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WPAFB still center of economic opportunity, coalition leader says

Jim Leftwich, President and CEO of the Dayton Development Coalition, at the annual meeting of the Dayton Development Coalition on Wednesday, Jan. 13 held at the Schuster Center.

Staff photo by Ty Greenlees Jim Leftwich, President and CEO of the Dayton Development Coalition, at the annual meeting of the Dayton Development Coalition on Wednesday, Jan. 13 held at the Schuster Center.

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By John Nolan, Staff Writer Updated 8:26 PM Wednesday, January 13, 2010

DAYTON — Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the 1,100 jobs it will gain through research programs being moved there remain the biggest opportunities for regional economic growth, the Dayton Development Coalition’s leader said Wednesday, Jan. 13.

Jim Leftwich, president and chief executive officer of the nonprofit coalition, urged community leaders who attended the organization’s annual meeting Wednesday to continue doing all they can to support the Air Force’s relocation of aerospace medicine and sensors research programs to Wright-Patterson. He said that would include encouraging civilian researchers employed in those programs in Texas, Arizona and elsewhere to voluntarily relocate with the programs when they are relocated, to help ensure that the base realignment and closure (BRAC) process is successful.

“It’s going to take a lot of work by all of us to get it done,” Leftwich said. “2010 and 2011 are pivotal years for BRAC.”

Coalition leaders, recounting development achievements of 2009, said that eight projects attracted to the region during the year brought in about 1,100 jobs. But that was overshadowed by NCR Corp.’s stunning announcement in June 2009 that it would leave the region after more than a century and relocate the company’s corporate headquarters and nearly 1,300 jobs to the Atlanta area.

Coalition leaders said they are working on attracting 15 projects to the region this year that could bring in 2,300 jobs. They declined to identify the companies being recruited.

Other announcements at the meeting included:

• The Ohio Department of Development said it is making a $200,000 grant to the region, to be administered by the coalition, to work with the Air Force Research Laboratory on commercializing Air Force-funded developing technologies that could create civilian-sector jobs.

• Pete Luongo, retired president and chief executive officer of the Berry Co., was honored by the coalition as “regional volunteer of the year” for his service with various community organizations, including on the coalition’s board of trustees.

• Fayette County joined the 13-county region represented by the coalition.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.