Jobs Ohio chief says steady funding, speedy deals and workforce training are driving Ohio’s economic momentum

JP Nasif, president and CEO of Jobs Ohio, told a Columbus Metropolitan Club forum at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in downtown Columbus that steady funding, faster deal-making and focused workforce training are central to Ohio’s recent economic momentum.

"They move at the speed of business, not at the state speed of government," Nasif said, describing Jobs Ohio as structured to respond quickly to private-sector timelines. He said Jobs Ohio is working with higher education, community colleges and employers to retool training and placement programs for occupations the agency tracks as priorities.

The forum’s moderator, Angela Anne, posed the event’s central question—whether Ohio should aim to sustain momentum or prevent decline—and panelist Steve Styver, president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, credited several policy moves and Ohio’s public‑private apparatus for recent gains. Styver said changes in tax and regulatory structure and Jobs Ohio’s financing have helped, adding that Jobs Ohio’s early-stage confidentiality on bids can ease private-sector participation.

"So, the liquor profits—every time you have a drink, toast Jobs Ohio and job growth because it's working," Styver said, urging attendees to review Jobs Ohio’s public reporting for final deal details.

Panelists also highlighted workforce gaps that could constrain expansion. Styver noted that 3.5 million people who grew up in Ohio now live elsewhere and said drawing some of those residents back—along with better retention of out‑of‑state college students and targeted reskilling—would help fill demand. Nasif said Jobs Ohio and partners maintain a list of "in‑demand" occupations and work with schools and employers to align training, co‑ops and internships with those needs.

Audience members pressed the panel on policies that affect labor supply. Carol Magcguire asked what organizations were doing about child care and housing. Styver detailed the Ohio Chamber’s work on regulatory changes to encourage small, home‑based child care entrepreneurs, cited experimental "tri‑share" subsidy models (employer/family/state cost sharing) used in other states, and described a state low‑income housing tax credit enacted two years earlier. He also gave a cost example for compliance: "If I was to open my home as a child care, it would cost me about $180,000 to retrofit my home to be in compliance with all the regulations that are required."

On equity and inclusion, panelists described targeted outreach and training programs. Nasif and Styver said Jobs Ohio and partners support boot camps, Black Tech Week and pandemic‑era workforce matching initiatives designed to connect underrepresented individuals to living‑wage or in‑demand positions.

When asked how Ohio can retain corporate headquarters and larger employers, panelists said business retention and expansion visits, competitive incentives and sustained community engagement are central tactics. Nasif described thousands of regular company visits through Jobs Ohio’s network to identify retention needs and respond.

In closing remarks, Renee Millori of JPMorgan Chase said the private sector must be part of the solution. "We've committed more than $4 million towards strengthening Ohio's workforce," Millori said, and urged continued collaboration among business, community and elected leaders.

The forum did not propose new legislation or record formal votes. Panelists recommended continued investment in workforce training, regulatory adjustments to ease small‑scale child care entry, and housing strategies that increase density and lower development costs. The session moved to audience Q&A and closed without a formal action vote.