2010 - Ohio Governor Ted Strickland's Agenda

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland is the Midwestern Governors Association's chair for 2010. Strickland's agenda, Midwestern Jobs: Training Workers and Investing in Businesses for the New Energy Economy, will build on previous regional efforts to foster economic growth and opportunities for the Midwest in the new energy economy.

"As a region, the Midwest must determine how to best open up credit markets for mid-sized and smaller advanced energy companies," Strickland said. "As we cast off our reputation as the 'Rust Belt,' we must capitalize on the entrepreneurial spirit and strong work ethic of Midwesterners to expand our energy economy. Our region has the resources and potential to move this nation forward."

Strickland will focus his agenda on two objectives. The first will be increasing investment capital opportunities for Midwestern businesses. The Midwest has enormous energy resources to lead the nation in the new energy economy, as well as a strong manufacturing and agribusiness base. To fully realize this potential, substantial efforts must be taken to identify and create new opportunities to bring funding to the region.

The second objective of Strickland's agenda as chair is to ensure the region's workers have the necessary skills for advanced energy jobs. Building a skilled workforce is an essential component of any state or regional effort to attract capital and businesses to the region, and Strickland will work to identify areas in which states can collaborate on a regional basis in order to meet workforce demands.