by Isabella Carwile | Mar 11, 2025 | Community, Paulding County Business Weekly Radio Broadcast
We continue to learn about those taking on new duties in the county. This week we will hear from new Paulding County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Jay Klopfenstein. Jay is new to the role but has over 25 years of dispatcher and fire department service logged with the Scott and Grover Hill departments. Listen in to see how Jay has navigated to this new position and some of the early projects he hopes to work on as he learns more about the position. Thank you to OhioMeansJobs for sponsoring this program. You can tune in on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., or listen online by clicking here! Paulding County Business Weekly is also available in podcast form through Apple, Google & Spotify. #pauldingcountystrong
by Isabella Carwile | Mar 5, 2025 | Community, Jobs, PCED Office, Workforce
PAULDING – On Monday, March 3, Paulding County Economic Development (PCED) brought together a diverse group of leaders for their inaugural Healthcare Roundtable discussion. The conversation was aimed at addressing the challenges and opportunities facing the county’s healthcare sector. The event saw an impressive turnout, with local colleges, career centers, school officials, and business leaders collaborating to find innovative solutions to pressing healthcare issues.
Introductions of attendees opened key conversation in how each individual healthcare facility in the county is unique, with each one providing slightly different healthcare options that also bring differing requirements for employment.
A key topic of discussion was the critical need for certified nursing instructors to provide certifications essential for new employees entering the healthcare field. This instructor shortage is often salary driven and presents a challenge, but conversation was positive in helping overcome this challenge. If the group can come up with a workable solution this would open the opportunity for high school students to enter the local healthcare workforce.
Further discussion led to a plethora of ideas creating an atmosphere of collaboration and innovation between the participants. Attendees represented Community Health Professionals (CHP), Vancrest of Payne, Country Inn, Antwerp Manor, Paulding County Hospital, Vantage Career Center, Four County Career Center, Antwerp Local School, Wayne Trace Local School, Northwest State Community College, Holistic Wizard Wellness, the Paulding County Health Department and PCED.
For future action, participants agreed to let the PCED office discuss the healthcare option with high school students as they make their presentations to the local school students for the upcoming Career and Industry Expo event April 2. PCED will share the potential healthcare option to establish a number of students that may be interested in training early this summer. This would allow summer or part time employment opportunities at each facility. Based on positive response, a location would be established where new trainees could conveniently complete essential first aid training and receive additional healthcare education.
The event underscored the power of community-driven initiatives in tackling shared challenges. “We were thrilled by the enthusiasm and dedication shown by everyone in attendance,” said Jessica Stechschulte, Administrative Assistant at PCED. “This roundtable marks the first step in developing actionable solutions that will strengthen the healthcare landscape in our county.”
Paulding County Economic Development remains committed to fostering partnerships that drive progress and improve the quality of life for all community members.
by Isabella Carwile | Feb 25, 2025 | Community, Paulding County Business Weekly Radio Broadcast, Shoutout
We continue our introductory series on newly elected Paulding County officials. Listen in this week to hear from our new county Engineer Scott Strahley. Scott shares with us his history as a Paulding County graduate and engineering training and how he hopes that can help the county in the future. You can tune in to Paulding County Business Weekly on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Listen to this episode or catch up on past ones by clicking here to listen online or on many podcast platforms including Apple, Google & Spotify.
by Isabella Carwile | Feb 20, 2025 | Business Expansion, Community, For Sale, Jobs, PCED Office, Property Development
PAULDING COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PRESS RELEASE February 20, 2025
PAULDING – The Paulding County Economic Development (PCED) office recently hosted a regional Realtor Roundtable discussion on Friday, February 14th. The purpose of the roundtable was to hear directly from Megan Foos, the Chief Executive Officer of the Northwest Ohio Realtors Association, and allow time to address the obstacles and concerns faced by realtors.
Many regional realtors were invited to attend. Representatives from Strahley Realty, Gorrell Brothers Realty, Foltz Realty, Realty 5, and Coldwell Banker Classic Properties attended.
In addition, two students from Wayne Trace High School, who have an interest in researching whether realty is a good fit for their future, participated in the round table.
Foos shared data about average home sale prices in the region and county, in addition to a number of home sales. Realtors expressed their concerns about the lack of current viable inventory, although it was noted that this is a nationwide issue, not just in Paulding County.
Another noted significant concern was the language barriers faced by realtors when working with individuals who do not speak English proficiently. This seems to be a growing issue in the county and region. The group shared a variety of options they have been using to overcome the barrier.
