WKSU News: Corporate leaders dominate Ohio's jobs board

Monday, July 11, 2011 Corporate leaders dominate Ohio's jobs board Kasich appoints the panel that, subsidized with state liquor profits, will map out job growth in Ohio. by WKSU's STATEHOUSE CORRESPONDENT JO INGLES	Reporter Jo Ingles

Gov. John Kasich sits with his newly appointed board for JobsOhio, which will be in charge of economic growth.

Courtesy of Karen Kasler

In The Region:

The members of Ohio's new privately run but publicly funded jobs board have been appointed, and have held their first meeting. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles reports.

Kasich praises his jobs board

Other options:

Windows Media /

MP3 Download (0:55)

Click to listen

Other options:

Windows Media /

MP3 Download (3:39)

(Click image for larger view.)

Mark Kwamme, the new interim chief investment officer for JobsOhio, stepped down as Kasich's job czar in order to take the position.

Governor Kasich’s jobs czar, Mark Kvamme (QWAM-me), has resigned from his post as Kasich’s job creation officer and has been appointed interim chief investment officer for the new nine member JobsOhio board. In its first meeting, Gov. Kasich appointed the members of the board, including the president of Proctor and Gamble, the president of Marathon petroleum, the CEO of Bob Evans, and Ohio State President Gordon Gee. Kasich says they’re the best.

Board members will serve without compensation. The board offered Kvamme $300,000 a year plus bonuses for his service in his interim role, but he says he’d rather continue to work for his current salary – one dollar a year. The board’s next meeting will be in September.

Here are the eight-members Gov. John Kasich has appointed to the private board that will oversee economic development in Ohio. The board will be funded in part through the state’s share of liquor profits.

Four-year appointments:

Chairman James Boland, retired Ernst & Young vice chairman and former head of the Cavaliers Operating Company
Steven Davis, CEO of Bob Evans Farms
Gary Heminger, CEO of Marathon Petroleum
Dr. C. Martin Harris, the chief information officer and chairman of the Cleveland Clinic's Information Technology Division.

Two-year appointments:

Pamela Springer, the head of Manta Media
Mark Kvamme, a venture capitalist recruited to join the Kasich administration in January.

One-year appointments

E. Gordon Gee, president of Ohio State University
Bob McDonald, CEO of P&G were appointed to one-year terms.

The private, nonprofit is called JobsOhio.

Listener Comments:

So, one of the first actions taken by this private, part-time committee is to offer one of its members $300,000 plus bonuses. That's approximately one-third of its budget in one motion on one person. Had Kvamme accepted, how much longer would the committee have been financially viable?

Posted by: Philip Brett (United States) on July 13, 2011 8:07AM

Here is a verbatim transcript of how our fearless leader opened the meeting: "Hey, it’s 9:00, everybody take your seats, we’re no longer government here, so, uhhh, we’re going to start on time and act like, uhhhh, like, uhhhhh, private sector." First, you are the government, JK. As much as many of us wish it weren't so, it's true. Secondly, it wasn't the public sector that got this nation and consequently this state in the financial wreck it's in. Thirdly, it takes a lot damn gall for someone not only from the private sector BUT SPECIFICALLY FROM LEHMAN BROTHERS to take potshots at professionals in the public sector. Yes, you heard me correctly, public sector professionals. Oh, by the way, after making sure that they started promptly at 9:00 AM, the committee schedule to reconvene in September.

Posted by: Philip Brett (United States) on July 13, 2011 8:07AM

Add Your Comment