Author: Tom Carpenter (3 Articles)
Tom Carpenter is the founder and Senior Consultant at The Systems Education Company (SysEdCo). SysEdCo provides technology training and consulting services throughout the United States. Tom is the author of several books for the technology industry on topics ranging from databases to network infrastructure solutions. He is also the content developer and trainer for several LearnKey elearning programs including Hacking Exposed, CCNA, Security+, Server+ and Communication Skills for Technical Professionals. He presents regularly at industry conferences and shows and is available for onsite keynotes and seminars.
Did you know that 50 percent of the United States population is within 500 miles of central Ohio. If we expand that out to 600 miles, it provides access to 60 percent of the U.S. population and 50 percent of the Canadian population. Each year, Ohio ranks in the top 5 states in attracting new business. Finally, did you know that central Ohio experienced a 9.1 percent growth in innovation capital investments during 2008, while the national average dropped by 8 percent?
The moral of this story? It’s a great time to grow your business in central Ohio. Don’t allow the current economic climate to discourage you. A technology business, a traditional service or manufacturing business, it doesn’t matter, central Ohio is one of the best places to be in business in the United States!
Tom Carpenter
IT & Services Consultant
The Systems Education Company
That’s why companies such as the Limited and Abercrombie (among many others) have their distribution centers here.
Columbus and central OH are great places to move freight to a large population of the country.
I couldn’t agree more. It’s also why companies love to test new products and services here. I do a lot of training programs and am currently building a training class on Microsoft’s Hyper-V virtualization product for ASPE. Of course, they want to test the first event in Columbus.
I was talking to Jason Banium last week from the Columbus Chamber. I am not sure if this is the exact quote, however he said something this effect. “while the national average is seeing a decrease in logistics, Columbus is seeing an exceptional growth.”
Great first post Tom, welcome aboard!
Welcome to the Central Ohio Network Tom! Excellent post there. It certainly is the time to focus on creating and growing in Central Ohio. Glad to have you aboard!
Thanks for pointing out our geographical proximity to other centers. Where I would say we have work to do is in thinking regionally. When we create strategic partnerships with Pittsburgh, Detroit, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Cleveland (plus) then we can build our proximity to other centers becomes even more impactful.
Excellent point Jody. We need to start a think tank to make that happen. We could build an economic center of the nation in the next few decades based on Columbus as the center of the star. It is the core of market testing already; it may as well be the core of the market.
Tom, welcome to the blog and thanks for the great post. I couldn’t agree more – I am from NY and my family is in CA, but I am here. Why? Because in my view there’s no better quality of life, quality of work or cost of living than we have right here in central Ohio.
[...] out of the project. A little known fact is that 50% of the US population lives within 500 miles of central Ohio. That distance is the optimal range for high speed trains, due to its time advantage over planes. [...]