From the News-Herald:
Ohio Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher said Friday that one of his newest goals is
for the state to change the way it looks at economic and work force development. Fisher, a political veteran from Cleveland, made his first public appearance in Lake County as lieutenant governor. He appeared as the keynote speaker at LaMalfa Centre in Mentor for a luncheon hosted by the Lake County Economic Development Center. About 200 people were in attendance. His talk came one day after Gov. Ted Strickland made his first Lake County appearance since taking office.
Fisher, who also serves as Ohio Department of Development director, said the state needs to develop a talented work force, and the best way to do that is to better coordinate and improve education. He said prominent companies that are looking to retain or expand their businesses are seeking locations where they know they can find qualified, skilled workers. These companies also want a place where they know their workers will be able to live in safe neighborhoods and send their kids to good schools, the lieutenant governor said. He said the game isn't always best played just by providing tax abatements to companies and promises of new highway interchanges.
"Talent development is the game-changer," Fisher said.
One change in philosophy he cited for the Department of Development is the importance for representatives from the private sector and nonprofit organizations to play a role and be involved when there are internal discussions of how to attract and retain certain companies, he said. Fisher said it is also important for the state to share in the risks that organizations and local governments take to improve economic development.
"No one person is taking the risk alone," he said. "That's the strategy Gov. Strickland wants to do. Over the coming months, the governor and I will reach out to regional economic development leaders. ... It will be our job to tie the threads of the region together."
He said times have changed to the point that economic and work force development needs to be undertaken on a regional basis, rather than by smaller entities and governments.
"In a global economy, we need to compete on a different scale," Fisher said.
He touted Ohio's place as a leader in fuel cell production and said the state is leading that charge to create a new industry. "It's an industry that needs a lot of watering, but the returns could be unlimited," he said.
Lee Fisher previously served as Attorney General for Ohio and is from Greater Cleveland.
