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Acton promises 'hard look' as first Democrat to oversee JobsOhio

Columbus • November 6, 2026 • By Press Pass USA

The Ohio Statehouse in downtown Columbus, its domed rotunda and columned facade seen from the plaza

Photo: Otterbein University

For the first time in its almost 16-year existence, JobsOhio will be overseen by a Democratic governor. Governor-elect Amy Acton, who won the Nov. 3 election, will appoint the leadership of the nonprofit that functions as Ohio's economic development agency — and she is promising to take a hard look at how it operates.

In a statement to The Columbus Dispatch, an Acton spokesperson said the governor-elect will support public-private partnerships like JobsOhio "while taking a hard look at efforts to improve transparency, accountability and equitable investment." Her priority, the spokesperson said, is that "all regions across Ohio share in economic opportunities."

JobsOhio is governed by a nine-member board, and the governor appoints its members. But much of what the organization is allowed to do is written into Ohio law, so any big change would need more than a new governor — and any change may come slowly. Board members serve staggered four-year terms, which means Acton will not be able to reshape the full board right away.

"It will be awhile before she (Acton) could exercise full control over the entire JobsOhio board," said Zach Schiller, research director at Policy Matters Ohio, a nonprofit focused on an equitable and sustainable Ohio.

The transparency question has dogged JobsOhio for years. Criticism came to a focus this April, when the organization committed up to $60,000 to sponsor a four-episode business podcast for a woman who had a personal relationship with then-Ohio State University president Ted Carter. The payment triggered an ethics investigation and eventually Carter's resignation.

"Ideally, we would see a move to increase that transparency and how much clout the governor would have to do that," Schiller said. "One would think that the governor would want to insist on a higher level of transparency than has existed in the past."

Among the first board members to be replaced — toward the middle of next year — is Josh Rubin, the current board chairman, who was appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine in September 2023. Rubin, as a lobbyist, represented Intel when JobsOhio agreed to give $2 million to the company as part of a package of grants for its New Albany microchip foundry campus, according to the Ohio Lobbying Activity Center. The Ohio Capital Journal has also reported on Rubin's ties to Intel and the governor's office, and on questions raised about potential conflicts of interest.

The Intel project's initial completion, planned for 2025, has been delayed until 2030 or 2031 because Intel has been unable to find customers for its computer chips. JobsOhio also awarded $25 million in workforce-development grants, according to Ohio Capital Journal reporting.

Schiller also hopes Acton will re-examine the idea that financial incentives are the main way to attract business. Workforce investment and infrastructure improvements such as roads, he said, would be better than simply giving away cash.

The stakes are large. Defense contractor Anduril, for example, received $310 million under a 30-year economic development agreement to build autonomous aircraft near Rickenbacker International Airport — the largest single-site grant in JobsOhio history, according to JobsOhio. Anduril currently has an estimated private value of more than $60 billion.

Steve Stivers, president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, the trade association representing more than 8,000 companies, said he supports Acton but is concerned about spreading jobs too thinly across the state. "Every governor gets to put their fingerprint on every agency and organization that has state influence. That's how our system works," Stivers said. "We will work with the governor-elect and help her understand the value of JobsOhio and the things that need to be preserved."

Stivers said that despite Ohio's workforce, research universities and Anduril's proximity to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, "Without incentives, I'm not sure Anduril would have picked Ohio." He agreed that acting more like a government agency, with open meetings and responsiveness to public records laws, would benefit JobsOhio's image — but insisted the money spent to lure large corporations can be a huge payoff.

On Acton's goal of sharing economic success across "all regions" of the state, Stivers pushed back. "My only problem with spreading it like peanut butter is that you can lose the effectiveness ... and our state is small enough that you can have impact on the entire state no matter where you place a project in the state," he said. "I just don't want anybody to think they can have the same impact by doing a lot of little (projects) all over the state. These projects by their nature are lumpy, but they also by their nature benefit the entire state. I do hope we can keep it focused on big things."

Rep. Justin Pizzulli, who co-chairs the Ohio Legislative Appalachian Caucus and represents Scioto County, said he supports Acton's goal of sharing economic success across all regions, saying JobsOhio has failed to do so. "It is a failed experiment that now needs reform and should be put into the hands of local economic development experts," the Republican legislator said, noting that officials often say big-city projects will help the entire state. "It doesn't benefit us at all," Pizzulli said, adding that southern Ohio has a skilled workforce, backed by Shawnee State University, and abundant resources — especially water needed for manufacturing and data centers.

Companies keep coming. Bayer recently announced a pharmaceutical manufacturing campus in New Albany; Ohio awarded the company a 2.16% jobs creation tax credit over 30 years, and JobsOhio is offering other assistance.

JobsOhio did not return repeated requests from The Dispatch to be part of the story. Board member Richard J. Platt declined to comment on JobsOhio matters, citing his volunteer status on the board.

Acton, the first Democrat to win Ohio's governor's office since Ted Strickland left in 2011, takes office in January. What changes at JobsOhio — and how fast — will be one of the first tests of her administration.

Sources: The Columbus Dispatch, “Acton promises 'hard look' as first Dem governor to oversee JobsOhio” (Nov. 6, 2026); Ohio Capital Journal, “Ohio attorney general candidate calls for investigation of ties between JobsOhio and Intel” (Aug. 17, 2026); Associated Press election results, Ohio governor's race (Nov. 3, 2026).