A Dec. 18th luncheon at Plum Brook Country Club was attended by 45 members of the GEM Board of Trustees, Erie County elected officials, Sandusky, Huron and Vermilion city officials, and various other county industry and business leaders. Executive Director, Mark Litten, spoke to the group on GEM’s 2003 initiatives and projects in review.

Ms. Jean Carter-Ryan, Deputy Director of Ohio Dept. of Development was the keynote speaker. Her presentation centered on Ohio’s High Performance Economy as it weathers the loss of manufacturing jobs. One of the challenges Ohio faces is that it is not perceived as a technology state, thus high-tech business formations are low. However, Ohio is perceived as “making things well” and possessing a superior supply chain, qualities which could translate into growth if opportunities are acted upon. Governor Taft's Third Frontier Project is an ambitious undertaking, designed to spur growth in many areas such as research and development, assist high tech start-up companies, and manufacture the next generation of new products

As a recent appointee to the GEM Board of Trustees and a 2004 Executive Committee member, Don Ritzenthaler brings much to the table. He is a lifelong resident of the Huron area, graduating from Huron High School in 1952. That same year he was accepted into the machine repair Machinist Apprenticeship program at New Departure Hyatt. He was honored to serve in the 3rd Armored Division during the Korean conflict from 1953-1955. He married Ellie in 1955 and they have proudly raised four children together. Don successfully completed the N.D.H. apprentice program in 1958.

Don’s contributions to the Erie County community have been many and varied. He taught Hydraulics and Pneumatics at Sandusky High School for 8 years in the 1970’s. After his retirement from N.D.H. in November of 1986 as Plant Superintendent of Building Maintenance, Don operated his private fishing charter business, Ritz Charters, in Huron until 2002.

His service to local government includes Huron City Councilman from 1970– 1975, and Huron Township Trustee from 1992 to present. Don is also the 2004 Erie County Township Association President as well as the Township Representative to the GEM Board of Trustees.

Don feels fortunate to have spent his entire life in Erie County, a great place to work and live. He is glad to be able to give something back to the community that has provided him with a very satisfying and productive life.

Despite the loss of one of the original three development partners, the $127 million Kalahari Resort and Convention Center is still expecting to break ground in March. The team, LMN Development, now consisting of Treasure Island and Kalahari Resorts, had to restructure its financing. When that is finalized, options to purchase the 140 acres in Huron and Perkins townships will be exercised.

When the resort opens in the spring of 2005, it will offer an 80,000 square foot indoor waterpark, along with hotel, shops, restaurants, outdoor waterpark, convention center, and condominiums. The plan is for the resort to expand within two to three years by enlarging the size of each event wing. The second construction phase will make it the world’s largest waterpark resort, that title now being held by Wisconsin Dell’s Kalahari Resort.

GEM was instrumental in aiding the developers in applying for and receiving a TIF (Tax Increment Financing ) agreement through Erie County. $9.3 million of Kalahari’s property taxes will be put into public infrastructure improvements including the widening of US 250; water, storm, and sewer extensions; and public roadways. The resort will initially have approximately 500 year-round employees. The resort is also expected to spur growth in small independent commercial and retail support businesses.

The recent defeat of Issue I at the Nov. 4 polls gives the appearance that Ohio’s “Third Frontier Program” may be doomed to fail. Issue I, the fourth component of Governor Taft’s $1.6 billion initiative, would have authorized the state to borrow $500 million in bonds for high-tech research and job development. And while this particular phase of the program has suffered a setback it is important to point out that the components already in place are moving forward at a healthy pace.

As the largest economic development initiative ever launched in the state of Ohio, the Third Frontier Program is currently creating thousands of new jobs, expanding research to save and improve lives, spurring new high-tech companies, developing state-of-art products, and keeping our kids close to home with high-paying jobs. For instance, $4.6 million in tech awards were given to Case Western Reserve, Kent State, Akron, and Cleveland State Universities this past October to fund various research projects expected to create 400 high-paying and intern positions. The hopeful eventuality of this will be thousands more jobs and millions in income from state-of-art products such as the fuel cell being produced right here in our backyards.