The students were asked what questions they had in regard to both this meeting and the industry overall. Lots of interactive discussions followed as the realtors shared best and worst practices in their training and development in the industry. Foos shared various educational opportunities available to new and established realtors. This led to Ohio Tech Cred discussion in regard to training reimbursement funding available.
In what has become a resourceful, requested, and welcome annual meeting in Paulding County, the meeting closed out with open questions and valuable insights shared and addressed by attendees.
by Isabella Carwile | Feb 20, 2025 | Business Expansion, Community, PCED Office, Property Development, Workforce
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release February 19, 2025
PAULDING, OH – The Paulding County Commissioners, Economic Development Director Tim Copsey, and Eric Davis, from Wessler Engineering, Bluffton, met in the commissioner’s office recently to discuss a water feasibility study at the US24-Highway 127 interchange, located north of Paulding near the Crane Township – Emerald Township line.
Davis explained the scope of the project is to determine the most feasible way of making drinking water available at the intersection for potential economic development in the future. The study will also include the feasibility of bringing water to the Village of Cecil. Davis stated, “The intent of the study is to look at every possibility and determine the best potential to bring water to this intersection. Is that bringing it north from the Village of Paulding? Is it bringing water south from Sherwood under the Maumee River? Could it be connecting to a potential water line that would come from Defiance City to the mega-site near the Defiance County line? Is it establishing a well and water treatment plant near Cecil? All of these options need to be reviewed to confirm the most feasible option. The study can then be used to generate federal and state grant funding options to make this project a reality in the future.”
The county commissioners verbally committed $22,500 upon initial discussion. For the last several months Copsey met with Crane, Paulding, Emerald Townships, and Cecil Village to explain the importance of the project and to raise the rest of the funding required to pay for this study. The Townships each invested $5800 and the Village of Cecil invested $350.
Copsey commented, “The investment into this water study is a true commitment of our elected officials to the future growth of the economy in Paulding County. As Ft. Wayne grows further east, the Defiance industry grows further west, and traffic counts increase on both US24 and Highway 127, this intersection is becoming more and more attractive for future growth. We need to understand the cost for the potential development.”
Sewer system infrastructure will not be included in this study. Recent upgrades to the Cecil water treatment plant would be sufficient for initial development as the intersection is less than a mile away from the water treatment plant.
Davis noted that the study should be complete and results presented back to the group in the fourth quarter of 2025.
by Isabella Carwile | Feb 18, 2025 | Business Expansion, Community, For Sale, Funding, Jobs, PCED Office, Property Development, Workforce
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release February 18, 2025
PAULDING COUNTY – This week JobsOhio Food and Agriculture Director Tim Derickson, and Regional Growth Partnership (RGP) representative Jessica Sattler, joined Paulding County Economic Development Director Tim Copsey in conducting five business retention and expansion (BR&E) visits around the county.
The first stop of the day was at Mansfield Welding near the village of Melrose. The family-owned business team was able to display and highlight some agriculture-related fabrication and welding and highlight a new process machine that was purchased with the assistance of a JobsOhio Small Business Grant, awarded in 2024.
The group then traveled and met with team members at Cooper Farms in Oakwood. There was an in-depth conversation about agriculture and the different sectors of the Cooper Farm business, turkey, pork, and chicken. Cooper Farms continues to be a county leader in employment, Ohio TechCred training reimbursement funds, as well as Workforce Opportunity Tax Credits (WOTC).
The team made a trek to Antwerp to visit PNJ Enterprises and learn about a small fabrication business that makes automated parts for the food service industry, before heading to the village of Broughton to learn about Nutri-Plus Fertilizer. This family-owned business is annually providing plant nutrition for thousands of acres of crops in the agriculture industry.
The day closed out at Baughman Tile. Baughman is a fifth-generation family-owned business that is celebrating its 142nd year in business. The company manufactures plastic corrugated and solid-walled tiles for the agriculture and commercial industries. The conversation about workforce, business, and the economy was lively.
JobsOhio exists to empower world-class corporations, entrepreneurs, and talented individuals to build their businesses and careers in Ohio. Their advocacy and investments in partnership with the state enable sustainable economic growth and a better quality of life for all Ohioans through the power and dignity of work.
The Regional Growth Partnership (RGP) is the lead economic development organization and one of seven noted regions in the JobsOhio family and represents 17 counties in northwest Ohio. RGP partners with local county economic development offices to offer grants, incentives, and funding programs where applicable.
