Congressman Tim Ryan said the hiring of an executive director of the Western Reserve Port Authority means the Mahoning Valley is now open for business.
Ryan made the statements during a press conference Monday in Niles meant to welcome the port authority's new director, Rose Ann DeLeon.
"We had a tech boom and we missed it. We had a housing boom and we missed it. Now the next great boom is the green technology boom, and we are not going to miss it," Ryan said.
DeLeon is now in charge of the Western Reserve Port Authority's economic development efforts. She is charged with bringing new business and jobs to the area.
"This is the first day for the Western Reserve Port Authority to begin with the economic development for our two county area," said John Masternick, of the Western Reserve Port Authority.
DeLeon spent 16 years at the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority. She was a key member in developing financing for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. She said the Mahoning Valley's regional collaboration made her interested in coming here.
"The regional collaboration is very important because new businesses want to make sure the government is behind them and that they have a great workforce, which this area has, and it's important that they know they are welcome into a community," DeLeon said.
She will begin her now position Dec. 7.