On August 27th the product of the April strategic planning session was released to the public with 33 local leaders in attendance. Margy Poorman, Vice-President of Regional Growth Partnership (RGP), presented an overview of the report. After examining Erie County strengths and weaknesses, the plan addressed main points that GEM would focus on to gain a competitive edge in economic development over the next five years.

Several themes were identified that will be developed in the future. Specifically these are:

It is important to secure stable funding to insure GEM’s continuance as an organization.

Improving the utilization of GEM by Erie County governmental entities. With GEM as the lead coordinator of projects, Erie County will present a unified mage that promotes economic growth.

Develop strategic partnerships with NASA to capitalize on State of Ohio Third Frontier Program. Monies are being allocated statewide for the development of technology industries. NASA possesses very unique testing facilities that could be marketed in attracting high-tech jobs.

Continue marketing and promotion efforts to attract new industry. Erie County has many advantages such as proximity to Tier 1 auto markets, national location, and high quality of life. These advantages will serve well to attract specific industrial cluster groups.

GEM will keep Erie County poised for development through maintenance of building and site databases, website information, and response to ODOD Confidential Site Selection inquiries.

Promotion of Erie County to the national and international communities will be by means of marketing campaigns with trade publications, industrial shows and the like.

GEM will work closely with existing industry and manufacturing to monitor the local business climate for expansion and retention purposes.

Since its inception in 1988, GEM has been a strong countywide partner, endeavoring to keep Erie County in the forefront of growth and development for the good of all its citizens. This plan commits GEM to continuing those goals with renewed resolve.

Another critical facet of the Strategic Plan was begun with retaining the STELLAR Fundraising Corporation of Orlando, Florida to conduct an area survey of economic development support. The feasibility study was completed in the three week period of October 27th through November 14th. Private, confidential interviews of over 60 Erie County business and industry executives and key public-sector leaders were conducted over the time period. The purpose of the interviews was not to gain firm funding commitments from the companies, but rather to assess the community's attitude toward economic development and the role of GEM in that development. If it is felt that there is sufficient community support for economic growth, GEM would most likely conduct a five-year pledge support campaign in the early months of 2004.

October 23rd saw the official groundbreaking for infrastructure development at the Margaretta Township Quarry LakesBusiness Park on SR101 . With the recent approval of a TIF agreement and a $200,000 Ohio Dept. of Development grant secured by GEM, the park hopes to have road and utility line construction complete by June of 2004. The TIF (Tax Increment Financing) plan provides that a portion of property taxes paid by park occupants is set aside for these infrastructure improvements. The park currently has two tenants.

Eileen Bulan grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a first generation American, her parents emigrating from County Mayo, Ireland. She moved to Vermilion when she married. She attended Lorain County Community College and went back to school for her degree when her children were in college. She graduated from David Myers College in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in business management. Eileen began working for the City of Vermilion as Clerk of Council in 1980. She then moved to the administrative offices in 1994 under Mayor Elizabeth Sheehe and has been the Director of Public Service for the last eight years. As well as being Service Director, she is the Recycling Coordinator, Affirmative Action Officer and grant writer for the City. Eileen and her husband, Richard, have two children, Rich and Christy and four grandsons, Jack, Peter, Spencer and Caden.

In addition to serving on the GEM Executive Committee, Eileen currently serves as the Administrative Advisor for the Vermilion Port Authority. She is the city’s representative for the Erie Regional Planning Commission. She is on the technical board for the new Metropolitan Planning Organization. She is a graduate of the Cleveland State Leadership Academy as well as the Lorain County Leadership Class of 1999. She is on the executive board of the Vermilion Rotary Club and on the board of the Vermilion Chamber of Commerce. The City of Vermilion presently has received a downtown revitalization grant and she is actively pursuing Main Street status. She is a board member and treasurer of Historic Vermilion Inc., which is the non-profit group revitalizing the downtown area. Eileen works with the Port Authority on developing the waterfront and has obtained a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for a transient marina at McGarvey’s Landing. Eileen and Richard also own “Bulan’s Boatyard”, a marina in Vermilion.

