Companies invest $9.6B in Ohio, add 22K+ jobs

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That represents $1.1 billion in new payroll, matching a previous record by JobsOhio.

Other 2017 figures JobsOhio released Thursday:

• Total number of projects: 272

• Capital investment: $9.6 billion

• New jobs: 22,788

• New jobs payroll: $1.1 billion

• Retained jobs: 67,849

• Retained jobs payroll: $4.7 billion

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“Our progress continues to be a function of making smart investments to not only build our capabilities through our team and programs, but also to increase our potential long-term impact on the state and its communities,” JobsOhio Board Chairman Jim Boland said in a statement.

JobsOhio President and Chief Investment Officer John Minor said new business are a big part of the state’s success.

“From 2013 to 2017, JobsOhio completed more than 1,400 projects with companies growing their businesses,” Minor said. “In that time, JobsOhio has attracted nearly 300 companies to Ohio that did not have a presence in the state, helping to diversify the state’s industry base and business mix.”

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In December, Ernst & Young released its 2017 US Investment Monitor, which ranked Ohio as the No. 1 state for job creation in business development projects, JobsOhio also said.

In September, Development Counsellors International ranked JobsOhio as the third best state economic development organization.