Eastern Ohio Development Alliance members gathered together at Carlisle Inn at Walnut Creek on April 25 for a morning of networking and celebrating several EODA award winners.
Tiffany Gerber, Holmes County Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau executive director, welcomed those in attendance, and EODA Executive Director Jim Schoch provided encouraging words about the state of the organization.
Al Landis, Ohio District 31 senator, then introduced. U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson of the 12th District.
Landis said he was honored to be able to introduce Balderson, who has represented the 12th District since 2018.
Balderson spoke glowingly about Muskingum Watershed, which he said has invested $1 billion into the region.
“That team has done a remarkable job in what they are doing, and right now is definitely an exciting time here in Eastern Ohio. It’s finally getting the attention it deserves,” Balderson said.
Balderson went on to discuss the energy being produced throughout Eastern and Southeastern Ohio, noting the area continues to be one of the largest providers in the nation of oil and gas production.
He compared it to the production of the Permian Basin, an area in Southwestern U.S. that is widely considered to be the largest producer of oil and gas.
“It’s real; it’s more than Permian Basin right now,” Balderson said of the production in Southeast Ohio. “We have more production here, and that’s important. We have an abundant amount of energy here, and we know that. In this day and age with the demand of energy, it is going to be pretty consistent.”
He went on to talk about how data centers, AI and intel are all part of a growing and expanding America, and the energy being produced in Ohio will play a major role in the ongoing growth in those fields.
He also talked about the quality of leadership in Southeast Ohio right now, noting JobsOhio has taken a leading role in bringing Matt Abbott on board as president and CEO of Ohio Southeast Economic Development or Ohio Southeast.
“I’m excited about Matt’s opportunity, and he will be there for all of you,” Balderson said.
He said Matt Dolan, who is taking on that role in the northeast part of the state, is equally dedicated to making Ohio stronger across the board.
Balderson has taken on a new role as the House HEAT chairman, which he said stands for House Energy Action Team, which was created in Congress in 2011.
Balderson said the goal of the group is to provide an avenue for stakeholders and members of Congress to have their voices heard concerning energy.
He said developing knowledgeable and precise details about the qualities of clean natural gas is imperative.
“The federal government should be partnered with us, not an adversary with our energy moving forward,” Balderson said. “(HEAT) is going to be a great opportunity for me to showcase Southeastern Ohio and the opportunities we have here in creating energy dominance.”
He also spoke about the Grid Power Act, which he introduced, an act that focuses on requiring the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reform the interconnection queue process for the prioritization and approval of certain projects and for other purposes.
Balderson said as of now important projects can take anywhere from five to eight years to get released and permitted, a time period he said is far too drawn out.
“We need to get these projects out within a year,” Balderson said. “The last administration has put a large burden on fossil fuel and natural gas. We’re hoping this will expedite that. We need the coal plants. We need the natural gas plants to keep coming because we need baseload energy.”
Abbott also served as a keynote speaker, introduced by Tiffany Swigert, executive director of Coshocton County Port Authority.
The newly tabbed CEO and president has previously served as the executive director of Zanesville and Muskingum County Port Authority for nine years and held numerous other leadership roles throughout the region.
“We have so many things going on here, both positive and negative, that feed into our economic ecosystem,” Abbott said. “We all have to pay attention to these issues, issues like childcare, workforce development and strategies, like housing that impact every one of our communities. I’m not saying Ohio SE is the solution, but we hope to be at the table in all of your communities to try to make these things better.”
Abbott said finding ways to work together with quality, caring people who want to make Southeast Ohio better continues to be the most important asset in building a brighter future.
EODA then doled out its Excellence Awards, the first going to Southeastern Ohio Credit Union as the Small Business honoree. There also were a pair of Tourism Award winners, those entities being Muskingum Watershed District and Skyline Resort.
Finally, Megan Cremeans of Foundation of Appalachian Ohio honored several award winners: three apiece for both the Dale Hileman Legacy Fund and Donald R. Myers Legacy Fund.
Eastern Ohio Development Alliance is a 16-county region including Athens, Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Coshocton, Guernsey, Harrison, Holmes, Jefferson, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Tuscarawas and Washington counties.
EODA focuses on connections and networks that ensure the region is successful in its endeavors. Public and private stakeholders work to strengthen and diversify the regional economy through investment in business and industry, tourism, and community development efforts toward an enhanced quality of life.
