Economic Development.PDF / PCOED Flyer.PDF 
The Portage County Department of Economic Development (PCOED) is under the jurisdiction of the Portage County Commissioners. Its responsibilities include providing assistance to industrial Realtors, builders, local industries and local communities in an effort to maintain and improve the economic base in Portage County. Visit our "Business Resources" page for a list of chambers of commerce and other economic development related organizations. Visit our Property Tax Incentives page for details about enterprise zones and community reinvestment areas in Portage County,

The office maintains a database of development information and assists businesses seeking to relocate or expand in Portage County. Visit the office web site at: http://www.portageworkforce.org/pcoed/ for business incentive programs, financing and other development related information, which includes available industrial sites and buildings in Portage County.

The PCOED director serves as a trustee of the Northeast Ohio Economic and Trade Consortium (NEOTEC), which is a six-county economic development organization. NEOTEC focuses on international trade issues such as foreign trade zones, logistics and other initiatives designed to enhance the competitiveness of Northeast Ohio and its businesses in the global market. The county commissioners appoint NEOTEC trustees for Portage County.

The Portage County Department of Economic Development was a member of the Akron/Canton, Ohio Region "Partners for Progress" comprised of the Greater Akron Chamber, First Energy, Dominion/East Ohio Gas and the counties of Portage, Summit, Medina and Stark. Through this partnership the office promoted the county and region at industry trade shows and advertising.  After more than a decade of cooperation in regional marketing, the Akron/Canton Partners for Progress merged into Team NEO.  Team NEO covers all counties in NE Ohio.

In 2001, the Partners for Progress joined with the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) to sponsor a technology oriented field trip for over 250 area high school students.

Maplewood Career Center students from the Computer Aided Engineering and the Precision Machining programs saw some of the latest technology in manufacturing equipment when they toured the Cleveland Advanced Productivity Exposition (APEX) held at Cleveland’s I-X Center on October 25th. 

Photo on left: From the left, Precision Machining students Dan Myers, Field , Adam Lommler, Crestwood, Mason Kisamore, Field, John Vevreka, Garfield, Tom Hysel, Ravenna and Adam Pifer, Waterloo, check out an ultra-accurate touch gauge. The high-speed measuring devise automatically measures countless dimensions on a manufactured piece, comparing and recording each dimension on a database.

While showcasing the latest generation of machinery is the focus of exhibitors at a trade show like this, several representatives were prepared for the high school visitors and were very "student friendly,"

Many exhibitors were eager to help introduce the engineers of the future to the technology of the future. Students could ask about the process of designing and development equipment as well as how it worked. They could also see how academic skills in science, math and computer skills tied into the programming and operation of high tech machinery.

Photo on right: From the left, John Trivililino, Technical Equipment Sales in Solon, Ohio, Jeff Bee Maplewood Computer Aided Engineering Instructor, and students Dan Beal, Garfield, Jerry Miller, Windham

Portage County Department of Economic Development
William Ulik, Director
E-mail:  wulik@portageco.com
Diana Fierle, Executive Assistant
E-mail:  dfierle@portageco.com
128 North Prospect Street
Ravenna, Ohio 44266
Phone: (330) 297-3470 Fax: (330) 297-3472
Main Dept. E-mail: pcoed@neo.rr.com
www.portageworkforce.org/pcoed

Business Resources  |  Property Tax Incentives  |  Economic Development.PDF