FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2008

Columbus, OH -- Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher today announced that the Ohio Tax Credit Authority has approved Job Creation and Retention Tax Credits for businesses involved in location or expansion projects that, if located in Ohio, are expected to contribute more than $361 million to Ohio's economy, create 1,561 jobs, and retain 3,062 positions for Ohioans.

"These projects are indicative of the collaborative partnerships between the State and the private sector essential to keeping Ohio globally competitive," said Lt. Governor Lee Fisher who also serves as Director of the Ohio Department of Development. "Job Creation and Retention Tax Credits help to ensure the prosperity of our State by supporting the retention and growth of our innovative and talented workforce in these expanding companies."

Ford Motor Company, located in Sharonville (Hamilton County), has been awarded a 75-percent Job Retention Tax Credit for a term of up to 10 years for the retention of 1,400 full-time jobs resulting from the company's investment and new product placement at its Sharonville facility. The value of the tax credit is estimated at $19 million over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for at least 20 years. Founded by Henry Ford and incorporated in June 1903, Ford Motor Company is one of the world's largest makers of cars and trucks. Ford sells vehicles in more than 200 countries and territories around the world, and has manufacturing facilities on six continents and employs 300,000 people worldwide. The project involves the expansion of manufacturing operations for a new six-speed transmission. The increased investment will allow the Sharonville facility to increase operating capacity and continue as a Ford "Center for Excellence." Ohio is in competition with Mexico for this $200 million project.

D.R.D., Inc., located in Youngstown (Mahoning County), has been awarded a 25-percent Job Creation Tax Credit for a term of up to six years for the creation of 250 full-time jobs resulting from the company's opening of a new facility in Youngstown. The value of the tax credit is estimated at $190,482 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for at least 12 years. D.R.D., which does business as Power Direct, was founded in 1994 in Cleveland. The company provides inbound and outbound calling services to clients for business-to-business and business-to-consumer applications, and currently employs 540 people nationwide. The project includes the leasing of a 15,000-square-foot facility in the downtown area, and the state incentives are to be used to defray additional costs associated with the Youngstown location, including foreign-language training. Ohio is in competition with Florida for this $813,226 project.

London Computer Systems, Inc., located in Loveland (Hamilton County), has been awarded a 30-percent Job Creation Tax Credit for a term of up to five years for the creation of 50 full-time jobs resulting from the company's relocation and expansion in Loveland. The value of the tax credit is estimated at $140,083 over the term, and the company, which employs 37 people, would be required to maintain operations at the project site for at least 10 years. Started in 1988, Loveland Computer Systems develops, markets, and sells property management software called Rent Manager, designed specifically to help Real Estate professionals work more efficiently and effectively. The project involves the company expanding its existing facility to 19,000 square feet, relocating to another existing facility, or building a new facility, which will be used for headquarters, sales, and product development operations. Ohio is in competition with Kentucky for this approximately $1.2 million project.

Time Warner Cable, located in Zanesville (Muskingum County), has been awarded a 35-percent Job Creation Tax Credit for a term of up to five years for the creation of 104 full-time jobs resulting from the company's expansion of its facility in Zanesville. The value of the tax credit is estimated at $104,245 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for at least 10 years. Time Warner Cable - Columbus Division employs more than 1,200 people in Ohio, and its parent company, Time Warner, Inc., is the world's largest media company, serving more than 11 million subscribers in 27 states. The approximately $1.5 million project involves the company expanding its incoming-only call center in Zanesville by leasing and moving its operations to a larger 42,000-square-foot facility within the same city.

Case Farms, LLC, located in Massillon (Stark County), has been awarded a 35-percent Job Creation Tax Credit for a term of up to seven years for the creation of 25 full-time jobs resulting from the company opening a new facility in Massillon. The value of the tax credit is estimated at $49,596 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for at least 14 years. Case Farms is an integrated poultry processor engaged in the production, processing, marketing, and distribution of fresh and frozen poultry products along with the production of poultry breeding stock. The company processes 1.6 million birds per week and has more than 2,000 employees. The project includes construction of a new feed mill in order to increase the company's operating capacity. Ohio is in competition with North Carolina for this approximately $12 million project.

