648-1179, beam.dental Brush. Floss. Rinse. Rewards. That’s the concept behind Beam Dental, a fast-growing digital dental benefits provider that incentivizes dental hygiene. The company was founded in Louisville, Kentucky, by three engineers who designed a prototype Bluetoothconnected toothbrush with the idea of selling it to legacy dental insurers. When they couldn’t gain traction in that market, they decided to build their own carrier. Beam came to Columbus in 2014 with just four employees (it now has more than 260) and has raised more than $170 million in venture capital from firms across the county, including Columbus’ Drive Capital and Nationwide. Its growth rate has doubled an-
BEAM CEO and co-founder Alex Frommeyer
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nually, says Beam CEO and co-founder Alex Frommeyer. “There are 100 million Americans who don’t have dental insurance,” Frommeyer says. “We’re excited about what we’ve accomplished with our vision to modernize dental coverage and get that number to zero.” People who opt into Beam’s datasharing plan pay lower premiums and receive other incentives in exchange for practicing good dental hygiene like regular flossing and brushing, which is tracked on connected toothbrushes. The principle is that routine care now can prevent expensive problems later. Frommeyer calls Columbus “the Goldilocks zone of talent,” with just the right mix of tech and insurance expertise in concert with high-growth startups and established companies. Beam is available in 42 states around the U.S. and is accepted at more than 400,000 access points nationwide. The company also offers vision insurance through VSP and group term life coverage in partnership with Nationwide Insurance. Expansion plans include entering all 50 states and new product markets, such as disability insurance.
The Lower office’s main entrance
File/Rob Hardin/Columbus CEO
Lower 8131 Smith’s Mill Road, New Albany, 833-920-2273, lower.com Less than a year ago, Lower was a relatively unknown digital mortgage fintech. Then, along came naming rights to the new Columbus Crew stadium, and a brand was born. The timing was serendipitous, company CEO Dan Snyder says; earlier this year, Lower leadership decided to go big on getting the word out. The plan worked: “It created instant awareness,” Snyder says. That the name Lower.com Field is now known throughout the country is but one measure of the company’s meteoric rise in the past few years. Since its inception in 2018, the upstart has grown from a handful of people in a temporary office space to more than 1,700 employees in a new headquarters in New Albany. About 1,000 of the new hires came on board this year alone. Profitable from the beginning, the company has doubled its revenue each year and recently raised the largest
Series A in Ohio history at $100 million, led by Accel, a California venture capital firm that has invested in the likes of Facebook and Spotify. Lower has funded more than $16.5 billion in loans through its digital and in-person lending platforms. Previously known as Homeside Financial, Lower was bootstrapped for seven years before taking outside capital. Billed as a one-stop shop for homebuyers, services include refinancing, insurance and savings programs. The company has another office in Columbia, Maryland, and in-person retail branches across the country. Snyder says the Columbus Region is a natural fit for next-generation, tech-forward companies like Lower. “The cost of living is good, and there’s
a lot of young talent and outstanding universities in or within a couple hours of the city. And we have a forwardthinking business community.”
Upstart 711 N. High St., Columbus, 855-4388778, upstart.com Upstart, one of the nation’s first lending platforms to apply artificial intelligence (AI) to the multi-trillion-dollar credit industry, has found an ideal environment in Columbus. “There’s a level of depth and thoughtfulness in helping new businesses make connections that goes beyond quarterly and yearly goals and the number of hires out of universil
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Left, inside Upstart’s Short North office; right, Columbus HQ head Grant Schneider ties,” says Grant Schneider, Upstart’s vice president of machine learning and head of the Columbus HQ. “The city and its people are amazing,” he adds, citing One Columbus, JobsOhio and Ohio State University among those helping pave the way for success. Upstart uses sophisticated AI and machine learning to build credit models that use non-conventional variables at scale, rather than relying solely on backward-looking models like a FICO score. For example, job stability can be a more relevant predictor of credit risk than income alone, Schneider says. “Eighty percent of the population has never defaulted on their credit, yet only 50 percent have access to prime credit. Our mission is to close that gap,” he says. More than two-thirds of Upstart loans are fully automated and approved instantly. Founded in Silicon Valley by
ex-Google employees in 2012, Upstart went public last December (NASDAQ:UPST) and recently launched an auto refinancing product. Revenue and profits have risen substantially in the last year, giving the company a market capitalization of roughly $9 million. Most of its 900 employees are in Columbus, and the company is expanding its physical footprint to 15,000 square feet at its Short North location.
