GROW Licking County Community Improvement Corporation

06/22/2026

We were pleased to attend today's ribbon-cutting celebration at bobbie in Heath, recognizing the company's remarkable growth and success since acquiring their manufacturing facility three years ago.

The event marked several significant milestones for Bobbie, including nourishing more than 1 million American babies and continuing to strengthen the nation's domestic infant formula supply chain through its state-of-the-art manufacturing operations. The facility is now operating at its desired capacity and serves as a cornerstone of our nation's effort to strengthen and secure its infant nutrition supply chain.

Multiple state and local leaders were on hand to celebrate the occasion, including: U.S. Senator Jon Husted, staff from the offices of U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno and Congressman Troy Balderson, Heath Mayor Mark Johns, State Representative Kevin Miller, the Licking County Commissioners, Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority and the Licking County Chamber of Commerce.

We congratulate the entire bobbie team on this achievement and are proud to have such an innovative and impactful company investing and thriving in Licking County!

06/19/2026

From the New York Times

For Sale: A 7-Story Basket

The building has attracted roadside curiosity since it opened.

“If I’m there, the door opens every single time with somebody saying they just had to come inside and see it,” said Brandon Hess, the listing agent who’s managing the sale at Shai Hess Real Estate. “People love it, it’s just such a fun building. It brings a smile to everyone.”

Mr. C**n, the current owner, is hopeful that someone will carry forward his vision of turning the basket into a boutique hotel — or at the very least that it will attract one of the tech companies that have been investing in central Ohio, like Intel or Meta, which could use it as a quirky office building. “With the whole tech boom that’s happening here in Ohio, I’m hoping that some of the companies that are thinking of leaving California and coming to the Midwest could buy it,” he said. “It would probably cost about $80 million to build something like this today, especially with that much property.”

The kitschy building, designed as the Longaberger basket company’s headquarters, has been a roadside attraction in Ohio for almost 30 years.

06/18/2026

Check out this video to learn more about the future facility and chip manufacturing process that will take place at Intel’s Ohio One campus in New Albany!

06/16/2026

We're excited to feature MPW for this month's Investor Spotlight!

Founded in 1972 by Monte Black as Central Ohio Mobile Power Wash, MPW started as a three-person truck-washing operation with a commitment to hard work, quality, and customer service. More than five decades later, that entrepreneurial vision has grown into a leading industrial services company employing more than 4,100 people across over 100 locations throughout North America.

Early success came through a partnership with American Electric Power (AEP), a relationship that continues today. As customer needs evolved, so did MPW’s capabilities, expanding beyond power washing to include water jetting, industrial vacuuming, chemical cleaning, proprietary container cleaning, and water treatment
services. This focus on innovation and continuous improvement has helped position MPW as a trusted partner across a wide range of industries.

Today, MPW remains one of the few major industrial cleaning companies led by its original management team. Under the leadership of Founder and CEO Monte Black, the company continues to operate with the same customer-first philosophy and
entrepreneurial spirit that fueled its success more than 50 years ago.

To learn more about MPW, visit their website: https://www.mpwservices.com/

06/15/2026

We are pleased to be featured in this month's edition of Business in Focus Magazine!

The article highlights several of the success stories Licking County has experienced in recent years, as well as the diversity of our industries, the strength of public-private collaboration, and the exceptional quality of life and strategic location that continue to drive opportunity across our county.

We appreciate the recognition of the work being done by our communities, businesses, and educational and non-profit institutions to make Licking County one of Ohio's most dynamic places to live, work, and invest.

Check out the article here: https://mags.businessinfocusmagazine.com/brochures/2026/06/grow-licking-county/ /1

06/15/2026

Looking for a new job opportunity? Your next career move could start here!
Join us for the Multi-Employer Hiring Event on Tuesday, June 30, from 1–3 PM at OhioMeansJobs Licking County, 998 E. Main St., Newark.
Meet employers hiring NOW, including Anomatic, Hope Timber, Schwebel’s, Waste Management, Covestro, PSC Group, Par Excellence STEM Academy, MPW, Porta Kleen, LEADS, and Ridge Corporation!
✅ Bring your resume
✅ Meet employers face-to-face
✅ Explore new career opportunities
Your future starts with one conversation. Don't miss it!
👉 More info: https://tinyurl.com/2f6wnat8

06/14/2026

06/12/2026

Great engagement by the team at Hendrickson Specialty Aux Hebron at this week’s C-TEC of Licking County Jill of All Trades event!

06/12/2026

We're proud to share GROW Licking County's 2025 Annual Report!

The report highlights last year's organizational updates, major business attraction and expansion projects, economic development achievements, and key trends shaping Licking County's future.

Thank you to our investors, partners, and community stakeholders for their continued support and collaboration. Together, we're building a stronger, more prosperous Licking County.

📖 Read the full report:

2025 Annual Report

06/10/2026