Eileen is very excited about Vermilion and the entire Erie County area. She continues to promote Vermilion whenever possible and invites all the residents of Erie County to travel east and visit Vermilion—the largest small boat harbor on Lake Erie and a great place to drop anchor.

In early October, GEM was notified that we would be the recipients of a $5,000 grant from the Sandusky/Erie Community Foundation . This award was in response to an application requesting funds for advertising purposes. Due to funding difficulties experienced in 2003, GEM was forced to eliminate promotion of Erie County as a budget line item. Applications were submitted to both the Sandusky/Erie Foundation and the Wightman-Wieber Foundation in exploring other funding sources.

As a direct result of receiving the grant a full-page advertisement was placed in the November issue of Site Selection Magazine, a publication reaching over 35,000 decision making corporate site selectors. The ad featured Erie County’s four fully infrastructured industrial parks. An added bonus to this was the participation of Ohio’s First Frontier program which paid for one half of the cost of the national advertisement. The matching-fund program has been in place since 1994 as a means of encouraging promotion of Ohio’s E-Corridor. The remaining portion of the grant funds will be spent in 2004 in either direct advertising or trade show participation as opportunities arise.

The 3rd Annual Greater Erie County Marketing Group Golf Scramble was held Tuesday, Sept. 9th at Woussickett Golf Course. The 10:30AM shotgun start saw 66 players on 17 teams take to the course.

The trio of Dan Calmes, John Hulse, and Todd Franko teamed up for a 13-under-par 57 to win the event for the second year. One shot back at 58 was the entry of Chris Redfern, Tom Ferrell, Brad Meek and Dick Gedert. Other winners included Kathy Talkington (longest drive by a woman) Karen Dennie (longest putt), Rob Decker (closest to the pin) and Brad Meek (longest drive by a man).

GEM would like to thank Kalahari Resort & Convention Center, LMN Development LLC of Wisconsin Dells, WI for their generous Diamond Level corporate sponsorship of the outing. Ruby Level Sponsorships included Ohio Edison, Firelands Regional Medical Center, 5/3 Bank, Armstrong Mechanical Services, and US Bank. Thank you also to all of our Hole Sponsors, prize donations, and participants who contributed to the success of the event. Please mark your calendars for the September 14, 2004 GEM Outing

Strategic planning is a vital component of any community or organization which desires sustained economic growth. GEM recently undertook an effort to evaluate and refocus itself with a public forum input session this past April. The compiled report will be unveiled and distributed at a public meeting on:

Wednesday, August 27th, 10:00 AM, Erie County Office Bldg,

247 Columbus Ave., Downtown Sandusky, 3rd Floor Commissioner’s Chambers.

As a result of this session it has become apparent that Erie County has not been as “competitive” as it could have been in the past 10-15 years. Comments and discussion from the session revealed the strengths and weaknesses of the area which were then categorized to obtain a clearer picture of the problems needing attention. Specific goals and objectives were then suggested to address the overall competitiveness of Erie County. Highlights of the plan include

Please plan to attend the August 27th presentation meeting of the five-year action –plan. GEM will then move forward on a clearly directed path whose goal is to achieve growth and development for our Erie County community and all of its residents.

Erie County educators and government officials participated in an informational seminar related to the Ohio Enterprise Zone tax abatement program on Wednesday, June 18 at the EHOVE campus. The session was sponsored by GEM to illustrate the workings of the P.I.L.O.T. (payment in lieu of taxes) agreements. PILOTs have been successfully utilized by most counties in Ohio for the past decade or more as a means of providing direct funds to local school districts. The funds are gifted to the schools as part of tax abatement agreements negotiated with local industries who are expanding or locating within the specific counties.