Olive 99 E. Main St., Columbus, 800-501-3161, oliveai.com A local health care automation company that looks to have the same impact on its sector as Amazon and Uber have had on retail and transportation, respectively, is experienc-
ing fast-paced growth as it acquires new customers, capital and strategic partners to create “the Internet of Healthcare.” Olive AI, Inc., works to automate administrative processes such as billing so that providers, payers and patients can see the same data and share knowledge to reduce waste, drive transparency and ultimately improve outcomes. “People feel lost in the system today, and health care employees are essentially working in the dark due to outdated technology that creates a lack of shared knowledge and siloed data,” says Olive CEO Sean Lane. Lane co-founded the company in Columbus in 2012 under the name CrossChx, which later was rebranded as Olive. The company has raised about $902 million since its inception and is valued at $4 billion. Olive has more than 900 employees, known as Olivians, and is expected to grow to about 1,300 by year’s end. It has offices in cities across the country and works with more than 950 hospitals in 42 states, including 20 of the top 100 U.S. health systems. In the past 10 months, Olive has acquired three companies to expand its capabilities in supply chain and critical analysis, AI technology acceleration and developing a full-service clearinghouse for providers and patients. Lane feels thankful to grow Olive in a forward-thinking region like Columbus. “I’m proud to be from here and believe it’s one of the best places in the country to start a business.’’
Laurie Allen is a freelance writer based in Columbus.
Left, Olive’s open office in Downtown Columbus; right, CEO Sean Lane File/Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch
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Facebook, Google, Amgen, Lower and other innovators all saw the same thing in New Albany. The future. They saw a business park with a clear vision of tomorrow. They saw the strength of our technological infrastructure. They saw one of the nation’s most robust and affordable fiber optic networks, triple electric feeds and the power of tremendous bandwidth.
They saw what every company wants when looking for a new home. A place that delivers the resources they need to grow. To thrive. And look ahead with confidence. The New Albany International Business Park. Where will your business be tomorrow?
newalbanycompany.com | newalbanybusiness.org
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Resilience and Growth
Why Amgen Chose the Columbus Region—and Why It Matters The global biopharmaceutical giant’s $365 million investment will have far-reaching impacts. By Evan Weese Downtown Columbus
In June, biopharmaceutical giant Amgen said it would invest $365 million to build a cutting-edge manufacturing facility in New Albany. The 270,000-square-foot building will feature Amgen’s most advanced assembly and packaging capabilities for medicines to be distributed in the U.S., supporting a global supply chain network amid growing demand for Amgen medicines. The direct impacts on the Columbus Region are enormous, including the creation of 400 new jobs and an annual payroll of $40 million, but the ripple effects are just as exciting. With revenues of more than $25 billion in 2020, Amgen is a global pioneer in restoring health and providing therapies for those fighting serious illnesses. “There was a solid base and a lot of momentum, and then all of a sudden— boom—Amgen comes in and you’ve got this really strong, globally respected player,” says Matt McQuade, managing director of business development for One Columbus, who helped Amgen in its site selection process. “All of a sudden people say, ‘Wow, there is a lot going on in Columbus.’ So, it’s going to greatly enhance our ability to continue to grow the industry.”
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Photo courtesy One Columbus
In a string of economic development wins for the Columbus Region, one stands out for its uniqueness and global prestige.
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Landing Amgen
Amgen’s facility in New Albany will feature advanced digital automation technologies.