National Bronze & Metals, Inc., located in Sheffield Township (Lorain County), has been awarded a 35-percent Job Creation Tax Credit for a term of up to seven years for the creation of 32 full-time jobs resulting from the company's acquisition of existing and construction of new facilities in Sheffield Township. The value of the tax credit is estimated at $117,891 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for at least 14 years. National Bronze & Metals is one of the nation's leading manufacturers and master distributors of brass, bronze, and copper alloys. The company employs more than 70 people at its headquarters and main distribution center in Houston, Texas, and its continuous cast foundry and Midwestern distribution center in Sheffield Township. Ohio is in competition with South Africa, Israel, and Mexico for this nearly $19 million project.

Crown Battery Manufacturing Company, located in Fremont (Sandusky County), has been awarded a 40-percent Job Creation Tax Credit for a term of up to five years for the creation of 55 full-time jobs resulting from the company's expansion of its Fremont facility. The value of the tax credit is estimated at $66,978 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for at least 10 years. Crown Battery is a privately owned manufacturer and marketer of industrial batteries and chargers to the material handling, mining, and railroad industries. The company has undertaken a growth plan that is considering development of new technologies and production methods for batteries with applications in the hybrid vehicle, solar collection, and alternative energy fields. Crown Battery will expand its existing 220,000-square-foot building by constructing an additional 88,000 square feet. Ohio is in competition with Mexico for this nearly $16 million project.

Defender Security Company, located in Blue Ash (Hamilton County), has been awarded a 40-percent Job Creation Tax Credit for a term of up to five years for the creation of 187 full-time jobs resulting from the company's expansion in Blue Ash. The value of the tax credit is estimated at $475,142 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for at least 10 years. Defender Security Company operates call center support for companies such as ADT Worldwide, EchoStar Communication's DISH Network, and General Electric. The company has 650 employees at locations in 40 different cities. Ohio is in competition with Indiana for this $95,000 project.

McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff, Inc., located in Middleburg Heights (Cuyahoga County), has been awarded a 40-percent Job Creation Tax Credit for a term of up to five years for the creation of 50 full-time jobs resulting from the company opening a new facility in Middleburg Heights. The value of the tax credit is estimated at $107,400 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for at least 10 years. McCarthy, Burgess & Wolff, Inc. is a commercial business-to-business collection agency with more than 1,000 clients including AT&T Inc., KeyCorp.'s Key Bank, and National City Corporation. The company will lease 9,456 square feet of a 56,320-square-foot building to be used for collection services. Ohio is in competition with Arizona, Florida, and Nevada for this $90,000 project.

Speed North America, Inc., located in Wooster (Wayne County), has been awarded a 45-percent Job Creation Tax Credit for a term of up to five years for the creation of 50 full-time jobs resulting from the company's establishment of a new manufacturing facility in Wooster. The value of the tax credit is estimated at $86,140 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for at least 10 years. Speed North America's parent company, Speed France, specializes in the conversion of polyamide and co-polyamide materials into high-quality monofilaments for a variety of applications, and employs 180 people worldwide. Speed North America focuses primarily on the growing market of garden and edge trimmers in North America. Ohio is in competition with North Carolina for this $4.5 million project.

Systecon, Inc., located in West Chester Township (Butler County), has been awarded a 45-percent Job Creation Tax Credit for a term of up to five years for the creation of 40 full-time jobs resulting from the company's expansion in West Chester Township. The value of the tax credit is estimated at $104,588 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for at least 10 years. Systecon provides solutions for water control systems and works directly with engineers, owners, and contractors to develop pumping, piping and control systems for markets including airports, hospitals, K-12 schools, stadiums, and universities. The company employs 60 employees worldwide and will lease a total of 100,000 square feet. Ohio is in competition with Kentucky for this $2.5 million project.

