News Room

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 7, 2007

Columbus, OH -- Chief Economic Development Officer Mark Barbash today announced the appointment of Eileen M. Granata as the Regional Economic Development Director for the Toledo region. Granata will be responsible for directing economic development efforts and establishing an agenda for continued growth for Williams, Defiance, Henry, Fulton, Wood, Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Erie Counties in Northwest Ohio. She will serve as a liaison between the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) and state government with local business leaders, elected officials, and economic development groups to meet the economic, business, and community opportunities throughout the region.

"Eileen has been working for many years to facilitate economic development in the Toledo region and she has a profound understanding of the issues and opportunities unique to Northwest Ohio," said Barbash. "Her strong background and impressive record of managing large and significant business attraction projects will be a positive force in the area's business expansion efforts."

Prior to her appointment, Granata served as Interim Chief Operating Officer for the Regional Growth Partnership, a non-profit regional economic development organization in northwest Ohio. While at the RGP, Granata served as project leader on the new $1 billion Jeep Assembly plant and on-site supplier park completed in 2006. Granata worked on several issues including project timing challenges, incentive package structure, site and infrastructure issues, air permits and forming supplier and contractor relationships. Granata also recently led Granata Economic, where she provided economic analysis, policy and legal consulting services to clients including the RGP and the Northwest Ohio Mayors & Managers Association.

As Senior Vice President of Strategic Resources for the RGP, Granata led several key projects involving incentives, taxes and regulatory issues, and industry and market assessments. She was responsible for corporate legal matters including reviewing and drafting contracts, corporate organizational documents and policy and procedural guidance for the board of directors. She also held previous positions with the RGP, including Vice President of Research and Legislative Affairs, Director of the Competitiveness Program and the Program and Marketing Director.

Granata worked for eight years with the Toledo Area Chamber of Commerce, most recently as Corporate Counsel and Director of Research, where she directed activities for the collection, analysis and dissemination of regional economic and market data. She was also Manager and Business Counselor for the Small Business Development Center within the Chamber. There, she counseled entrepreneurs and small business owners on starting, managing, financing and expanding their businesses.

Granata holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Toledo and a Doctor of Law from the University of Toledo College of Law.

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Media contacts: Melissa Ament at (614) 466-6619 or Kelly Hassett at (614) 466-4133