Based in Thousand Oaks, California, with operations spanning the globe, Amgen searched for a new site that would provide access to a diverse and growing talent pool, allow favorable operating costs and be centrally located from a logistics perspective. Amgen started its six-month search process with about a dozen U.S. markets in consideration, says Sandra Rodriguez Toledo, vice president of site operations for Amgen, who will be overseeing the new facility. The Columbus Region, and New Albany specifically, checked those boxes and more with a highly accessible site on Route 161 within the New Albany International Business Park. But land readiness ultimately sealed the deal. Amgen credits the city of New Albany, The New Albany Company and their partners for having a shovel-ready site equipped with infrastructure that was zoned and prepared for competitive incentives. “We believe that prepared communities win,” says Jennifer Chrysler, director of community development for the city of New Albany. “Attracting biotech investment is something that One Columbus has foreseen over the last decade or more. We have been assessing our strengths, our weaknesses and what we need to do in order to win big projects—everything from the availability of land, utility infrastructure and relationships with community stakeholders. So, that level of preparedness is what brings a company like Amgen to a community like ours.” The collaborative spirit is continuing beyond the site selection process to keep the project on schedule. “Speed—that’s the other thing that is just so important about these companies in the biopharmaceutical industry,” says William Ebbing, president of The New Albany Company. “They have a schedule that they’ve got to hit. Having the infrastructure in place helps the city move at the speed of business, not the speed of government.” When it comes time to build out the workforce, Amgen will be supported by Ohio State University, which is codeveloping an internship program and other experiential learning opportunities. Amgen’s presence illustrates the growing demand for STEM students graduating from the region’s educal
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A rendering of the new Amgen facility in New Albany
tion institutions and underscores the importance of the new, $1 billion-plus Innovation District funded by JobsOhio, Ohio State University and Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “We are collaborating to have a strong strategy for the recruitment process—by next year we should have around 150 associates already working on this project,” says Rodriguez Toledo, adding that Amgen is partnering with other local organizations in its workforce development efforts. “I haven’t seen this type of support [before]. It’s completely different, and it has been outstanding.”
A Novel Approach Amgen expects its facility to be up and running by the first quarter of 2024. With an expected annual payroll of $40 million, Amgen will be hiring technician, engineering, quality assurance, quality control, administrative and management positions with an average annual salary of about $100,000. Amgen’s facility will be far from the typical manufacturing operation, incorporating some of the most advanced digital automation technologies to make decisions based on real-time data. “It’s a very sophisticated type of manufacturing that enhances the market,” says One Columbus president and CEO Kenny McDonald.
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The New Albany operation also will be the most sustainable facility in Amgen’s network, using innovative technology to reduce carbon emissions, as well as energy, water and waste consumption. The Amgen facility in New Albany will be built to exacting environmental standards—consistent with the company’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2027—and is expected to be LEED-certified. Diversity, equity and inclusion will be central to Amgen’s presence in the Columbus Region, as well. The company is a founding member of OneTen, a global coalition of large companies aiming to hire 1 million Black Americans into well-paying jobs over the next 10 years, with a specific focus
“Diversity, inclusion and belonging is an important part of Amgen culture. We believe that in order to hire the best talent, it’s important to consider candidates that are diverse in background and experience.” Sandra Rodriguez Toledo, Amgen site operations VP
on those without a four-year college degree. “Diversity, inclusion and belonging is an important part of Amgen culture. We believe that in order to hire the best talent, it’s important to consider candidates that are diverse in background and experience,” says Rodriguez Toledo, who, as a Latina woman from Puerto Rico, says she exemplifies the company’s emphasis on diversity. “So we are committed to having the best talent and implementing Amgen’s culture that honors diversity and promotes inclusion and belonging.” Adds McDonald: “You just see it when you look at the composition of their team in the room. They’re actually living it,” he says. “So we have a lot of respect for the company, their culture, how they have approached the project and what their priorities are.” Amgen plans to be a supportive member of the Central Ohio community, not merely a large company “helicoptering” in from out-of-state. Its Amgen Foundation has contributed more than $325 million to nonprofit organizations advancing excellence in science education and strengthening the communities where the company’s employees live and work. “They are very philanthropic,” Chrysler says. “They have invested back heavily in the communities they are located in, and they share some
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commonalities with us with respect to sustainability, health and wellness, and lifelong learning—that was just pretty remarkable and made them a great fit for us.” Those “soft” characteristics strongly factored into Amgen’s site selection process, unlike some searches that revolve only around the technical aspects of a project. “In the company’s last visit, before they made their decision, most of the conversation was about giving back,” Chrysler says. “They wanted to understand our philanthropic efforts here and what that environment was like. That was very unique from a site selection standpoint, to spend that last meeting not talking about the technical aspects of the project, but really focusing on the community efforts. And that is part of what makes them special.” McDonald says the approach will have a far-reaching impact in the Columbus Region. “One of the first things they asked when the project was about to become public was, ‘Who should we be talking to? Who are the community
organizations that we should start connecting with to actually become a part of the community?,’ ” he says. “The economic impact is great, but it’s certainly enhanced by who the company is, because their impact is not just going to be economic. “Over time, they’re going to become a major employer in our market,” McDonald says. “I think of all the great things that major employers do for us—their contributions are reaching nonprofits across the city and across the region.”
