Back Row: Chair Walt Rowsey, Secretary/Fiscal Officer Larry Laake, Jim West, John Settlemyre, Brian Smith
Front Row: Renee LaPine, Vice Chair Beth Ellis
Meeting Minutes and Agendas for 2017 through 2019 can be found HERE, while Meeting Minutes and Agendas for 2020 can be found on the Upcoming Events listing for each meeting.
Wilmington has always been home to cutting-edge businesses, going all the way back to Champion Bridge Company, which began in 1872 when founders Jonathan and Zimri Wall adopted the use of wrought iron for bridges. Today, Clinton County businesses are leading the way in logistics, advanced manufacturing and bioscience.
From picnicking to trails, from soccer to baseball, Splash Pads to Skate Parks, adult sports and basketball and tennis courts, city parks to state parks, outdoor recreation opportunities abound throughout the county.
With programs in Agriculture, Business, Computer Science, Engineering, Health Science, and more, Southern State Community College enhances the labor pool for all of Clinton County.
Clinton County is home to Wilmington College, a private, liberal arts, college that has been providing value-based education to thousands of students from around the world for 150 years.
As the highest ranked airport in Ohio for cargo volume, Wilmington Air Park continues to attract the attention of cargo operators, due to its location and the efficiencies of operating at a cargo-only airport, handling 31% more freight than all other Ohio airports combined. The Air Park has long been a well-positioned logistics center for freight and cargo operations, processing 512 million pounds of freight through the airport in the 12 months ending January 2022, making it 25th in the nation.
With help from the Ohio Department of Transportation and the State of Ohio, the Clinton County Port Authority has invested nearly $5 million in infrastructure at the Wilmington Air Park over the last 5 years.
Staffed 24/7 during snow operations (or when snow is anticipated), and with over 40 pieces of snow removal equipment on site and available, operational delays due to winter weather at the Wilmington Air Park are few and far between.
With over 50 years of experience in Economic Development in Ohio, and established relationships with regional and state organizations, the Clinton County Port Authority staff is here to serve you!
In just 6 months, the SBDC secured $1,480,000 in commercial loans for small businesses in Clinton County, with another $463,000 in applications pending, for over a dozen businesses.
The Port Authority's Economic Development Program won recognition from both the MidAmerica Economic Development Council and the International Economic Development Council in 2021 for its innovative marketing and public awareness programs.
The Clinton County Port Authority marked 10 years of ownership of the Wilmington Air Park in the summer of 2020, a decade that saw exponential growth in tenancy and employment at the Air Park, and a commitment to building a strong local business community.
Wilmington Air Park is an integrated Aviation and Logistics Business Park in the heart of Clinton County. With 1,900 acres, two parallel runways (10,701’ and 9,000’ in length) capable of landing virtually any aircraft made today, 2.8 million square feet of warehouse, cargo, hangar, and office space, 14 different employers, and over 4,000 employees, the Air Park was named Best Ohio Airport for 2020 by Ohio Business Magazine.
With over six dozen service organizations open to individuals of all ages and all interests, Clinton County fosters a culture of community service and social responsibility that is reflected in the civic, social, academic, and volunteer life of its residents.
With free, fun, family-friendly activities all year long, Clinton County is a great place to call home for employees and their families, as well as for the business community.
The Clinton County Port Authority truly embraces a team culture, with all-staff meetings to help continuity of operations and build camaraderie. Recognizing the importance of work-life balance, staff members are given the time and flexibility to engage in volunteer opportunities to give back to the community. All of this, in addition to an engaged Board of Directors and an “open door” policy from leadership led Ohio Business Magazine to name us a Best Workplace in Ohio for 2021 – the second year in a row!
Clinton County is located between, and easily accessible from, three major metro areas – Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton – providing access to international commercial airports, professional sports, cultural events, and dozens of institutions of higher and continuing education.
Aviation history in Clinton County goes back nearly 100 years, when the land that is now the Wilmington Air Park was first established as a local airport in 1929, and with continued and expanded use through World War II.