The OH-PA Stateline Export Initiative that is designed to bring exporting awareness, foreign direct investment and supply chain matching to a 10-county region in Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania received recognition by the Mid-America Economic Development Council (MAEDC) at its annual Competitiveness Conference & Site Selector Forum in Chicago on Monday.
The OH-PA Stateline Export Initiative that is designed to bring exporting awareness, foreign direct investment and supply chain matching to a 10-county region in Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania received recognition by the Mid-America Economic Development Council (MAEDC) at its annual Competitiveness Conference & Site Selector Forum in Chicago on Monday.
The MAEDC, which represents economic development agencies in 10 states, awarded the initiative created by the Regional Chamber and the International Trade Assistance Center at Youngstown State University in the Business Retention & Expansion category of its annual awards presentation.
Sarah Boyarko, senior vice president of Economic Development at the Regional Chamber, said, “We are proud that the initiative continues to receive recognition, this time from a large group of our peers. The effort is a unique approach to not only increase the number of exports in the years to come, but foreign direct investment, as well.”
The initiative, which launched earlier this year, received praise from the Brookings Institution and was cited by Global Trade Magazine for Youngstown’s ranking as a “Best City for Export Assistance” in its annual “Best Cities for Global Trade” issue in October.
Through the export initiative, local partners in the 10-county area have been encouraging manufacturers and business service providers to take a survey about their exporting experiences, including the number of countries and types of products and services that are exported, company capabilities, etc. Compiled aggregated data will be used to generate potential trade opportunities and match companies to potential customers. This year’s results will be presented in the Chamber’s first international report card in early 2016.