Feather in the Cap Amgen’s large investment is another feather in the cap of the Columbus Region’s growing profile in the industry. In the early 2000s, Ohio State University and Nationwide Children’s Hospital laid the groundwork with academic research in the field of cell and gene therapy. Since then, a number of major investments and expansions have been announced, with most coming in just the past two years: Sarepta Therapeutics is expanding its Gene Therapy Center of Excellence,
AmplifyBio is focusing on the research and development of next-generation therapies from a lab in West Jefferson, Forge Biologics is setting up gene therapy manufacturing in Grove City and Nationwide Children’s launched Andelyn Biosciences to manufacture gene therapy products for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. (See Page 16 for more on these projects.) It all adds up to the Columbus Region being on the cutting edge of innovation in biotech. Amgen, being one of 30 companies making up the Dow Jones Industrial Average, brings a new level of visibility. The company employs nearly 25,000 people worldwide. “I think the best marketing we can do is through these success stories,” McDonald says. “Success begets success, especially in this market. These are more than just powerful testimonies; they’re a validation of some of the work that people have done in this region for decades.”
Evan Weese is a freelance writer based in Columbus.
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Resilience and Growth
Becoming a World-Class Biotech Hub Research, investment and collaboration put the Columbus Region on the map. By Evan Weese
wide Children’s Hospital planted the seeds years ago with academic research. The Abigail Wexner Research Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, a global leader in gene therapy, is prompting an outgrowth of related investment and spinoffs that are beginning to bear fruit. Nationwide Children’s formed Andelyn Biosciences, an affiliate company that will manufacture gene therapy
The Columbus Region has long been known as a hub for the financial services, insurance and retail business industries. Now, it is time to add biotech to the list. From West Jefferson to New Albany, from medical breakthroughs to cutting-edge technology, a series of large successes have made the region a major player in the rapidly growing cell and gene therapy space. Atop the groundwork laid 20 years ago, the Columbus Region has quietly become home to one of the most dynamic life sciences industries in the country. And finally, people outside the region are starting to take notice.
products for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. When it begins operating in 2023, the company’s $200 million, 140,000-square-foot facility will be the Columbus Region’s first commercial-scale Good Manufacturing Practices clinical manufacturing facility devoted to gene therapies. Sarepta Therapeutics, a leader in precision genetic medicine for rare diseases, is expanding its Gene
The regional growth strategy laid out by One Columbus involves developing and attracting the world’s most competitive companies, growing a highly adaptive workforce, preparing communities for the future and inspiring innovation from corporate, academic and public sectors. Biotech, and specifically cell and gene therapy, is proving to be one of those bright spots of innovation. The emerging field, which involves transplanting human cells or administering genetic material to treat disease, could bring Columbus-made innovations to patients around the world. The Columbus Region, with its complete biotech value chain, is positioned to succeed in a way that few other regions in the country are. Ohio State University and Nation-
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All the Pieces
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Therapy Center of Excellence by opening a $30 million, 85,000-square-foot research facility near Easton Town Center. The Cambridge-based company has a long-term relationship with Nationwide Children’s and acquired the hospital’s Myonexus Therapeutics spinoff. Formed in May with $200 million in funding, the Battelle-founded startup AmplifyBio is focusing on the research
“It’s remarkable how much investment comes into the area. Not only do I find a real hotbed of activity and technology, but the most pleasantly surprising thing is really the people and culture of this area.”
