RICHLAND COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPDATES
ISSUE 4
Q3 2026
THE ECONOMIC EDGE
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Project Highlight: Mansfield Lahm Economic Plan Survey Says... BOTS Survey Congressman Latta Visits Shelby Did You Know... Manufacturing In Richland County Richland LEADS Ask the Team: What is SiteOhio? Community Momentum: Tidbits & Tales From Around Town
Aviation Career Day at Lahm Airport.
Welcome
Another beautiful Richland County Autumn is here! Students are back in the classroom, farmers are set to harvest and manufacturers are prepping for a productive Q4. Leaves may be dropping, but economic indicators are all on the rise! At Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development, we continue to promote growth across all industries. In Mansfield, City Council recently unanimously approved a five-year Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport economic plan and Newman Technology made big news with a significant expansion.
Also in Mansfield, we nominated numerous Opportunity Zones across four city tracts to encourage outside investment. In Shelby, façade grants for the downtown retail district continue to breathe new life into historic buildings. Lexington is completing a traffic project to improve safety and multimodal access throughout the corridor. While Ontario generates national retailer interest, Bellville continues to attract local entrepreneurship. From Plymouth in the north to Butler in the south, collaboration and communication remain key to everything we do. Leaves may be falling, but Richland County is on the rise!
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THE ECONOMIC EDGE: Richland County Economic Development Updates
Project Highlight
Mansfield Lahm Economic Plan On Aug. 18, Mansfield City Council unanimously passed “Cleared for Takeoff: Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport.” The five-year economic plan was drafted by Senior Director of Economic Development Barrett Thomas and will guide airport efforts through 2031. The plan lists several strategies designed to inform site readiness, define target industries, secure infrastructural funding and support the 179th Cyberspace Wing. The goal is to elevate Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport as a hub of commerce and economic development. With a 9,000' runway, a fixed-base operator (FBO)
Survey Says... BOTS Survey
This Spring, we partnered with the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland to promote the Business Outlook and Trends Survey (BOTS). The survey, conducted twice per year by the federal institution, is designed to identify trends that help inform economic plan development. Our goal was to elicit 50 Richland County respondents to earn a custom Richland County
Issue 4: Q3 2026
in Niss Aviation, a new mission for the nation’s first Cyberspace Wing and the area’s largest industrial park nearby, Mansfield Lahm will continue to play a big role in Richland County’s economy. Easy highway access, close multimodal rail support and a storied base of manufacturing accomplishments make Mansfield Lahm ideal for those with high-output manufacturing goals. For more information on “Cleared for Takeoff: Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport,” or to learn about economic development opportunities, please contact Barrett Thomas at bthomas@chooserichland.com. The plan may be found at MFD-Plan-v3.5-1.pdf.
report. As Richland County so often does, they came through! The provided report covers everything from wage and employment data to current business attitudes. A link is included below. BOTS is still open and seeking input. For BOTS results or to take the survey yourself, visit Business Outlook and Trends Survey. To see the customized Richland County report we earned, visit Richland Area Chamber Presentation.pptx.
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THE ECONOMIC EDGE: Richland County Economic Development Updates
Issue 4: Q3 2026
Congressman Latta Visits Shelby On August 12, U.S. Representative for Ohio’s 5th Congressional District Bob Latta visited Shelby for a tour of area businesses. Joined by Mayor Steve Schag and officials from both the City and Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development, Congressman Latta toured Ohio Health Shelby, Carton Service, The Vault, Custom Control Technologies and Cooper Enterprises.
Did You Know...
circle-check October is Manufacturing Month in the Buckeye State! circle-check Founded in 2023, Manufacturing Month highlights Ohio’s status as an economic powerhouse. The state is #3 in the U.S. for manufacturing jobs and produces $134 billion in goods annually. circle-check One in every five Richland County jobs is in manufacturing – more than double the national average. circle-check In 2024, Richland County produced nearly $1.6 billion of goods not including agricultural output. (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis)
circle-check Regional Manufacturing Coalition (RMC) supports North Central Ohio manufacturers through education, training, and networking. Including Richland, RMC covers six counties. Learn more at RMCOhio.org. circle-check MAGNET also supports manufacturing. Positioned as a “global leader in smart manufacturing throughout Northeast Ohio,” the group authored a framework around which good manufacturing is built. It can be found at manufacturingsuccess.org/get-the-blueprint.
