"I've said it before and I'm saying it again. The city of Toledo needs an economic development director. There has to be someone in that role who can remain dispassionate and calculating.
Toledo needs a person the remainder of the region trusts and wants to work with. I don't think Mayor Finkbeiner is that person."
...I think that Bob is incorrect in believing that an economic development director will help engender trust. I don't think it matters WHO the econ. dev. director is, so long as any mayor of Toledo adopts an attitude about the surrounding communities that mirrors the one Ford and Finkbeiner have.
Didn't Carty announce during his "Pirating, Pilfering, and Poaching" speech that he's got someone in the wings to become the economic director?
And what would an economic director do? Put up signs: "Come to the Rust Belt, what a way to live?" I think I would rather not throw good money after bad. We have associations of businessmen who have the networks to do the work. Businesses depend on other businesses to stay in business. The local Chamber of Commerce would do a better of promoting Toledo than any government can.
The mayor referenced in his response to a question by WTVG reporter, Bill Hormann, Dr. Todd Davies, who is commissioner of economic development.
Todd brings, not only a solid knowledge of economics and industrial geography to the region, he has extensive knowledge in biofuels and clean technology (having earned a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in that field).
We are making progress on this front. A new biofuels facility will be opening on Front St later this year and will be shipping their product via the Port of Toledo. I believe the Port Authority has got a strong lead on another biofuels producer to put at Port Facility 1.
We are attracting attention in Europe where derisive monikers like "Rust Belt" are foreign. London is the financial capital of the Eastern Hemisphere. We need to, and will work harder, at attracting attention in New York here in our own hemisphere. Alas, we need to overcome that "Rust Belt" image that another poster referenced.
As for the need for a "Director", it is picking gnat crap out of pepper. Todd runs the day to day operations of the department and works closely with the mayor on strategy and lead development. We have old hands like Don Monroe and Andy Ferarra to provide some wisdom to a team of youngsters who are well educated and have fresh, new ideas.
Well, maybe work with the Business Associations to seek out in a positive manner to sustain and help grow the businesses that we have now.
Didn't Toledo have economic directors before?
We can look at Columbus Ohio for instance;
http://td.ci.columbus.oh.us/DivisionsandOffices/economic_dev/index.asp
http://toledoohioneighborhoodconcerns.com/blog
And with this background he is the lead person on the Wi-Fi project?
http://toledoohioneighborhoodconcerns.com/blog