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and development of next-generation therapies from a 210,000-square-foot lab in West Jefferson. Forge Biologics in June announced a $120 million capital raise, the largest Series B fundraise in the history of the state, to support gene therapy manufacturing in Grove City. “It’s remarkable how much investment comes into the area,” says J. Kelly Ganjei, president and CEO of AmplifyBio. “Not only do I find a real hotbed of activity and technology, but the most pleasantly surprising thing is really the people and culture of this area. There are so many other companies that are in a similar space to ours that are customers or partners.” From the manufacturing and distribution capabilities of Cardinal Health to the pool of investment capital available through Rev1, the Ohio Innovation Fund and Drive Capital, the region is flush with resources to support a growing industry. On top of all the infrastructure in place, One Columbus, JobsOhio and local governments are stepping up business attraction efforts to make large investments financially viable. “We’re a fully capable region,” says Kenny McDonald, president and CEO
“We’re a fully capable region, and we have people knocking on our door because of that.” Kenny McDonald, president and CEO of One Columbus
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of One Columbus. “And we have people knocking on our door because of that.” The global pharmaceutical giant Amgen is among those who came knocking. In June, Amgen announced plans to build a $365 million, 270,000-squarefoot manufacturing facility in the New Albany International Business Park. (See Page 12 for more on this project.) The shovel-ready site and cooperation among local stakeholders were among major selling points for the Columbus Region. “A collaborative spirit, ‘The Columbus Way,’ is something that I think is top of mind for a lot of people,” says Eddie Pauline, president and CEO of nonprofit trade group BioOhio. “When I’ve been involved in attraction projects, clients have appreciated the unified front that the region demonstrates when it’s attracting companies. It’s rare for a community to be so aligned when it comes to these types of projects. To have OSU, Nationwide Children’s, One Columbus, local governments, all activated very quickly to create an attractive package—that’s
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something unique and something that a lot of other communities cannot execute as efficiently.”
Despite its recent entry into the industry, the Columbus Region is firmly on the map as a national hub for biotech, with a particular specialty in cell and gene therapy. Still, the best days may lie ahead. “This is an emerging market. We’re in the early innings in this space,” says Michael Triplett, co-founder and CEO of ArmatusBio, who previously led Nationwide Children’s spinoff Myonexus Therapeutics. “And then, 10 or 20 years down the road, we may think of biotech like we think of financial services or
“This is an emerging market. We’re in the early innings in this space. And then, 10 or 20 years down the road, we may think of biotech like we think of financial services or banking here, and it becomes an economic pillar of this community.” Michael Triplett, co-founder and CEO of ArmatusBio
Photo courtesy One Columbus
A Growing Impact
banking here, and it becomes an economic pillar of this community. I think this is a generational opportunity.” Developing and attracting talent will be a focal point. In the last five years, colleges and universities in the Columbus Region have granted more than 8,700 degrees in biology, biomedical science, chemistry and pharmacy. There are plenty more jobs to fill, ranging from accounting, human resources and legal— and of course, bioengineers. With a $100 million pledge from JobsOhio, two area powerhouses— Ohio State University and Nationwide Children’s Hospital—are building a new, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
“I think we’ve reached a point where the city and the state and the institutions should be really proud of what they have done,” says Matthew McFarland, vice president of commercialization and industry relations at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “But in no way, shape or form do I think we have done everything we can do. I think we’re all still hungry.”
Photo courtesy One Columbus
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270-acre, $1 billion Innovation District that will bring together students, researchers, city leaders, Fortune 500 companies and new startups to spur growth in the STEM community. Companies are not just making investments, but also putting down roots in the area. “We’re not just a Boston company that’s dabbling in Columbus,” says Dr. Louise Rodino-Klapac, senior vice president of gene therapy for Sarepta. “We’re here to stay and build our genetic center of excellence here in Columbus for a long-term opportunity. It’s definitely been seen as a growing hub for biotech and [is] well-recognized for the talent.” The Columbus Region has an opportunity to establish an even stronger identity in the space. After all, it was only about 20 years ago that Nationwide Children’s launched its Center for Gene Therapy.
Evan Weese is a freelance writer based in Columbus.
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Resilience and Growth
The Region at a Glance Explore the 11 counties of the Columbus Region and how they’re thriving amid economic uncertainty. By Laurie Allen
county’s residents have a bachelor’s degree. Despite its inland location 25 miles north of Downtown Columbus, it has 140 miles of shoreline along its rivers, lakes and reservoirs—the most of any county in the state.
