Economic development progress highlighted in report to Highland County commissioners

Highland County Economic Development Director Julie Bolender provided a 2024 report on local economic progress during Highland County commissioners’ Jan. 8 meeting.

As previously reported, Bolender was hired in 2021 to lead the economic development department, working in conjunction with both the county and local municipalities, for the first time since the county discontinued funding to the previous department in 2010. Since then, Bolender has focused on both economic development as well as workforce development, including with the opening of a new workforce development center in Greenfield in 2022.

Bolender’s report started in January 2024 and went through highlights of the past year for her office and partnering organizations as well as sharing local business and industry accomplishments.

Some of those highlights included the following:

• January: Business retention and expansion meetings were hosted to provide support to local small businesses and larger industries.

“During these meetings, we focus on identifying opportunities, offering individualized assistance and developing a retention and expansion strategy,” Bolender said. “Two of those small businesses that we met with in January have gone on to open storefronts within the county.

“Also throughout the course of the meetings, several potential industry expansion projects were discovered, and our industries need to know that our department, our communities and our county are ready to assist in their strategic plan for success.”

That includes through the state TechCred program, which allows employers “upskilling” opportunities for their staff, Bolender said.

• February: A “Manufacturing Day” event for area high school students was held as the “inaugural industry sector immersion experience” hosted by the Workforce Development department.

“Together with our partners, we welcomed over 120 high school students from our five public school districts to tour various county manufacturing facilities,” Bolender said. “They enjoyed a hands-on experience in some of these plants and a luncheon at Southern State Community College.

“After lunch, we welcomed the Ohio Director of Development, Lydia Mihalik, as our keynote speaker. She spoke about the importance of manufacturing and how our local manufacturers are a critical component in the various supply chains.”

After the event, students in attendance who had been placed in internships through the ACCESS (Alignment of Community Connections for Employer and Student Success) program “received their stipend checks for the completion of their internships,” according to Bolender.

“The county's internship program is a block in the foundation of our students’ future,” she said.

• March: City, county and state leaders, as well as tenants, investors and partners, gathered in uptown Hillsboro for the official ribbon-cutting and opening of the Hillsboro Business Complex, an over $1 million development owned and financed by local entrepreneur Dale Martin with the support of a JobsOhio Vibrant Community grant. Those in attendance included Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef and OhioSE Vice President Katy Farber.

“The complex is a result of strong local partnerships and a vision for revitalization in the community,” Bolender said. “The mixed-use project totals over 7,000 square feet, spanning three different buildings. The completed facility now houses the Highland County Chamber of Commerce, the Visitors Bureau, Hapner Law Office, the Bell City School of Music and various businesses, including my office and the Highland County Land Reutilization Corporation and the second-floor space known as The Hive.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the support of JobsOhio, not only for our industries, but for our communities as well.”

• April: Highland County elected officials and nonprofit, education and business leaders toured the Ohio Statehouse and met with state officials during their first “Highland County Day” in Columbus.

The group spoke with Drew Cooper, Jobs Ohio Director of Government Affairs; OhioSE VP Katy Farber; Director of Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Stephen Dackin; Director of Ohio Department of Development Lydia Mihalik; Director of Ohio Department of Agriculture Brian Baldridge; Lt. Governor Jon Husted; Representative Bob Peterson; and Senator Shane Wilkin during their visit.

“We appreciate our government leaders who took time from their day to hear our needs and about the great things happening in Highland County,” Bolender said.

• May: The state of Ohio announced a $12.6 million investment in Highland County, as well as multimillion-dollar investments in several surrounding counties, with the Appalachian Community Grant program. The Village of Greenfield was awarded the largest Highland County project, with $5,371,410 in funding to renovate Felson Park. The City of Hillsboro also received over $5 million, with a $5,204,536 award to supplement already earmarked grant funding for Crossroads Park (formerly known as the green space on West Main Street).

The villages of Leesburg and Lynchburg each received over a million dollars for park improvements as well. Leesburg was awarded $1,052,995 to renovate a currently defunct downtown park. Lynchburg’s $1,001,390 award will go toward upgrading their downtown park.

“May brought great excitement when close to two years of work came to fruition with the announcement of the Appalachian Community grant program,” Bolender said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime investment in Highland County, and I think this will provide a lot of enjoyment for several generations.”

For another May highlight, Bolender said that the county’s Workforce Development Center in Greenfield was the host site of the BESTOhio [Business and Education Success Team of south central Ohio]’s quarterly board meeting.

“BESTOhio focuses on collaborating to expand, attract and retain a skilled workforce for our region's manufacturers,” Bolender said. “It was a great opportunity for us to showcase the many amenities the center provides and was well attended by over 50 partners from around our region.”

• Summer: Janyia Hudson-Childers, a Laurel Oaks student, joined Bolender’s office as an intern through the ACCESS program. During her tenure, Hudson-Childers created a website for the economic development department, which can be found at https://www.develophighlandcountyohio.com.

“I think she has a pretty bright future ahead of her,” Bolender said.

