Brad Ehrhart Email & Phone Number

Ravenna, Ohio, Us

◦ The Portage Development Board's mission is to help companies locate, stay, and grow in Portage County, Ohio. PDB's mission is measured in companies’ assisted, new investment, and jobs and payroll created and retained. The president is responsible for a $340,000 budget, and two full-time employees. President takes lead in revenue raising and public/press relations. President reports to a 37 person board of directors primarily selected from investors. PDB also administers the Portage County Port Authority and the county's property tax abatement programs. ◦ Assisted 134 companies that have invested or will invest over $1.18 billion which will create 6,031 new jobs and retain 5,475 jobs for a total annual payroll of over $561.8 million.◦ Developed in coordination with state, regional, and local agencies, the Portage County Business Retention and Expansion Program, an annual business calling program whose goal is to visit 150 companies, make referrals to appropriate support agencies, identify actionable business climate issues, and generate projects. Eighty-five of the 134 projects mentioned above were generated from this program.◦ Received Economic Development Leader Award in 2024 from Team NEO.* Agency received awards from Team NEO in 2013 for Regional & Cross Border Collaboration and Business Attraction. ◦ Agency received the 2013 IEDC Bronze award for its part in the GAC Business Retention and Expansion Program.◦ Developed Produced in Portage to celebrate manufacturing month in Portage County. The inaugural event featured 37 manufacturing companies and the career day portion involved over 300 students from grades 7 to 12 from 8 school districts and the local STEM school.◦ Developed PDB marketing program which includes upgraded web site, weekly e-blast, quarterly newsletter, annual recognition event (Locate, Stay & Grow), and developing a new web site to attract workers to Portage County.

Clarion, Pennsylvania, Us

◦ CCEDC is private non-profit 501 (c) 3 whose mission is assist companies to stay, grow, start-up, and locate in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, a rural community of 40,000 residents. CCEDC's mission was measured in companies assisted. The executive director was responsible for a $150,000 budget, and one full-time employee. Executive Director took lead in fund raising and public and press relations. The executive director reported to a 15 person board of directors primarily selected from contributors. CCEDC also administers the Clarion County Industrial Development Authority, a vehicle for bond financing, the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority, a 77-acre industrial park, and a local revolving loan fund. ▪ Directly assisted 26 companies that resulted in over $36.5 million in new investment. Projects include SBA 504 loans to two expanding companies, a machinery loan to a new company, six local revolving loans approved, industrial development authority financing with 3 existing companies, two tourism loans, one state small business loan, three energy grants, one energy loan, 4 IT grants, and a $12,550 grant for a community planning project.▪ Working in Partnership with the Northwest PA WIB, CCEDC developed funded training plans for 20 companies ranging from manufacturing, health care, transportation, and hospitality.▪ Developed a business calling program and trained staff to make annual calls on 125 companies in Clarion and Forest counties and to make referrals.▪ Leader in efforts to repeal the proposed tolling of Interstate Route 80. ▪ Lead efforts to keep county attractive to Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Play. ▪ Agency recognized as partner of the year for the Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission (2007), Regional Center for Workforce Excellence (2007) and by the Clarion Area Chamber of Business and Industry (2006). * Developed new marketing campaign for CCEDC.

Hermitage, Pennsylvania, Us

· Lead for 113 company projects that resulted in over $300 million in new investment resulting from new location, expansion, retention or start-up of wealth generating establishments in Mercer County, PA. Activities include lead generation, site/facility selection, loan/grant packaging, and coordination of resource partners.· Led development of the 100-acre Jackson Commerce Park. Activities included securing state financing and project coordination.· Promoted to Assistant Director in 1995 due in part for accomplishments during the Grove City Factory Shops project, a $40 million development that employs over 1,000 persons.· Responsible for Mercer County’s Business Calling Program/Business Retention and Expansion Program since 1991. Activities include visiting an annual average of 235 wealth generating establishments, identifying customer needs and issues and coordinating with resource partners to meet these needs, and analyzing and reporting on call program findings.· Designed and developed corporate marketing brochure, county industrial directory, county workforce resource directory and assisted in the development of the corporation’s Business Assistance Center brochure.· As county loan program administrator from 1993 to 1998, packaged and received approvals for $2.44 million in loans for 26 company projects. In addition, developed and conducted a customer satisfaction survey, wrote guidelines for a county infrastructure loan fund, and rewrote county loan program guidelines in 2002 to include working capital investments for select technology companies.· Wrote and administered two grant applications for a total of $78,000 to fund an internship program for two years.· Communication duties included fund raising, public speaking, and hosting a monthly live radio talk show.

· Managed foreign investment projects in Pennsylvania that resulted in 25 new establishments, 12 expanded establishments, and one joint venture.· Developed an outreach program on existing European operations in the state.· Developed a data base of Pennsylvania firms that were interested in joint-venture with foreign firms.· Prepared tax comparison data and other marketing material for state’s business attraction efforts.· Published an article entitled “Profiles of State Welcome/Information Centers” in the Pennsylvania Travel Review Volume 7 Number 1.

· Recommended alternative methods to select transportation engineers.· Published an article entitled “Zoning Hearing Board's Costs, Fees, and Practices” in the Pennsylvania Department of Community Affairs' Reports Volume 15 Number 3.· Participated in team project studying the consolidation of Pennsylvania's inorganic laboratories that resulted in a limited consolidation.

Ms, Public Management And Policy

Ba, History/Economics