With a population of more than 2.2 million people, the Columbus Region is a dynamic metropolitan area experiencing unprecedented growth. As home to one of the youngest and most educated populations in the country, its 11 counties are helping shape the future of commerce, technology and education. The Region is diverse, with a combination of global companies and home-grown businesses, land use ranging from rural to industrial, and an abundance of educational opportunities and natural resources. In the face of an unprecedented pandemic and uncertainty, these counties have demonstrated resilience and innovative thinking and are poised to prosper.
Population
214,124
Of note In the last year, Delaware County deployed financial resources, professional expertise and forward thinking to help sustain small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Small Business Protection Program provided $15,000 in grants to 130 businesses with fewer than 25 full-time employees who were affected by the pandemic. Another 21 businesses with 50 or fewer employees took advantage of free consultation services offered through the Small Business Assistance Program, which provided counseling on human resources, financing, legal and Small Business Administration grants.
D EL A W A R E
Median age
38.8
Households
69,985
Median household income
$106,908
Knowledge is an asset in Delaware County, which is home to three institutions of higher education: Columbus State Community College (Delaware Campus), Methodist Theological School and Ohio Wesleyan University. More than half of the
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Photo courtesy One Columbus
Small businesses in Delaware County benefited from local government support during the pandemic.
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Photo courtesy One Columbus
FRANKLIN
Fairfield County residents enjoy 5,000plus acres of parkland.
As the fourth-fastest-growing county in Ohio over the past decade, Fairfield County is home to more than 3,000 businesses amid a wide range of community surroundings, both metropolitan and rural. Fairfield County is home to more than 5,000 acres of parkland and preserves, as well as the scenic Hocking Hills and a rich history in farming and manufacturing.
million in the center, which focuses on certificates that lead not only to jobs, but also potentially to college degrees. It’s a resource for local businesses interested in ramping up employees’ skills and has space for expanding and new businesses that are looking to call Fairfield County home.
The A&F Challenge in New Albany
Population
158,921
Median age
39.2
Photo courtesy One Columbus
fairfi e l d
Franklin County is at the epicenter of the state’s political, economic and social presence. Ohio’s capital city, Columbus, is located in Franklin County, which is home to thriving businesses, outstanding educational institutions and strong public-private sector alliances. Rapidly becoming known as a tech hub, Franklin County attracts renowned researchers, entrepreneurs, millennial talent and forward-thinking leaders.
Of note
Of note
With an eye toward developing a robust workforce, the Fairfield County Workforce Center opened its doors in 2021. The county, in partnership with Ohio University (Lancaster Campus) and Hocking College, transformed a 72,000-square-foot building into a center that provides training for in-demand jobs at local companies, with a focus on manufacturing, skilled trades and health care. The state of Ohio invested $1.25
Franklin County’s initiative to provide more affordable housing kicked off this year with the commitment of $4 million to fund four developments that would create 273 apartments for lower-income residents. It’s part of the county’s plan to allocate more than $65 million over the next decade for developing 2,000-plus affordable housing units.
Households
56,339
Median household income
$67,609
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To receive the seed money, developers must obtain a federal 4 percent Low Income Housing Tax Credit, plus whatever additional capital is needed to make their projects viable. Funding for the developments comes from a Magnet Fund program established in Franklin County’s Economic Development and Planning office last year.
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the Columbus metro area. The county seat, Mount Vernon, is the largest city and is surrounded by development-minded communities. Knox County is an educated community, with highly ranked schools and higher education centers, including Kenyon College in Gambier and Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
Population
62,721 Population
1,323,807 Median age
39.4 Median age
34.1
Photo courtesy One Columbus
Franklin County (cont.)
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
multifunctional complex with both manufacturing and office space. The site is being re-branded as Cooper Progress Park, a reference to the property’s first occupant, C&E Cooper Iron Works, established in 1833.