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THE ECONOMIC EDGE: Richland County Economic Development Updates
Issue 4: Q3 2026
Richland LEADS The Mansfield-Richland Area Educational Foundation recently unveiled a new name and brand: Richland LEADS. Underscored by five pillars of effective leadership, the Foundation aims to help participants Learn, Engage, Aspire, Develop and Serve (LEADS). For more than 40 years, the organization’s Leadership Unlimited program has trained community leaders across Richland County. Other programs developed during that time include the Young Leaders Institute for high schoolers, Engage Richland for young professionals, an executive program for senior leaders and Discover Richland Tours for those with a general county interest. It also
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hosts LeaderRichland, a middle school leadership program previously run independently. The mission of Richland LEADS is to empower people to lead boldly, strengthen communities and shape the future of Richland County. “Leadership Unlimited has trained community leaders since 1983, and it’s still at the heart of what we do,” Executive Director Angie Cirone said. “But our work has grown beyond a single program. Richland LEADS now better reflects the full scope of what we offer.” For a full lineup of programs, visit richlandareachamber.com/workforce/richland-leads/.
Leadership Unlimited has trained community leaders since 1983, and it’s still at the heart of what we do. But our work has grown beyond a single program. – Angie Cirone, Executive Director, Richland LEADS
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THE ECONOMIC EDGE: Richland County Economic Development Updates
Airport West Spec 1
Ask the Team What is SiteOhio?
SiteOhio is a JobsOhio authentication process that indicates a site is “construction ready.” The process takes a comprehensive look at due diligence, utility/ power capabilities and zoning, and earning SiteOhio Certification means the site is among the best Ohio has to offer. Of the 15 such sites currently in Ohio, one is in Richland County near the Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport.
Community Momentum
Airport West Spec 2
Airport West was SiteOhio Certified in July 2017. Since then, Adena Development has constructed two large manufacturing centers. The first building dubbed Airport West Spec 1, is a rectangular 160,000 sq ft with 32' ceilings and 7" concrete floors. The second building, called Airport West Spec 2, is a square 150,000 sq ft. Both buildings are completed, expandable and ready for manufacturing!
About Us
Tidbits & Tales From Around Town… circle-check Grand Opening: Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development recently held a ribbon cutting at The Green Bean House, Bellville’s newest coffee hotspot. Features include a full coffee drink menu, locally baked goods and an inviting atmosphere with indoor & outdoor seating. Located at 230 Main Street. Open Monday through Saturday, 6:30 am to 6:30 pm. Closed on Sundays. circle-check Main Street Mansfield update: The transformative 18-month, $20.3 million project will soon be complete! Funded by a mix of state transportation sources and local city contributions, the effort is expected to positively impact downtown activity and serve as a springboard for further development. Richland Source covered the progress here: Mansfield’s Main Street Corridor Improvement Project on track for end-of-October completion
location-dot Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development 55 N. Mulberry St. Mansfield, OH 44902
Issue 4: Q3 2026
The Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development is an organization focused on strengthening the regional economy through business retention, expansion, attraction, and community collaboration. We connect site selectors, business leaders, and entrepreneurs to resources and opportunities across Richland County and beyond to help them thrive in our region!
Our Economic Development Team Jessica Gribben President & CEO
Donnie Clark Economic Development Project Manager
Barrett Thomas, Sr. Economic Development Director Tom Vanderhorst Finance Specialist
Clint Knight Workforce Development Director
phone 419-522-3211 globe chooserichland.com linkedin richland-area-chamber-of-commerce
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