Rick Platt is President and CEO of the Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority with over three decades of experience in Ohio industrial development. He is a board member of JobsOhio.
Site selectors used to get asked, “Why is Ohio on our list?” Now, if they leave Ohio locations off the list of potential sites for their business clients, they’re asked, “Why isn’t Ohio on our list?”
Site selectors are the consultants behind corporate decision-making. These are the folks involved in every “mega” project finding its location. By many estimates, 60% of large job-creating deals flow through site selectors.
In July, CNBC named Ohio the number one state in its “America’s Top States for Business” annual list for 2026. The news that Ohio tops the list is still
reverberating weeks later.
The site selectors’ listing changes tend to parallel the CNBC ranking changes.
Ohio ranks at the top because of the state’s leadership, manufacturing edge and natural location advantages.
First Thought: Manufacturing edge matters
“Manufacturing is not simply part of Ohio’s success story. It is the reason Ohio leads.” The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association leadership’s assertion on the CNBC ranking is true.
Ohio’s economic success is owed to the manufacturing sector. Among the top three manufacturing employment states, Ohio is number one in per capita manufacturing. The edge in manufacturing is evident in Ohio, too.
Few were predicting that Ohio would reach $1 trillion GDP as fast as it did, just as fewer were predicting Ohio would leapfrog to the CNBC top rank this year. Manufacturing is indeed the reason behind the economic side of the gains.
Another Thought: Location advantages matter
CNBC cited Ohio’s infrastructure as a top reason for the top spot ranking.
Ohio has long had natural advantages in infrastructure. Historically, Ohio has been an industrial development leader because of its cost of doing business, abundant energy, transportation access, natural resources and human capital.
Market access matters. Logistically, Columbus is tops for reaching 60% of U.S. and 50% of Canadian markets.
The CNBC ranking confirms that Ohio is leading the way in putting these Ohio-specific attributes to work again in growing our state’s economy.
Third Thought: Leadership matters at all levels
Who’s at the helm matters. The get-things-done leadership of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has made a difference. We’ve all been witness to his hands-on approach to winning capital investment, especially when it plants the seeds for future jobs.
The business climate focus of the Ohio General Assembly is leadership that matters. Taming taxes and focusing on regulations that aid electricity customers have been critical.
The JobsOhio model is the envy of other states for its business-minded approach. JobsOhio tilts the scale for Ohio’s success with marketing prowess that communicates our state’s advantages, coupled with smart incentives. That’s leadership that CNBC noticed.
Local leadership matters, too. Local industrial development shines where it has been ready to receive the manufacturing surge, taking advantage of expansions of existing industry and new locations.
No top ranking occurs without competitive local real estate, ready-to-go buildings and sites. No improved ranking occurs without local infrastructure readiness or local workforce development capabilities.
Now, every business looking for a place to invest and bring jobs has to take notice: Ohio ranks, again.
Rick Platt is President and CEO of the Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority with over three decades of experience in Ohio industrial development. He is a board member of JobsOhio.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio is the new top state for business. Here's why | Column
