Nelson Manufacturing Vice President Finds Perfect Balance in Ohio

In today's rapidly changing world, executives are finding it harder and harder to balance the time required for business success with finding the time to pursue their own dreams. But, some executives are refusing to accept the conventional wisdom that you can't have a successful professional and personal life without sacrificing one for the other. Tony Niese, vice president of Nelson Manufacturing Company, shared how he found his perfect work-life balance in Ohio in a national ad campaign for The Wall Street Journal.

Niese is the latest business leader featured in “The State of Perfect Balance” ad campaign. The executives featured in the campaign are those whose stories bring to life the Ohio promise because they have achieved outstanding business success and are also achieving their personal aspirations. The Ohio Business Development Coalition, the nonprofit organization that markets the state for capital investment, and AEP Ohio sponsor the ongoing campaign.

Niese believes Ohio has provided him with the opportunity to grow his career, while having the time to raise his young family and volunteer in the community.

“I have the gift of time to both raise my kids the way they deserve and give my business what it needs,” he said. “In Ohio, there’s no delay in getting what I want. It’s the perfect balance of work and life.”

For Nelson Manufacturing, a manufacturer of high-tech hydraulic trailers, Ohio is the ideal location to meet its production needs. They are located within easy distance of suppliers for raw materials in northeast Ohio and hydraulics companies in northern Indiana to make their trailers move. Ohio is within a day’s drive of 60 percent of the U.S. population and 50 percent of the Canadian population.

Niese takes pride working with employees with a tough work ethic and built-in manufacturing smarts as he himself grew up in Ohio and worked his way up the Nelson Manufacturing career ladder. His father also used to be the plant manager.

Nelson Manufacturing is supported by AEP Ohio, its preferred energy partner. AEP Ohio has a stake in the state’s economic vitality, providing competitive and reliable electricity to thousands of businesses committed to Ohio as the prime location to grow and prosper.

With a young family to watch over, Niese is able to balance his time at work and home. He ran his parish’s summer festival last year, a time-honored and cherished family outing for the entire community.

“Ohio is Americana at its finest,” he said. “I get the satisfaction of doing work that makes a difference – I get to see my family at night and even make a difference in the community.”

Ohio offers a work-life balance for executives, their employees and their families available nowhere else. Check out today's ad in The Wall Street Journal to learn more about Tony's story.

Enterprise Appalachia Offers Ready Access to Capital

For entrepreneurs, raising start-up funding is one of the most critical and challenging elements of launching a business. Do local officials support companies looking to raise investment capital and other start-up funding by maintaining relationships with angel investors and angel funds, venture capital firms, private equity groups, and investment banks? Does the location offer funding sources not available elsewhere and does it work with entrepreneurs to make access to capital easier to obtain? The cost of doing business is the other part of this equation. How efficiently can precious capital be utilized? Lower costs for real estate, rent, transportation and labor allow the entrepreneur to devote more precious capital to product and service development.

Huge incentives exist for entrepreneurs looking to start their business in Ohio’s Enterprise Appalachia Region. Access to business capital is just one of them. In addition to ready access to capital, Appalachia Ohio also offers ability to deliver on the ideal location criteria for an entrepreneur-friendly environment: ready access to knowledge and labor, and access to supply chains and markets. To learn more about the strategic advantages of Ohio’s Appalachia Region, click here.

One example of a company that recently benefited from Enterprise Appalachia’s access to capital is Butech Bliss, a company based in Salem, Ohio that designs and manufactures processing equipment for the world's metal processors and producers. With local ties dating back some 150 years, the company's leadership team is looking to – and effectively utilizing the resources offered by – Enterprise Appalachia to secure a stable, globally competitive position in the industry.

Butech Bliss was recently featured in the Wall Street Journal in an article exploring the standards of small-business lending. Despite the economic slow down, Butech Bliss has remained profitable throughout the crisis. Click here to read the Wall Street Journal article.

