by Isabella Carwile | Apr 17, 2025 | Business Expansion, Community, Events, New Business, PCED Office, Shoutout
ANTWERP – This week, H&W Napa Automotive opened their new expanded location at 5141 Road 424 in Antwerp. Additionally, the new store brings a hardware store back to the community as it includes a Do It Best Hardware. With the expanded space comes expanded store hours. The retail store will now be open Monday through Friday, 7 am-6 pm, and Saturday, 8 am-12 pm. The Antwerp Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting to commemorate the opening.
Pictured left to right: Paulding County Economic Development Director Tim Copsey, chamber member Sue Fowler, store manager Brandon Headley, owners Randy Headley & Jared Headley, and chamber members Shelly Walker, Heather Matusiak, and Jennifer Ankney. *picture by Angel Steiner, West Bend Printing & Publishing
by Isabella Carwile | Apr 10, 2025 | Business Expansion, Community, Events, Funding, PCED Office, Shoutout, Workforce
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release April 9, 2025
PAULDING – Lisa Lawson, Project Manager for Bowling Green State University (BGSU) Center for Regional Development (CRD), held a grant writing workshop at the Paulding County Economic Development (PCED) office here. The session empowered 16 local professionals, representing 13 individual businesses, by equipping them with essential skills to navigate the often complicated world of grants.
Lawson introduced attendees to valuable resources designed to streamline the grant-writing process and enhance their chances of securing funding for their initiatives. “CRD is happy to support our rural community partners as part of our mission under the state-funded Rural Universities Program -to support local economic, community, and public health initiatives. It is also part of our mission at BGSU to serve the public good,” stated Lawson.
Participants explored a wide range of grant exploration opportunities and reviewed critical details needed for submitting effective strategies and pre-planning and successful applications. The attendees walked away with a deeper understanding of the grant landscape, ready to transform their newfound knowledge into actionable results for their organizations.
With the help of the BGSU-CRD team, the PCED office remains committed to fostering growth and empowering local businesses with tools and resources for long-term success.
by Isabella Carwile | Apr 9, 2025 | Business Expansion, Community, Community Improvement Corporation (CIC), Events, PCED Office, Property Development, Shoutout
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release April 9, 2025
ANTWERP – Paulding County is preparing for its own future growth as major project investment takes place in surrounding counties. This week, the Powell, Ohio-based development group BMJW Investments LLC, with affiliate entity MWB Investments LLC, closed on three parcels totaling approximately 89 acres of “ready to develop” property in the northeast corner of the US24/Highway 49 intersection. This location is on the south end of the Village of Antwerp. Sitting along US24, the site is 20 miles west of Defiance, Ohio, and 15 miles east of the I-469 loop around Fort Wayne, IN. With all the growth taking place in both northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio, this location has unlimited potential for future growth.
This exciting development project has been on the county’s radar since the new four-lane US24 highway opened in 2012. Since that time the Antwerp/Payne/Paulding County Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) has had an option to purchase 64 acres on the north end of this property from owners Don & Elaine Benschneider. As CIC discussions with BMJW Investments began, they quickly realized that in addition to those 64 acres, they would also need to purchase the 19 acres owned by the Marlin family and 8 additional acres of property owned by the Antwerp Community Church. With both of those parcels having US24 frontage, it was critical to incorporate these parcels to maximize the development potential for the project site.
BMJW investments worked closely with the CIC and each seller to develop purchase agreements on the properties. Finally, on the last day of March 2025, the stars aligned, and the BMJW team was able to close on the entire property, totaling nearly 89 acres.
Unlike the Benschneider and church parcels already sitting in the village limits, the Marlin farm property sits in Carryall Township. The property has been a topic for discussion between village and township officials, for a while, and is expected to be annexed into the village following a review of the project by county commissioners.
Similar to other recent development projects in Paulding County, this project has been an incredible collaboration of entities from all over the county and state. Included in the project discussions were the Antwerp Village Council, CIC, Carryall Township, the Benschneider family, the Marlin Family, the Antwerp Community Church, the Antwerp Exchange Bank, the Paulding County Economic Development (PCED) office, BMJW Investment team, the Paulding County Commissioners and the Ohio Department of Development.
CIC President Tom VanVlerah remarked, “Having worked with so many people and groups these past years, it is a pleasure to see this project come to fruition. I’m very proud of all who worked to make this happen. Past and current members of the CIC team have invested lots of time to bring this development to where it is now. We are thankful for all the support and effort, and to BMJW Investments, and look forward to seeing the future of Antwerp possibilities.”
