Williams County has a lot to offer!

So my work is much more public now and I thought it would be good to revisit how Williams County fits into the midwest.  I am consulting with the Northwest Ohio Rail Commission (NWORC).  This group is charged by the Williams County Commissioners with collecting information on the potential for using the County's existing rail infrastructure, industry, and workforce potential as a marketing tool to bring new jobs and development to the County.

Many local leaders refer to Williams County as "the best kept secret in the Midwest" due to our great connectivity to highways, rail, and ports - both air and sea (via the Great Lakes).  Further, Williams County is within a days drive of approximately 1/8 (one-eighth) of the nation's population.  Sounds great!  Show me...

Most everyone who has seen this map is VERY impressed with Williams County's location and connection to the Region.  Add to this connection 1) low cost of living 2) well-trained workforce 3) relatively low land costs 4) competitive utility rates.  We are looking for ways to encourage industry to look at Williams County as a potential location for their manufacturing, distribution, or call centers.

But Williams County doesn't just have land, roads and rail.  The County counts among its employers some of the leaders in their industries.

The ten companies shown in this map represent only a few of the industry leaders who are located in Williams County.  The Rail Commission is hoping to help these companies flourish and grow through the use and implementation of our existing rail infrastructure.  Hopefully, their growth will inspire other companies to look at Williams County.

In addition to producing the extraordinary graphics for the group, my work, so far, has been as a "Champion" of the idea.  This term is borrowed from an expert in getting these types of projects moving and simply means: helping the group to navigate a infinite number of possible avenues for our charged investigation.  It sometimes means taking the initiative to get the information flowing by making a call, organizing a lunch, or reminding the responsible parties about the task at hand.  It is the group's hope (and mine) that this work results in the economic development that this County deserves.

We are making progress - not public yet - but work that has the potential to yield the excellent opportunities that the Commission was set up to find.  It's very exciting work!