Ohio Executive Finds His Perfect Balance: Jim Tennant, Ohio Coatings

As president of Ohio Coatings Company, a $200 million tin plate steel business, Jim Tennant gives credit to Ohio -- for allowing him to have professional success and make a true impact in his community.

Tennant is the latest business leader featured in the "State of Perfect Balance" Wall Street Journal ad campaign. The Ohio Business Development Coalition, the nonprofit organization that markets the state for capital investment, and AEP Ohio sponsor the ongoing ad campaign.

In addition to serving as both president and chief financial officer of the Ohio Coatings Company, Tennant achieves personal balance by lending his professional expertise to help enrich students' educational experience in his community. He currently serves as treasurer of three community school organizations and is helping to build a first-of-its-kind athletic stadium and sports facility at a local high school.

Watch a video of Jim here.

"The opportunity Ohio has given me is really a lifelong dream. To have this job, in this state, is what I've always wanted," Tennant said.

According to Tennant, Ohio's support – through tax abatements, low-interest loans and infrastructure improvement through the Ohio Department of Development – made the decision of locating his business in Ohio a simple one. After more than a decade of calling Ohio home, Ohio Coatings now provides the state with jobs, revenue and a profitable commodity.

Equally important to Ohio Coatings' success is its partnership with AEP Ohio, a company that shares a stake in the state's economic vitality. The preferred energy partner provides affordable and reliable electricity to thousands of Ohio businesses like Ohio Coatings, helping them compete on a national and international scale.

For Tennant, the "State of Perfect Balance" means a fulfilling career and helping today's youth fulfill their potential.

"Ohio has helped me achieve my dreams, but the best part of my success is the opportunity I have to help our kids achieve their dreams. I hope to finish my career here. I love my job, and I love helping my community."

The campaign can be viewed here.

Battelle Executive Shares Personal Story about Ohio in Wall Street Journal

Pick up today’s Wall Street Journal and turn to page A21 to read how Ohio’s unique culture of collaboration led to the personal and professional success of Barbara Kunz, president of Battelle’s Health and Life Sciences Global Business.

Battelle’s Health and Life Sciences Global Business delivers comprehensive R&D services – solving complex challenges in the biotechnology, medical device, pharmaceutical and public health sectors.

“In Ohio, I am able to work with others to grow my business and still have time to grow my garden,” said Barbara.

Battelle is supported by AEP Ohio - its preferred energy partner. AEP Ohio has a stake in Ohio’s economic vitality, providing competitive and reliable electricity to thousands of businesses committed to Ohio as the prime location to grow and prosper.

Battelle’s location in Ohio proves that scientific discovery thrives in the heart of the Midwest, where practical innovation is hard at work. Ohio offers Battelle renowned hospitals, research centers and manufacturing facilities working together to develop new advances in bioscience.

Click here to find out more about how Barbara achieves perfect work-life balance in Ohio.

Ohio Executive Discusses Perfect Work:Life Balance in Wall Street Journal

Pick up today’s Wall Street Journal and turn to page A7 to read about how Ohio executives achieve quality family moments without sacrificing business ambitions.

Jim Cahill is president of Kimble Manufacturing Company, which makes high-technology concrete mixers for construction and oversized custom chassis for a wide variety of industries

“In Ohio, I’ve been able to grow my company beyond its original business model and have time to enjoy my family. I sleep easy knowing my staff enjoys their lives here as much as I do,” said Jim.

Kimble Manufacturing is supported by AEP Ohio - its preferred energy partner. AEP Ohio has a stake in Ohio’s economic vitality, providing competitive and reliable electricity to thousands of businesses committed to the Buckeye State as the prime location to grow and prosper.

The company benefits from Ohio’s talented workforce and cooperation among government and other businesses. And the state provided the company with low-interest loans and investment grants.

Click here to find out more about how Jim achieves perfect work:life balance in Ohio.