Currently identified as the “Antwerp Square” project in tentative development plans, the residential portion of the project will potentially begin on the north end of the property, adjacent to the Antwerp Local School complex. The CIC had previously been donated a property, along the east side of Highway 49, that connects the highway with this development property. The property was donated by Leo & Jane Stumphy and included an older outbuilding. The building was removed by Ben Kauser Excavating to make room for a new public road which was 75% funded by a grant from the Ohio Department of Development. The CIC paid for the other 25% of the road infrastructure cost. The road, including curbs and adequate surface drainage, is in place and ready for use.
John Wicks, managing member of BMJW Investments, stated, “We are excited about all the potential this development project could bring to Antwerp and Paulding County. It has been a pleasure to work with the CIC, local governments, and property owners in what has truly felt like a partnership throughout our due diligence and acquisition processes. We look forward to collaborating with local and regional builders, businesses and investors to create an inspired mixed-use community”.
BMJW Investments will be looking to speak with interested building and development groups including, but not limited to, single-family residential builders, duplex and triplex builders, multi-family residential, senior living, service sector facilities and offices, light manufacturing, and retail and commercial opportunities, including a hotel, travel plaza, and restaurants.
The PCED office is currently collecting funds to update a hotel study that was completed for the region in 2019. Updating the study will put data into real, post-covid numbers and will provide the information needed for potential hotel builders to review, and decide if building the first hotel in the county in decades, can be successful.
Tim Copsey, Economic Director, added, “This type of forward thinking, collaboration and investment is what Paulding County needs. This project provides us an opportunity for overall population growth, increase in student count, and a capacity for business growth. It is exciting to get this project past the point of a dream and actually taking place. Thanks to the efforts of all involved, the potential is wide open here now!”
The development could begin construction in 2025 pending agreements with potential buyers of at least 2 subareas within the mixed-use development. For questions, opportunities or interest in the project please contact the Paulding County Economic Development office 419-399-8282.
by Isabella Carwile | Apr 8, 2025 | Business Expansion, Community, Events, Jobs, Membership, PCED Office, Shoutout, Workforce
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release April 7, 2025
PAULDING – The Paulding County Economic Development (PCED) office recently hosted their annual Business, Industry & College Showcase event at the Paulding County OSU Extension Building. The building buzzed with energy as students explored promising career pathways and learned more about Paulding County business as they connected with industry leaders.
Junior and senior students from Antwerp, Paulding, Wayne Trace, and county homeschool students were invited to attend. These students engaged with 52 exhibitors representing businesses, colleges, and non-profit organizations from across the region, discovering exciting opportunities to shape their futures.
This year, the event added a “touch-a-truck” type atmosphere. The Paulding County Sheriff’s office showcased a patrol unit SUV, drone demonstration, and tactical gear. The Paulding County Engineer’s office displayed a pick-up truck inside and a county snow plow truck outside for students to get close to and offering hands-on insight into local government operations. These exhibits added to the showcase filled with engaging and interactive presentations at 52 booths this year.
Paulding County students benefitted from YouScience, a self-assessment tool that helps them uncover their unique career potential. Color-coded career paths, based on their assessments, linked students with matching industries at the event. Equipped with passports, students were required to get a minimum of five business signatures as they journeyed booth to booth, exploring opportunities. Those who completed their passports entered a drawing for a $25 Marathon gift card, compliments of Love-Heitmeyer Funeral Home. One winner was drawn for each attending school. The YouScience assessment tool is provided by Vantage Career Center to each of their participating schools.
Jessica Stechschulte, PCED Administrative Assistant, praised the students’ enthusiasm: “Seeing the engagement of the students and fostering partnerships between local businesses and young talent to bridge workforce gaps is what makes this event a great success. We’re already excited to see what next year holds!”
In addition, the PCED office would like to thank Love-Heitmeyer Funeral Home for their generous donation, which contributed to the event’s resounding success.
by Isabella Carwile | Mar 24, 2025 | Community, Events, Jobs, PCED Office, Shoutout, Workforce
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release March 24, 2025
PAULDING – The Paulding County Economic Development (PCED) office is hosting the Annual Business, Industry & College Showcase on Wednesday, April 2nd, from 8:00 am- 12:00 pm. The event is located at the Paulding County OSU Extension Building, located at 503 Fairground Drive in Paulding 45879. Junior and senior students from Antwerp, Paulding, Wayne Trace, and Continental schools will attend to meet and learn more about the businesses, colleges, and non-profit businesses in attendance. The Public is also welcome to attend.
In preparing students for this event, the PCED office is visiting with all the county junior and senior students. During the visit, it is explained to students how the showcase flows when they arrive and how this is their opportunity to interact and communicate with colleges, armed forces representatives, social service groups, and regional businesses. It is reiterated that even students that may not be looking to be employed should engage in this event, to learn and understand what businesses and products are available, provided, or manufactured, right here in the county.