LICKING Households
23,248 Households
511,447 Median household income
$57,749 Median household income
$61,305 KNOX
Gifted with some of the finest landscape views in Ohio, Knox County offers a rural lifestyle while being deeply connected to
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Of note A 47-acre property that sat vacant for three years came back under local control last year when the Knox County Land Bank took possession of the former Siemens Energy facility in Mount Vernon. “This is a triumphant day in the history of Knox County manufacturing,” said Land Bank president Jeff Gottke at the time of the agreement. “We have a real possibility, for the first time in three years, to have manufacturing activity back on this property.” The facility had been under outside management for several years before being shuttered in 2018. Planners envision a multi-tenant,
The perfect mix of small-town charm and big-city benefits, Licking County offers a high quality of life and low cost of living. The county’s strong infrastructure, diverse workforce and incentives for new and growing businesses are assets for economic growth. Three universities (including the private, liberal arts college Denison University), two technical schools and more than 20 public and private schools help create a diverse and talented workforce.
Of note For more than a year, a diverse public-private collaborative has pooled time, talent and funding resources to help build a highly competitive workforce in Licking
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County. The consortium worked with a consultant to conduct a workforce needs assessment study and used data specific to Licking County to create toolkits for career pathways targeting health care, IT, manufacturing and warehousing. The consortium includes GROW
Licking County Community Improvement Corp., Licking County Educational Services Center, Central Ohio Technical College, the Licking County Chamber of Commerce, Career and Technical Education Centers of Licking County, and OhioMeansJobs – Licking County.
Population
178,519
Median age
39.7
Households
64,035
Median household income Denison University File/Doral Chenoweth III/The Columbus Dispatch
$64,589
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LOGAN
46,150
Home to thriving communities like Indian Lake, West Liberty and Bellefontaine, Logan County is situated at the highest point in Ohio, 60 minutes from Downtown Columbus. Industry is expanding and continuing to invest in the county; nearly 10,000 people commute here daily to work. The county is home to the Transportation Research Center Inc. (TRC), the largest independent vehicle test facility and proving ground in the country.
Of note Coworking space isn’t just for urban entrepreneurs. Bellefontaine now has its own state-of-theart professional coworking site, called BUILD CoWork + Space. The 8,000-square-foot facility is designed as a place for small businesses and solo entrepreneurs to connect, collaborate and thrive. Small Nation, a Bellefontaine company that works to develop, revitalize and build business solu-
Median age
41.4
File/Shari Lewis/The Columbus Dispatch
Population
Farming is a major industry in Madison County.
MADISON Households
18,677
Median household income
$56,754 tions for small towns, opened the flagship BUILD location in March. The facility has both private offices and executive suites, plus such shared resources as on-site business training, conference rooms, office equipment, Wi-Fi and a rooftop patio. Membership levels include a daily “drop-in” fee.
Madison County is a rich combination of agricultural heritage, a growing business and residential sector and a strong sense of community. With 88 percent of its land being operated as farms, Madison County ranks fourth in Ohio for both corn and soybean production. It’s also home to strong local school districts and successful companies in a variety of industries.
File/Fred Squillante/The Columbus Dispatch
Of note
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The Transportation Research Center in East Liberty
Madison County is evolving. In addition to industrial growth, the county continues to see more interest and development in the single- and multi-family housing industry. School and community leaders are watching the growth and planning for an influx of students, as residential housing in Plain City has the potential to grow by 1,400 units in the next three to five years. The proposed developments include: • 500 to 700 units on 335 acres along State Route 161 (M/I Homes)
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•2 50 single-family homes and condominiums on 104 acres along Lafayette-Plain City Road (Highland Real Estate Group/DR Horton) • 235 single-family homes on 98 acres along State Route 42 (Plain City One LLC/Evergreen Land Co.)
Population
48,824
Median age
40.8
Households
15,013
Median household income
$68,022 Marion
Marion County is an innovative and evolving community with a key focus on workforce development. With numerous educational offerings such as RAMTEC, an indus-
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Marion County (cont.) try leader providing robotics and advanced manufacturing certifications, and a collaborative business environment, Marion is a place where both companies and families can prosper.
