Paulding County Business Advisory Council Holds First Quarter Meeting

Paulding County Business Advisory Council Holds First Quarter Meeting

ANTWERP, OH – The Paulding County Business Advisory Council (BAC) met at Antwerp Manor Assisted Living facility on Wednesday, March 6th, headed by Tim Copsey, Paulding County Economic Development Director to discuss initiatives focused on collaboration between local businesses and schools for the betterment of Paulding County. The meeting kicked off with a welcome and introduction of 22 attendees, including Lu Cooke, Northwest Regional Liaison Lt. Governor’s Office, and Mike Weible, Paulding County Commissioner.

Key agenda highlights included:

Mission Statement Update: Tom Taylor of Western Buckeye ESC and Tim Copsey, PCED Director, spearheaded efforts to refine the BAC Mission Statement for submission to the state. The goal is to ensure collaboration with the steering committee in shaping the business advisory council’s future direction.

Spring SuccessBound Event: Rhonda Hogrefe of Northwest Ohio College TechPrep invited BAC members to the upcoming Spring SuccessBound event at Terra State on April 26th. The event will facilitate discussions and strategies for education and workforce.

Paulding County Career Expo: Kristen Schilt shared details about the upcoming Paulding County Career Expo, highlighting opportunities for businesses to engage with students. Interested businesses are encouraged to reach out for participation.

Teacher Bootcamp: Lu Cooke announced Teacher Bootcamp funding was available again from the state. They recognize the importance of this program and advocated for it. Paulding County Teacher Bootcamp is scheduled for June 3-6 & 13th. The event, in collaboration with Ashland University, offers educators and businesses a way to connect and learn from each other all while earning continuing education credit.

Education Updates:

  • Wayne Trace Junior/Senior High School received a $2.4 million grant from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to enhance STEAM programs and facilities.
  • Paulding High School is organizing a community clean-up day on April 29th, providing students with opportunities for community service and engagement. In addition to an update on the Panthers for Careers program.
  • Antwerp High School is launching an Archer Career Advantage Program this fall to expose seniors to career exploration opportunities.
  • Vantage Career Center is experiencing record-high applications. There is also a need for adult education instructors.
  • Northwest State Community College shared an update on the new Van Wert campus.

The meeting also addressed topics such as Ohio TechCred sign-ups, the need for residential housing, and discussions around other career development initiatives.

The next quarterly meeting is scheduled for June 8th at Mercer Landmark Latty. For more information about the Paulding County Business Advisory Council please reach out to the economic development office at 419-399-8295 or office@pced.net.

PCBW: Lofton & Tim – Something Brave Supply Company

PCBW: Lofton & Tim – Something Brave Supply Company

Did you miss out on Lofton Brown’s inspiring presentation and marketing strategy at the Paulding County Economic Development banquet last November? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Tune in to the latest episode of Paulding County Business Weekly as we sit down with Lofton and his dad Tim to learn about the story behind their family hat business, Something Brave Supply Company. Hear about their entrepreneurial journey, strategies for success, and the passion driving their brand.
Catch this episode airing on MY102.7 FM every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:00 AM & 5:00 PM. Can’t tune in at those times? You can also listen online at www.my1027.org/paulding-county-business-weekly/ or find us on your favorite podcast platform. A special thanks to OhioMeansJobs for sponsoring this program.
Find them on Facebook at Something Brave Supply Co.
PCBW: Robin Mccord & Alyse Bidlack – Custom Assembly Inc.

PCBW: Robin Mccord & Alyse Bidlack – Custom Assembly Inc.