PCED Director Tim Copsey explained, “This event is important in that it allows our students to see what Paulding County is and does. It allows our businesses to share what they do and provide to another group of potential customers and employees down the road. We always say you don’t know what you don’t know. Here is the chance to help educate each other about Paulding County and the region.”
In the past students were provided with an educational booklet that included a business description and contact information for most businesses in the area, many of which will be in attendance at the event. This year the PCED office is introducing QR codes to the students. One of the codes will take them to the PCED website where they will find the full booklet, which has grown to 38 pages of information.
A second QR code has been introduced to gather student information for use following graduation. Completing the brief survey, behind the QR code, will allow students access to the weekly PCED Newsletter and also to receive notice of employment opportunities, related to their employment field or college major, while they are in the workforce or attending college.
In addition, thanks to the Vantage Career Center’s investment in all county students, Paulding County students are able to participate in YouScience, a self-assessment module, to identify the best potential career paths, during the school year. Based on their personal assessment results, students are provided a color code for their top three recommended career paths. The businesses will display employment sector opportunities in matching color codes. This should help guide students to their best match-assessed career paths. Collaboration between students, educators, and businesses will continue up to the showcase event date.
“The Paulding County Career Day is a great opportunity for our Junior and Senior students to see what professions are available within our area. This event allows our students to showcase themselves to area businesses and make possible connections for a future job,” noted Shawn Brewer, PFC (Panther for Careers) Coordinator at Paulding Exempted Village School.
“We are excited for our students to explore local businesses and discover potential career opportunities in Paulding County. This event helps students connect their education to real-world pathways for success.” – Elyse Boyer, Director of Curriculum & Technology at Antwerp Local School.
In addition, thanks to the generosity of the Paulding County Area Foundation, all county senior students received a #pauldingcountystrong T-shirt in their school colors with their school mascot included in the logo.
You can find out more about Paulding County Economic Development events and programs online at www.pced.net; on Facebook at Paulding County Economic Development; or email Jessica Stechschulte, Administrator Assistant at office@pced.net.
by Isabella Carwile | Mar 12, 2025 | Community, Events, Jobs, PCED Office, Shoutout, Workforce
Paulding County Economic Development Press Release March 17, 2025
PAULDING – The Paulding County Business Advisory Council (BAC) held their 2025 first-quarter meeting at the Paulding County OSU Extension Building, with 16 members in attendance.
Rhonda Hografe, representing NW Ohio Tech Prep, opened the meeting by announcing that the Paulding County BAC received a 3-star rating from the State of Ohio Department of Education (ODE). Last year, Paulding County received a 2-star award. This rise in rating indicates the continued growth and success of the education-business partnership and collaboration in Paulding County. Hografe shared that the Paulding County BAC will be recognized during the SuccessBound Summit Event, which will be held on April 4 at Rhodes State College.
All three county schools, Antwerp, Paulding & Wayne Trace, shared updates and information with attending businesses and each other, about current programming and education taking place in regard to their Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Mathematics (STEAM) programs. This education is even more beneficial when it is in collaboration with an area business.
Fahyth Griner, HR Manager at Haviland Drainage & Haviland Plastics, shared a success story in conjunction with a Wayne Trace student highlighting how the student has developed valuable skills, including proficiency in CAD drawing, at the Wayne Trace STEAM center and made meaningful contributions to various engineering projects within the business.
Paulding County Economic Development (PCED) Director Tim Copsey shared information about the upcoming Career and College Expo. The event will be held April 2 at the Paulding County Fairground OSU Extension building. Details of the event are coming together, including the strategic use of the YouScience data. YouScience is an assessment tool that Vantage Career Center provides to students in all three county schools.
The Paulding County 2025 Teacher Boot Camp, held in conjunction with the ODE, the University of Ashland, and the Western Buckeye Education Service Center, will be held June 2-5 & 9. The event is open for educators, administrators and school board members to sign up at this time. The boot camp is designed to equip attendees with the necessary knowledge about all kinds of services and manufacturing provided in the county and to bridge the gap between education, and the workplace. This will help educators understand what is available right here in Paulding County, so they can share accurate information with the students they connect with every day in school.
The floor was then opened for any open discussion. There was great interactive conversation, and ideas exchanged, on how students, educators, and the county businesses can create more opportunities to engage and communicate with each other.
The next BAC Committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 5th at the expanded Mercer Landmark facility during the Teacher Boot Camp event. For more information about the Business Advisory Council please reach out to Jessica Stechschulte at the economic development office at 419-399-8295 or office@pced.net.
