Dayton Development Coalition Celebrates Record Job Creation, Regional Economic Recovery
The Dayton Development Coalition (DDC) celebrated a record year in 2021 at its Annual Meeting + Economic Review on Wednesday. As the Dayton Region continued to emerge from a global pandemic, the region set records for jobs committed and number of projects. The region had the second-best year for payroll and capital investment.
“After two years of a pandemic, our community has been transformed in more ways than we realize. We’ve had to adapt to changing circumstances, including the way we do business. In 2021, we saw companies tap into opportunities to transform not just their operations, but how we travel, how we manufacture, how we shop, and how we communicate,” said DDC President and CEO Jeff Hoagland. “In a year that contained both promise and frustration, our community came together to seize a generational opportunity for growth.”
In 2021, companies committed to create more than 4,264 new jobs and keep more than 3,298 jobs in our region. Many of the projects this year were new companies establishing operations in the region, helping to further diversify our economy. Those projects will generate more than $165.5 million in new payroll and $854.8 million in capital investment. The numbers represent companies that worked with the DDC and JobsOhio to expand or establish new operations in the region.
The sold-out gathering of 500 community and business leaders featured a keynote address by Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and a panel focused on Digital Transformation.
The panel featured:
CareSource Chief Information Officer Devon Valencia
Col. Maurizio D. “Mo” Calabrese, Commander, National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Radiance Technologies Executive Vice President for the National Security Sector Rita Hill
Moderator, Retired USAF Lt. Gen. Thomas J. Owen
“2021 transformed our community. We began to see companies re-shore essential operations, adapt and incorporate digital technology, and find new ways to leverage the changes in consumer behavior,” said DDC Board of Trustees Chair Doug Compton. “The Dayton Region stands ready to leverage these transformations in 2022, supported by new JobsOhio programs, efforts like the U.S. Air Force’s Agility Prime program, and a commitment to attracting and retaining the nation’s best talent.”
