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Former Director of Ohio Department of Development Joins KMKC

For Immediate Release


ROBERTSON CONCLUDES 10-YEAR TENURE WITH OHIO DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT, JOINS KMK CONSULTING COMPANY, LLC


Columbus, October 3, 2001- Joseph C. Robertson, state development director, will conclude his 10-year tenure with the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD). During his time at ODOD he has served as special assistant to the director, assistant director and director. Robertson will return to the private sector to become vice president of KMK Consulting Company, LLC.

Robertson announced his resignation from the Department earlier this summer, detailing his commitment to remain with the agency through the end of September.

KMK Consulting Company, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the law firm Keating, Muething & Klekamp, P.L.L. with offices in Cincinnati, Ohio. KMK Consulting provides services to its clients through seven distinct Solution Groups: Economic Development and Community Initiatives; Government Affairs; Business Formation; Real Estate; Technology Initiatives; Business Development; Executive Solutions and Human Resources. KMK’s mission is to enhance the effectiveness, productivity and executive leadership of its corporate, entrepreneurial, not-for-profit, community and executive clients and their associates by providing focused, innovative and results-oriented solutions to their business needs. The company has clients in states from New York to Hawaii and Florida to Washington.

Robertson will be opening KMK Consulting Company’s Central Ohio Office in downtown Columbus, and will primarily focus on economic development, government affairs, strategic issue analysis and real estate consulting. "We are honored that a person with Joe’s qualifications has decided to join KMK Consulting. The national reputation and respect he has achieved is as good as it gets." KMK Consulting Managing Director James J. McGraw, Jr. said. "Including Joe on our team solidifies our commitment to Columbus, but more importantly keeps Joe working for the people of Ohio."

Throughout his association with the Ohio Department of Development, Robertson was responsible for the implementation of programs designed to assure economic growth for Ohio. His responsibilities included promoting various economic development programs and providing technical assistance to the Ohio General Assembly, other state agencies, local governments, and business organizations. He was also responsible for the day-to-day oversight of the Department’s 530 associates, as well as a total biennial budget of approximately $1 billion. During Robertson’s Tenure:

  • Ohio consistently ranked among the top five states for new and expanded business projects according to Site Selection magazine, one of the foremost economic trade publications in the nation.
  • The Department, in partnership with the Ohio General Assembly, created and enacted Jobs Bills I, II and III, which have encouraged existing companies to expand while investing in their employees. The initiatives have also provided Ohio communities with tools to encourage economic growth and rehabilitation, while also providing the state with a return on investment and safeguarding taxpayer dollars.
  • The Job Creation Tax Credit (JCTC) and Manufacturer’s Machinery and Equipment (M&E) Investment Tax Credit, which resulted from this legislation, continues to rank among ODOD’s most popular forms of support for companies. As a result of these projects, 91,637 jobs are projected to be created and 128,669 jobs are expected to be retained, representing an $11.4 billion capital investment in Ohio. Since the inception of the M&E program in July 1995, more than 5,000 companies have filed more than 9,480 notices of intent, indicating an interest in utilizing the credit. Projected investment from these purchases is valued at more than $18.2 billion.
  • The Department maintained a consistent focus on urban revitalization, particularly through its efforts with the Governor’s Urban Revitalization Task Force, established in 1999. In 2000, Ohio voters approved the passage of the Clean Ohio fund, which will enhance the State’s efforts to ensure the vitality of Ohio’s urban cores.
  • The Technology Investment Tax Credit, created by Ohio Legislature in 1996, fostered the growth of Ohio’s small research and development and technology-oriented firms. Since the program’s inception, 125 companies have become certified to receive investments through the program and more than 700 individuals have been approved to invest more than $27 million in qualified firms.
  • The Department coordinated international business and investment missions for Governor Bob Taft and former Governor George V. Voinovich. Destinations included both established and emerging markets such as Central and Eastern Europe, Israel, Mexico, China, India, the Pacific Rim, South America and Japan. The missions resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in sales for Ohio firms, as well as significant international investment within the state.
  • Ohio expanded its network of international offices to include 10 of the world’s leading markets. These offices assist Ohio companies as they work to explore or expand ties in the global business arena.
  • ODOD was instrumental in the creation of the Ohio Low- and Moderate-Income Housing Trust Fund. Money allocated to this fund helped to provide housing and supportive services for thousands of Ohio families, individuals, elderly citizens and physically and mentally challenged individuals.
  • The Ohio Housing Finance Agency assisted thousands of Ohioans in achieving their dreams of home ownership by offering below-market interest rates. Since the agency’s inception in 1983, approximately $4.2 billion in mortgage financing has assisted more than 77,000 Ohioans in purchasing homes through the program.
  • The Community Development Division was instrumental in providing Ohio’s Low-Income Energy Assistance Programs to taxpayers. Working with legislators through House Bill 5 (electric deregulation) the Department is now the single application administrator for low-income energy assistance in Ohio.

"It has been my great privilege to serve as a member of the ODOD team over the past 10 years, and I am proud of our tremendous record of achievement, " Robertson said. "Under the leadership of Governor Taft and newly appointed Director Bruce Johnson, I am confident that the Department will continue to expand upon its reputation for excellence by cultivating Ohio’s business climate and ensuring the state’s economic vitality for generations to come."

Taft announced the appointment of State Senator Bruce E. Johnson to the State Development Director post in late August. Johnson assumed his new position September 17.