Has it ever been more challenging to write a year in review article than for 2020? 2020 was full of unprecedented public health challenges, racial strife, and an economic collapse driven by government decisions to close 1/3 of the American economy to limit the spread of COVID 19. However, out of these challenges rise success stories we wanted to relate from our work on behalf of clients at Montrose Group.
The challenges catch all the headlines. COVID 19 has spread across the globe and in all fifty states and has infected 82 M people across the globe with nearly 20 M of those from the United States. 341,000 Americans have died from COVID 19. As if that was not enough, boiling racial strife over tensions between public safety forces and the African American population turned into protests and riots that has had catastrophic impacts on communities, families, and small businesses. Finally, forced business closures created a 32% drop in the U.S. GDP in the 2nd Quarter of 2020 and halted the most successful economic recovery in the history of the United States.
Positives arising of these challenges can be found. Montrose Group is proud to list some successes our team has had with clients in 2020:
- Montrose Group conducted over a dozen educational briefings to outline economic recovery strategies for companies and communities in an effort to promote recovery from COVID 19;
- Montrose Group successfully lobbied from the Ohio Statehouse for nearly $20M in state of Ohio capital budget funding on behalf of clients such as Bowling Green State University, Columbus Association of Performing Arts, cities of Forest Park, Strongsville and Piqua, and St. Rita’s Medical Center;
- Montrose Group successfully advocated for the Columbus Association of Performing Arts to gain $400,000 in funding from federal stimulus funding awarded by Governor DeWine to preserve one of central Ohio’s most valuable arts assets;
- Root Insurance, who Montrose Group successful negotiated the largest Ohio Job Creation Tax Credit in 2019, successfully launched the largest IPO in the history of the state Ohio;
- Chow Now, who Montrose Group negotiated a tax incentive package in Kansas City, Missouri, is booming as they provide restaurants with computer software for on-line orders;
- Montrose Group continued negotiating client tax incentives in the Phoenix and Chicago markets;
- Montrose Group continued to advocate for project financing for projects in Sandusky and Forest Park, Ohio from the JobsOhio Vibrant Community Program;
- Montrose Group successfully advocated for funding from the Rural Industrial Loan Program funding for projects in Ashtabula County and in the city of Fostoria;
- PK Companies/Repvblik gained a zoning change for their mixed-use project in Columbus, Ohio with the support of Montrose Group leadership;
- Montrose Group continued to provide economic development advisory services to Delaware, Lorain and Madison counties and the cities of Oregon, North Canton, Forest Park, and Strongsville;
- Montrose Group continued to provide workforce development services to the Regional Growth Partnership through the implementation of Northwest Ohio virtual career fairs;
- Montrose Group completed the Fulton County Economic Development Corp.’s Industrial Corridor Development work with First Energy and Poggemeyer; and
- Montrose Group undertook economic development planning efforts in Athens County, Ohio, Adrian-Tecumseh, Michigan, Chillicothe, Ohio, Tipp City, Ohio and Van Wert, Ohio.
Even in a challenging 2020, Montrose Group is proud to have continued their important work to support the growth and development of companies and communities and we look forward to a better 2021!