Revitalization continues in Marion County, which has attracted more than $500 million in business investments and welcomed new businesses and expansions that have created more than 700 higher-paying jobs since 2015. In 2020, Jaguar Transport Holdings, a transportation and logistics service company headquartered in Joplin, Missouri, acquired the Marion Industrial Center, renaming it the Marion Industrial Rail Park to reflect an enhanced focus on rail infrastructure and client services. The company is investing in the rail park’s physical infrastructure by repairing and replacing fixed components and is working to meet the needs of new and exist-
Population
65,093
Photo courtesy One Columbus
Of note
Marion Industrial Center Rail Loop
Median age
41.3 ing clients. Company leaders are enthusiastic about the growth they’ve seen at the park in several industries, including lumber, metals and automotive parts. The 500-acre site has 8 miles of rail infrastructure, 1.55 million square feet of distribution facilities and transloading operations, as well as rail switching and railcar maintenance. Another 200 acres are available for future development.
Households
34,737
Median household income
$47,498
MORROW Population
34,950
Home to global employers and local companies, Morrow County continues to strengthen its employment and economic base.
Median age
42.2
Of note Morrow County is home to a regional distribution center for Dollar Tree, North America’s leading operator of discount variety stores with 15,000 outlets in the U.S. and Canada. The $1.2-million distribution center, which opened in Marengo in 2019, serves Dollar Tree and Family Dollar stores in Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West
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Households
14,400
Median household income
$59,452
Photo courtesy One Columbus
Mount Gilead State Park in Morrow County
Virginia. The project brought 400 jobs to Morrow County and made Dollar Tree the second-largest employer behind Cardington Yutaka Technologies, Inc. Lubrication Specialties, Inc., (LSI) in Mount Gilead has grown over the past 17 years from a home-based business to a recognized brand, selling its products directly to major retailers and distributors nationwide. The company produces industry-leading performance additives and oils for the lubrication and automotive industries, including its Hot Shot’s Secret brand, which is among the fastest-growing performance lubricants in the country.
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Downtown Circleville
P I C K AWAY
With a current population of more than 58,000, Pickaway County is poised to grow by more than 16,000 residents by the year 2030. The area has a rural charm and strong work ethic, yet with all the comforts of being situated in a large metropolitan area.
Photo courtesy One Columbus
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Of note Pickaway County businesses received a boost during a year of challenge and uncertainty with the help of a new inclusion grant program that awarded $175,000 to eligible companies. Pickaway Progress Parkway partnered with JobsOhio and One Columbus to provide financial support to five local companies for improvements or expansions. Companies that received the funding are American Wood Fibers, EG Industries, FORJAK Industrial, TriMold, LLC, and Utility Truck Equipment. The JobsOhio Inclusion Grant provides financial support for eligible projects in designated distressed communities and/or for businesses owned by underrepresented populations across the state.
Population
62,784
Median age
38
Households
22,410
union Median household income
$86,715 File/Fred Squillante/The Columbus Dispatch
Honda’s Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville
Population
58,539
Median age
39.7
Union County is the secondfastest growing county in Ohio, with a strong emphasis on economic diversification and vitality. Union County provides businesses with many advantages, including a diverse and highly skilled workforce, growing population and low cost of living and doing business, plus direct access to surrounding metro areas.
Of note Households
21,683
Median household income
$63,633 30
In a turbulent year dominated by COVID-19, Union County pivoted its priorities to business triage, advocacy and recovery. The Union County 3R (Reconnect, Rebuild, Recover) Emergency Relief Grant Program provided more than $220,000 in emergency financial assistance to 44 small businesses. The program was developed to
provide relief to businesses that suffered economic losses and hardship as a result of COVID-19. Contributions for the program came from across Union County, including private businesses, individuals, community organizations, the Union County commissioners and the city of Marysville. Virtual Q&A sessions for the business community, a new COVID-19 resource website, social media campaign and e-newsletter kept businesses and the public informed and involved throughout.
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Electrion Co-Founders
Anita Nti, Jacob Buaful, Jr., Danny Freudiger and Caleb Buaful Class of 2022 Student Entrepreneurs
Championing human potential through talent and innovative startups At Ohio State, we’re accelerating new partnerships and inspiring the next generation of innovators to build more vibrant futures in central Ohio — like Electrion, a sustainability startup bringing affordable battery packs to market. Together, we’re moving the Columbus region forward.
Scan to explore ways to partner with Ohio State
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