Adding Jobs in a Terrible Economy

The global economic crisis is unlike any witnessed in decades and it's very easy to become overwhelmed by the dire job news being announced each day. While there is little we in the region can do about the global forces crushing our local companies, we can work harder together to attract those companies that are growing.

Recently, the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce demonstrated for everyone in the region what it really means to collaborate and share in a way that results in business attraction. The chamber was working with a growing Canadian company, SP Data, that wanted to open a 400-person office in our region. When it became clear that no location in the Mahoning Valley would meet the company's needs, the chamber asked Team NEO if it could help find SP Data a home elsewhere in Northeast Ohio. Team NEO helped the company choose Richfield for its U.S. headquarters and call center operation.

The deal is the eighth done this year by Team NEO and its partners. Those companies represent about 700 new jobs to the region. Of course, these gains won't make up for the large losses caused by the global crisis, but they offer us signs of hope that our region is an attractive destination for growing companies. And the deal never would have happened without the great leadership and collaboration of the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber.

Mark Todd of The Star Beacon reported another sign of hope, a Los Angeles building materials company plans to open  an operation in Conneaut that will employ 100 initially but may grow to 1,000.