Four presenters, representing various points of view, explained the mechanics and benefits of the program. Pam Hanover, an attorney with Squire, Dempsey, & Sanders Attorneys, overviewed the Enterprise Zone program as a whole, its requirements and functioning. Jim Lahoski, Bellevue School District Superintendent, outlined the PILOT concept as specific to his district, listing the gifting dollars that Bellevue receives annually from several industries. James Rossler, Treasurer for Rossford Exempt Village School District, explained how the PILOT concept has made possible many programs for the students that otherwise could not have been funded. He also demonstrated how the state formula for per capita funding was not affected by the gifting program. Lastly, Phil Flavin, director of Henry County CIC, endorsed the gifting program also, citing examples specific to his county. Phil then explained how Henry County has also instituted a program whereby the county initially provides infrastructure for needed projects, then regains their investment through TIF agreements with those companies that supports future infrastructure maintenance and construction. The PILOT concept has not been utilized in Erie County prior to 2003 and therefore may be compromising our competitiveness in attracting new and retaining current industry. The seminar was given with the intent to keep all county decision-makers apprised of current economic trends and practices. Given the regionalized nature of site selection, it is imperative that we understand and use all the economic tools available to us . We must look at the expansions and relocations not from a “corporate welfare” mentality but view these incentives as investments in Erie County’s future.

Gerald Lechner has been a lifelong resident of Erie County. He was born, raised, and educated in Sandusky. After graduating from Sandusky High in 1956, he attended Lorain Community College and graduated from Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio in 1975. Jerry began his tenure with the Sandusky city police force in 1965, serving as police chief for 16 years from 1982 –1998. Jerry has been serving in his current position as Sandusky City Manager since 1998. He was recognized as an “Outstanding Law Enforcement Processional of America” by the International Police Management Association in 1990. Jerry and his wife, Sue, have one daughter and are the grandparents of Levi & Alexis Kill.

In addition to serving on the GEM Executive Committee and Board of Trustees, Jerry currently serves on the United Way Board of Trustees and was a past president. He is also a member of the boards of the Sandusky Mainstreet Association and the Erie County Metropolitan Planning Organization. He was a member of the first LEADS Sandusky class serving on that board also and being named a “Distinguished Alumni” in 1990. He was later presented with the “Distinguished Leadership Award” by the National Association for Community Leadership.

Other organizations that Jerry was a founding board member of include Erie County Drug Task Force, Erie County 9-1-1 System, and Safe Harbor Shelter for battered women. He also served on the past boards of EHOVE Law Enforcement Program Advisory, Erie County Correctional Planning, Human Relations Commission, Bay Area Neighborhood Development, YMCA, Sandusky Drug Council, and Vacationland Traffic Safety Committee. Jerry has found Sandusky and Erie County to be a great place to live and raise his family. “I am very excited and pleased with the development taking place in our city, especially on our waterfront and I feel very fortunate to be a part of it.”

The OSDC, a non-profit community development lender, provides loans to small businesses that are growing and creating or retaining jobs throughout Ohio. It was founded in 1982 and is certified by the Small Business Administration and authorized by the Ohio Department of Development to provide loans under their programs. Financing may be obtained for land, building, equipment purchases, and new construction.

In Erie County, the OSDC has recently been instrumental in financing packages for several area businesses. The Pied Piper ice cream shop in Huron partnered with National City Bank and OSDC to expand the family owned operation. Blue Chip Machine & Tool on Venice Road, Sandusky, obtained financing for its new 9,000+ square foot building, almost doubling its manufacturing capacity. And most recently, American Quality Stripping, also of Sandusky, obtained a Regional 166 Loan to fund new equipment for an ongoing expansion. Working in partnership with area lenders, the OSDC provided long-term, fixed rate, low down-payment financing for these expanding small businesses.

OSDC provides loans ranging from $50,000 to $1,300,000 for businesses representing a true cross-section of Ohio’s diverse economic base.

Today’s world changes almost as frequently and quickly as the weather. Technology and the world wide web provide immediate information and communication. We no longer have the luxury of replying, “I’ll get back to you with that in a couple of days.” Its all about instant gratification. In the economic development arena, this equates to being ready and competitive when the client asks you what your community has to offer. Every place has one or two outstanding assets. Join those with your surrounding areas’ great qualities and its more than likely that your marketing appeal will catch the eye of site selectors nationally and globally.