Hear it here! Tune in to hear from Custom Assembly, Inc. HR Manager Robin Mccord and HR Coordinator Alyse Bidlack. Listen as they share the history and information about one of Paulding County’s largest employers and best-kept secrets. Learn how this business is the hub and central location for facilities located in nine states.
Paulding County Business Weekly is hosted by Tim Copsey from Paulding County Economic Development, Inc., and is proudly sponsored by OhioMeansJobs of Defiance and Paulding Counties. You can tune in on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. or Click Here to Listen Online! This episode is also available wherever you get your podcasts. #pauldingcountystrong
Business, Industry and College Expo to be held Wednesday April 3rd

Business, Industry and College Expo to be held Wednesday April 3rd

PAULDING, OH – The Paulding County Economic Development office is hosting the Annual Business, Industry & College Expo on Wednesday, April 3rd from 8:00 am- 12:00 pm. The event is located at the Paulding County OSU Extension Building located at 503 Fairground Dr. Paulding, OH 45879.  Public is welcome to attend. High School Students from Antwerp, Paulding, Wayne Trace and Vantage Career Center, will attend to meet and learn more about the businesses, colleges and non-profits in attendance.

“Last year we had a great turnout of 44 businesses! We were impressed with the engaging hands-on activities some of the businesses had and look forward to more creativity this year. The overall goal for this event is to build awareness for the opportunities in our area. As always, we want to make the event better each year. Since last year we’ve met with our school leaders and came up with some tweaks to make the event more impactful for everyone involved.” noted Paulding County Economic Development Office Manager, Kristen Schilt.

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 Kristen Schilt, Office Manager at office@pced.net.

RGP presents JobsOhio Inclusion Grant to Paulding County

RGP presents JobsOhio Inclusion Grant to Paulding County

Paulding County Economic Development Press Release                                   January 18, 2024

RGP presents JobsOhio Inclusion Grant to Paulding County

PAULDING – Jessica Sattler, with the Regional Growth Partnership (RGP), recently came to Paulding County to present to local small business owners and leaders about an available business grant opportunity.  The JobsOhio Inclusion Grant (JOIG) is available to businesses located in the zip codes of Broughton, Cecil, Oakwood and Paulding villages.  In addition, the grant is available to female, veteran, disabled or minority owned businesses throughout the county.  Fifteen businesses were represented at the meeting by 16 individuals.

The RGP team is the NW Ohio arm of JobsOhio.  They help oversee 17 counties in northwest Ohio, including Paulding County, in economic development projects and grant opportunities.  With the JOIG opportunity, businesses that are over a year old and provide business to business services with at least $100,000 in annual revenue (but not over $25 million) are eligible to receive a $25,000 reimbursable grant.  An additional $25,000 is available to female, veteran, disabled or minority owned businesses that are located in the above-mentioned zip codes.  There is a requirement of increasing full time employment, within your business by 10%, over the next three years.  A business that has 10 or less employees would only need to increase by one full-time equivalent.  Last year Paulding County had two qualified businesses that applied and both received this reimbursable $25,000 grant.

The event was hosted at the Paulding Eagles and organized by the Paulding County Economic Development office, in conjunction with RGP and the Paulding & Defiance OhioMeansJobs office.  OMJ Workforce Supervisor Tiffany Rockhold shared several business partnership opportunities with attendees to make sure they were aware of the many options available through the OMJ office.

“The attendance of this event far exceeded what we expected, which shows that our business leaders are engaged and paying attention to opportunities our office is sharing,” stated Economic Development Director Tim Copsey.  “The questions and discussions that evolved out of this meeting to both Jessica and Tiffany were informative.  It’s great to see so many business leaders participating and thinking outside the box.  We are now using the knowledge that we gained from this presentation to reach out and meet with other business owners that weren’t able to attend and share in this opportunity”.

If an Ohio business would like to learn more about this grant opportunity and qualifications, please reach out to your local economic development office for more information.

PCBW: Levi & Luke Kuhn – (Kuhn Truck & RV)

PCBW: Levi & Luke Kuhn – (Kuhn Truck & RV)

Dive into the latest episode of Paulding County Business Weekly featuring Levi & Luke Kuhn (Kuhn Truck and RV) from Sherwood, Ohio! Learn how local leaders can grow, study, and reinvest in our community. Hosted by Tim Copsey, this episode explores the key to community revitalization through local commitment and investment.

🎧 Tune in every Tuesday and Thursday at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on My 102.7 or catch it online at https://podcasters.spotify.com/…/PCBW-Episode-73—Levi….

Proudly sponsored by OhioMeansJobs Defiance & Paulding Counties, this episode is also available on your favorite podcast platforms.