Kasich Names Kvamme to be Director of Job Creation, Appoints Leftwich Director of the Department of Developmen

Release:

COLUMBUS – Today Governor John R. Kasich announced that he has appointed Mark Kvamme to serve as Director of Job Creation in the Office of the Governor.  Kvamme will help oversee job creation policy statewide, work with regional economic development partners to enhance job creation strategies and help state agencies maximize the economic benefit of their operations.  Kvamme previously served as director of the Department of Development.

Also, Kasich announced that James Leftwich will serve as director of the Department of Development.  For the past six years Leftwich has worked at the Dayton Development Coalition, and has served three years as President and CEO.  The Coalition is one of the state’s leading economic development organizations and under Leftwich’s leadership it has helped attract more than $1.5 billion of capital investment to the Dayton area.  Leftwich has also worked at the Synergy Corporation and Rand Corporation.  He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Dayton.  He lives in Bellbrook with his wife Lynne and their two children.

Kasich issued the following statement on these appointments:

“Mark has added incredible value in a short amount of time—all for $1 in salary—and is a resource that Ohioans are lucky to have.  As my Director of Job Creation, he’ll advise me on job growth and economic development strategies and help formulate the state’s job growth agenda in coordination with the strong team at the Department of Development.  I was frustrated when some tried to raise roadblocks to his eligibility to serve based on his residency, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by anything in politics.  I’m confident we could overcome those objections, but job creation is too important for distractions and this change allows us to move forward and stay focused on Job One—creating jobs.

“The silver lining is that Ohio now gets the benefit of Jim Leftwich, whose organization and his leadership of it have been hugely successful in the Dayton area.  While Assistant Director of Development Kristi Tanner continues leading my efforts to rationalize the Department and focus on the transition to JobsOhio, Jim will continue his economic development work but now at a statewide level.  His willingness to step up and lead the Department of Development, and partner with Mark and Kristi in shaping Ohio’s future job growth strategies, is a big boost that I believe will continue to produce strong results.”