Dayton Cheerleaders Preach To Choir

By Bruce Kettelle

The Dayton Region Rally Tuesday afternoon at UD Arena to celebrate the area’s opportunities and initiatives for growing jobs lived up to it’s name. An elaborate multi-media presentation by a mix of business, arts, and leisure leaders delivered like cheerleaders for the home team touted many success stories and a glimpse of Dayton’s future.

Among the audience estimated between 1,500 and 2,000 were few new faces yet to be converted. Plenty of regular Dayton optimists were on hand however and welcomed the chance to be reinvigorated anew as Dayton tries to capitalize on its many successes to attract new innovation and the jobs that come with it.

Much of the presentation was not particularly new news. What made the event special was the magnitude of the combined regional efforts aimed at economic development. And of course the elegant presentation of videos and slides on three big screens and the occasional interaction with the audience culminating with 40 geared up sports enthusiasts riding bikes, carrying kayaks and wearing hiking gear during the Five Rivers MetroParks address.

Besides Dayton there were initiative presentations from Springfield, Troy, and Yellow Springs. Each booster pitched their special brands and how they turn those into success. Missing was any mention of the inner ring suburbs which are critical to any discussion of Dayton.

In a jab at the city responsible for luring away NCR earlier this year Downtown Dayton Coalition President Jim Leftwich cited the area’s abundant water supply for companies that depend on inexpensive water. “We’re going to take our water story to Atlanta and recruit companies to move to Dayton Ohio,” he said to cheers.

Other examples during the 2-hour event were less specific and hinged on Dayton being a great place to live, work and play.

What did show was the earnest commitment everyone involved is giving to help Dayton prosper. The message to coax more of the 900,000 residents of the Miami Valley to get on board came through loud and clear. When that happens Dayton will be unstoppable.

Some of the presenters at the rally from left: Mike Erwin, Co-chair Greater Downtown Dayton Plan; Sean Creighton, Dayton Create; Theresa Gasper, Dayton Create; Pat Meadows, Exec Dir National Council on Community and Justice; Allen Elijah, President United Way; Kelly Kirsch, Dir of Marketing LGT Materials; Dr David Hopkins, President Wright State; Joe Sciabica, Exec Dir Air Force Research Laboratory; Stacia Edwards, Director Regional Workforce Transformation Consortium; Bruce Langos, COO Teradata Corporation; lucky audience member that almost won a car shooting a basket; and Lisa Hunt, Yellow Springs Arts Council.

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Kayakers, bicyclists, hikers, fishermen and more came through the audience to highlight the offerings of Five Rivers MetroParks.