Its also about money. Pooling of marketing dollars to make the most impact in worldwide publications makes good sense. Catch their attention with the marketing, reel them in with the assets, and then its up to each community to vie in landing the project. The idea of “local community” has changed also. People’s expectations allow us to live one place, work another, and recreate at still another. Your “region” can easily be an hour or more drive in any direction.

GEM participates in several regional memberships for maximum exposure. Regional Growth Partnership (RGP) and Northwest Ohio Regional Economic Development (NORED) are agencies whose mission is to market and promote NW Ohio as a whole. RGP is an economic development agency much like GEM but concerns itself with NW Ohio as a whole. NORED is a networking alliance of eleven NW Ohio counties, represented by their respective economic development organizations. Ohio Development Association (ODA) and Mid American Economic Development Corporation (MAEDC) address the legislative, educational, and networking needs of ED professionals. Participation in these groups keeps GEM abreast of regional, national, and global issues that could affect the local Erie County climate. They insure that GEM takes a proactive stance to growth as opposed to a reactive position. The moral of the story is that to achieve economic development success in today’s environment, you must be ready, have “product” to sell, have available funding resources, and cooperate with your regional partners to create an environment conducive to growth.

On April 2nd, thirty-eight community leaders gathered at the Sandusky Yacht Club to discuss and brainstorm the state of economic development in Erie County. The members represented a broad sector of local and regional economic interest, including county, city and township representation. Other participants from local industry, education, banking , real estate, development, utility, and media sectors also were in attendance. The meeting was facilitated by Regional Growth Partnership (RGP) staff members Don Jakeway, Margy Poorman, and Eileen Granata.

The agenda for the meeting included exploring developmental barriers and opportunities in Erie County. This was done by an inventory of local strengths and weaknesses. The session then moved toward development of a master plan by means of identifying key strategies to stimulate new business and existing industry. The open forum format produced diverse comments and opinions on development from various perspectives. This was a key intent of the seminar, to bring community stakeholders together in order to form a comprehensive overview of the future economic growth in Erie County.

The RGP will consolidate and categorize all comments, distilling the major goals that will drive future initiatives and develop a final strategic plan. This report will be given to GEM shortly and in turn presented to all those in attendance. Further study of the master plan will then identify short term initiatives to be enacted in achieving the long term strategy. It is always important to remain flexible as conditions change, but with a five-year plan in place, GEM's mission will remain focused and effective toward economic growth in the county as a whole. We would like to thank all those who gave of their time to participate in this important event.

Ed Asher has made a lifelong commitment to Erie County. Born in Sandusky in 1928, his family moved to Huron in 1939 where he graduated from Huron High School in 1946. After graduating from Fenn College, Cleveland in 1950, Ed served as a 1st Lt. in the US Air Force until 1955 as a navigator on a B-29 bomber, flying combat missions in Korea.

Asher Bros. Automotive Parts was founded in 1921 by twin brothers Lee & James Asher where Ed began working at age 11. The company continues to be family owned and operated today. Ed and Phyllis have been married for 50 years and have two sons, David and Kevin, one daughter, Debra, and seven grandchildren.

Ed has been instrumentally involved with GEM since its formation in 1986. Along with several other community leaders, he forged the direction of economic development in Erie County. He served two terms as GEM president from 1997-1998. He continues to be involved as a member of the Executive Committee. Ed has also served Huron well beginning in 1982 as a city council member and went on to serve as mayor continuously from 1985-1991, than again from 1993 to present. Other positions that Ed has held include past president of Ohio Automotive Wholesale Assn., past president of Huron Athletic Boosters, 5 year Cub Master for Boy Scout Pack 31. His board positions have included National Automotive Service Industry Association, Firelands Council BSA, Sandusky-Erie County Foundation, and currently, the Huron Alumni Association. Ed is a former “Huron Man of the Year.”

Erie County is a better community for having Ed as a contributing citizen. Likewise Ed feels he is a better person for having lived most of his life here. Looking back at the county’s growth and development within his lifetime, Ed is pleased and proud to have played a part in it.