• October: Heith Brown was announced as the new workforce development director (formerly known as the ACCESS director), replacing ACCESS director Tim Dettwiller, who stepped down after being appointed superintendent of Wilmington City Schools.

“The Highland County Workforce Leadership Council welcomed a new director to the helm,” Bolender said. “Heith has been doing a great job, and I encourage our businesses to reach out to him should they wish to be a host site for our eager interns.”

Also in October, the Highland County Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural STEEL (Strengthening Together Experienced and Emerging Leaders) Conference was held at Southern State Community College’s Hillsboro campus. Bolender was among the committee members for the conference.

“This event brought together over 160 individuals from all walks of life and professions for a day of unparalleled leadership training,” Bolender said. “From a phenomenal keynote speaker in Jordan Montgomery to a panel of experienced and emerging leaders, attendees had every opportunity to learn, network and grow personally and professionally.”

• December: A free two-week “Manufacturing Ready” course was hosted at the Workforce Development Center in Greenfield and sponsored by Shawnee State University, BESTOhio, The GRIT Project and StonePath Business Solutions, in partnership with Future Plans. The training program covered technical manufacturing skills and soft skills, with ongoing career support services and potential job placement.

“Several individuals completed a free two-week course that prepared them for a career in manufacturing,” Bolender said. “Twelve of those individuals went a step further and received their Six Sigma white belt certification during that time period as well.

“On the last day of class, they participated in an interview process. Area manufacturers hired these individuals, and they now enjoy a career in which they're prepared to succeed.”

Two of the Manufacturing Ready graduates — Mahgqany Collins and Tristen Newkirk —were in attendance Wednesday with Seal-Tite Continuous Improvement Manager Phil Wilson. Wilson told commissioners that Collins, Newkirk and another individual, who could not attend due to working third shift, were hired at Seal-Tite after completing the course. Both Collins and Newkirk are Lean Six Sigma certified, they said.

“They interviewed very well,” Wilson said.

• Yearlong achievements for 2024 included hosting various classes and events at the Workforce Development Center, such as “two phlebotomy courses for high school seniors, Aspire classes through Southern State Community College, business off-site training and meetings and peace officer coursework,” Bolender said.

Looking ahead to 2025, continuing to grow the workforce development program for both high school students and adults is a key goal, as discussed by Bolender and the other guests.

For the ACCESS/workforce development program, Bolender said there are “67 students currently enrolled in an internship,” as Brown said they are “on track to more than double” the number of internship placements from the previous school year. He added that they are also in the process of working to get Hillsboro Christian Academy students enrolled in the program, in addition to the already participating public schools.

“We’re really expanding, and a lot more businesses are signing on,” Brown said. “Seal-Tite and Corvac, I'm going to highlight those two. They're kind of our champions when it comes to the interns.”

He and Bolender also discussed the wide range of internships currently in place, with students working in a variety of industries, including accounting, agriculture, health care, law enforcement, manufacturing, mortuary science, water treatment and more.     

In other plans for this year, Bolender said that some of the events from 2024 will be repeated in 2025, such as another industry immersion experience — this time for the agricultural industry instead of manufacturing — “currently in the planning stages;” another Highland County Day at the Statehouse; and a second STEEL Conference.

Additionally, due to the strict deadlines with the Appalachian Community Grant, the municipalities of Hillsboro, Greenfield, Lynchburg and Leesburg are working to make progress on their respective park plans.

“Each community is currently working on their development plan,” Bolender said. “We expect bid information for the construction of the parks to be forthcoming this spring, and meetings with our community partners, the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission and engineering firms continue monthly.

“All of this work for these parks must be completed by October of 2026, so very soon, we'll start to see dirt moving, we’ll start to see construction, and I think everyone will be excited about what the different municipalities have to offer.”

Bolender said that she is also engaged in ongoing efforts behind the scenes — some of which cannot always be immediately publicized, for confidentiality reasons — to assist local industries and business leaders. Some exciting news will be announced soon, she said.

“Each day, my focus remains on our two SiteOhio-authenticated industrial parks [in Greenfield and Leesburg], workforce development, infrastructure needs and planning and assisting our current major employers,” Bolender said. “I continue my work with the entrepreneurs set to build a hotel complex on the north end of Hillsboro. I believe while we all had hoped for more progress to date, I am assured that they are preparing to break ground.

“We also continue to look for opportunities to enhance the Rocky Fork Lake area. The lake is truly a gem in Highland County's crown, and it provides economic viability and promotes tourism in our area.”

Bolender concluded her report by thanking the economic development board and local business leaders for their support.

“Each day brings a new question, opportunity and sometimes an exciting challenge,” she said. “I want to express my appreciation to my board for their unwavering support, guidance and desire to make Highland County the place people want to live, work and play. I also want to thank our industry leaders for trusting me with their challenges and their dreams. It's exciting to work through their plans, and with the help of our partners, see them come to fruition.

“2025 is off to a great start, and I'm looking forward to the many things that will come.”

Commission president Brad Roades thanked Bolender for the “great year in review” report.

Check back to highlandcountypress.com for more from Wednesday’s meeting.

Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 25 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.