Case Studies

Business Testimonials

Success Story: Exel


Constantly Expanding, Ohio State Adds Billions to Region Economy

“Working and living in Columbus 20 years ago was a wonderful experience and that experience made me even more excited to return and lead our Medical Center and its expansion,” said Dr. Steven G. Gabbe, senior vice president for Health Sciences at Ohio State and chief executive officer at the OSU Wexner Medical Center. “The Columbus Region community has contributed to the success of our Medical Center and will continue to influence our success for years to come. Our goal is to be a top 20 nationally ranked hospital, and this cannot happen without the support of the Columbus community.”

Read on to learn how The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has evolved since 1834 and plans to add $4.1 billion to the Ohio economy every year.


University, Health Care Collaboration and Community, Government Support Keep Hospital Among Best in the Nation

“One of the reasons we are able to attract the physicians and scientists that we do is because once people from the outside get exposed to Central Ohio, they become quite enamored with the idea of working and living here,” said Dr. Steve Allen, CEO of Nationwide Children's Hospital. “Columbus helps us because it’s such a great town with Midwestern values. People are genuine, unpretentious and their first priority is to do the right thing, particularly when it comes to their children.”

Read on to learn how Nationwide Children's Hospital has grown to be one of the country’s top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded freestanding pediatric research facilities.


Proximity to Customers, Plants, and Students Ripe for Employment Make Columbus Ideal for New Lab

Not only is the location perfect for what Food Safety Net Services is trying to accomplish, The Ohio State University was also a big draw for the company.

“The feeder system from the university to the lab made a huge difference when choosing our next location,” FSNS vice president of sales and marketing Jeff Carpenter says. “Being able to pull prospective employees from OSU made the decision to open in Columbus that much easier.”

Read on to learn why the Columbus Region is the most strategic location for Food Safety Net Services' expansion.


Technology and Resourceful Workforce in Columbus Contribute to OCLC's success

“We have been well served in the labor markets because there are lots of nationally recognized universities and successful businesses in the Region,” said CEO Jay Jordan. “It’s a great place for associates to live and grow. Columbus has helped make OCLC what it is today.”

The talent pool isn’t the only thing that helped OCLC thrive — Jordan says it’s also the very giving and generous group of people who reside in the Region.

Read on to learn how OCLC (Online Computer Library Center, Inc.) has successfully grown in the Columbus Region.


Community Mindset, Accessibility and Talent Help Oxford Consulting Thrive

Michelle Kerr has big plans for Oxford Consulting Group in the coming years. Not only has the company opened a second Columbus Region office to help grow its IT services, it is also looking to grow the company’s workforce.

Kerr had the option to expand locations and workforce in California, Georgia or Canada, but she decided to keep her company solely in the Region because of its incentives and the talented labor force found in the surrounding area.

Read on to learn how Oxford Consulting Group is able to add new jobs at their headquarters in the Columbus Region.


Talent, Technology, Tax Incentives Bring Ohio Businessman Home

An entrepreneur at heart, Ray Shealy has been dedicated to launching and growing successful companies in the Columbus area. One of those major successes came in the form of HTP.

HTP, now part of McKesson’s RelayHealth organization, developed software for the healthcare industry that improves efficiency, profitability and service quality for hospitals, insurance companies, physician groups, managed care organizations, third-party administrators and public sector health plans.

Read on to learn how Ray Shealy tapped the Region's resources to transition HTP to one of America’s fastest growing tech companies.


Deregulation Drew IGS Energy to Central Ohio, Quality Workforce Convinced Them to Stay

Marvin White, a retired CEO of Columbia Distribution Companies, founded Interstate Gas Supply, Inc. (IGS Energy) in 1989 with his son, Scott, and daughter, Cathy, in Dublin, Ohio. Deregulation of the natural gas market in the 1980s and 1990s opened the doors for IGS Energy to not only buy natural gas from producers but also to sell natural gas directly to the end-user.

“When IGS Energy was founded, natural gas deregulation was just beginning,” said Scott White, President. “Ohio was at the forefront of deregulation in 1989 and continues to be one of the leaders in changing the way natural gas is bought and sold. It made sense to start IGS Energy here in Columbus.”

Read on to find out how Ohio policy and Columbus Region resources have spurred IGS Energy to success.


Local Entrepreneur Finds Secret to Start-up Success in Region's Support Network

Although Wayne Poll, M.D., started his laparoscopic surgery practice in Columbus in 1990, he always wanted to be an inventor. As a practicing surgeon, he had a knack for identifying a surgical issue and figuring out an effective solution, but didn’t have any experience transforming a concept into a tangible product.

Poll’s product concept – which essentially uses an air shield to defog the laparoscopic lens and deflect debris, resulting in a clearer view – addressed a longtime need in the medical industry. Laparoscopic surgeons had to remove and clean the lens approximately 10 times during the average surgery, adding time (and costs) to the procedure. Additionally, fog and debris resulted in a lower-quality image, making the procedure less effective. 

Read on to find out how the Columbus Region helped Wayne Poll make his concept a reality.


Customer Service, Logistics Attracts ExpressPoint to the Columbus Region

When the CEO of ExpressPoint searched for a location in which to expand operations, he had no idea he’d be coming home.

ExpressPoint executives undertook a scientific process to identify Midwestern metropolitan communities that could support their needs. A third party conducted a study that resulted in a detailed analysis of appropriate communities, based on the company’s products, shipments, customer base and operations. At that point the Columbus Region was identified as one of four potential communities.

Read on to find out why Express Point chose the Columbus Region.


Collaboration Equals Jobs for Columbus

Columbus will welcome nearly 100 new jobs, thanks to the collaboration of the City of Columbus, Columbus 2020, the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, Rickenbacker, the State of Ohio, and a chance meeting on an airplane.

Frank Brunckhorst Co., LLC, responsible for distribution of Boar’s Head Brand®, one of the nation’s leading brands of premium delicatessen products, will locate a $20 million project that is expected to create 93 jobs. The company received tax incentives from the City of Columbus and the State of Ohio.

Read on to find out why Frank Brunckhorst Co. chose the Columbus Region.


The Economic Report, MSNBC, 2010


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