Crown Solutions Co., LLC, located in Vandalia (Montgomery County), has been awarded a 50-percent Job Creation Tax Credit for a term of up to five years for the creation of 157 full-time jobs resulting from the company's expansion of its facility in Vandalia. The value of the tax credit is estimated at $892,746 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for at least 10 years. Crown Solutions provides total water resources including engineering support, water treatment equipment, chemical management services, analyzer and equipment maintenance, and outsourced high purity and wastewater operating contracts. The company employs 127 people and will continue to lease the existing 67,000-square-foot facility as well as construct a 30,000-square-foot addition. Ohio is in competition with Indiana for this approximately $5.1 million project.

Miba Bearings US, LLC, located in McConnelsville (Morgan County), has been awarded a 50-percent Job Creation Tax Credit for a term of up to five years for the creation of 30 full-time jobs resulting from the company's expansion of its McConnelsville facility. The value of the tax credit is estimated at $112,492 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for at least 14 years. Miba is a subsidiary of Miba AG, a global strategic supplier of components in the automotive, truck, marine, locomotive, compressor, and industrial equipment markets. Miba AG's three primary product groups provide bearings, sintered metal components, and friction products. Miba AG employs 2,800 people worldwide, including 290 in the United States. Miba will continue to lease its existing 130,000-square-foot facility in McConnelsville and will expand its lease footprint to 250,000 square feet. Ohio is in competition with Austria, China, and Michigan for this $10 million project.

Shearer's Foods, Inc., located in Massillon (Stark County), has been awarded a 50-percent Job Creation Tax Credit for a term of up to eight years for the creation of 181 full-time jobs resulting from the company's new facility in Massillon. The value of the tax credit is estimated at $612,909 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for at least 16 years. Shearer's Foods manufactures and distributes kettle-cooked chips, potato chips, and extruded products. The company manufactures product under private brand names, as well as co-packing product for a multitude of industry customers including PepsiCo. Inc.'s Frito-Lay Inc., Giant Eagle Inc., and Gordon Food Service. The company employs more than 667 associates, with 560 jobs in Ohio. The company will build a 202,000-square-foot facility to be used to produce new snack food product lines and for possible future product lines, as well as for distribution and administrative offices. Ohio is in competition with Texas for this approximately $66.5 million project.

Humana Pharmacy Inc., dba RightSource, located in West Chester Township (Butler County), has been awarded a 70-percent Job Creation Tax Credit for a term of up to five years for the creation of 350 full-time jobs resulting from the company's new facility in West Chester Township. The value of the tax credit is estimated at $2,465,240 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for at least 10 years. Humana is a Fortune 200, publicly traded company that offers Medicare Advantage plans that cover a full range of medical care and replace the need for standard Medicare benefits. Humana provides health coverage for more than nine million people and employs 18,500 people worldwide. The company will lease a total of 140,000 square feet to be used for warehouse storage, distribution, and order fulfillment of pharmaceutical products. Ohio is in competition with Kentucky and Indiana for this $21.9 million project.

The Job Creation Tax Credit is a refundable tax credit against the business corporate franchise or commercial activities taxes. The credit equals a percentage of new state income tax withheld on new, full-time employees in Ohio. The Job Retention Tax Credit provides corporate franchise, state income, or commercial activity tax credit for businesses that commit to retain a significant number of full-time jobs. The Ohio Tax Credit Authority is a five-member independent board consisting of taxation and economic development professionals from throughout the State that is responsible for reviewing and approving applications for state tax credit assistance. The Authority also has oversight responsibilities that include monitoring and reporting the progress of approved tax credit projects.

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Media contacts: Kelly Schlissberg or Kimber Perfect at (614) 466-2609