Kasich development rep tours KAM, Wren

Van Wert independent

Governor John Kasich’s regional economic development representative, Chase Eikenbary, was again in Van Wert County on Tuesday to attend the groundbreaking ceremony at Ridgeview Behavioral Hospital and also to visit Lincolnview and Crestview schools, meet with county officials and Main Street Van Wert Program Manager Adam Ries and tour the village of Wren and KAM Manufacturing in Van Wert.

“A lot of these patients at Ridgeview have families and jobs to go back to after they receive treatment,” Eikenbary said. “Now with the expansion of Medicaid, large numbers of those eligible for service at Ridgeview can now have this great opportunity to help themselves get healthier and then get back to those families and jobs quicker.”

After the Ridgeview groundbreaking, Eikenbary met with Ries to talk about opportunities for funding through Ohio’s Development Services Agency grants that assist with downtown development.

According to County Business Outreach Coordinator Sarah Smith, the county is looking to use the next round of the Community Development Block Grant program to further the revitalization process in Van Wert’s downtown area begun with the last round of CDBG funding.

Eikenbary and county officials then traveled to Wren for lunch and to talk about the village’s Wren Homecoming festivities, including the annual Wiffleball Warehouse tournament held at Wrenway Park.

Back in Van Wert, Eikenbary got a chance to see how designer purses are made during a tour of the KAM Manufacturing facility on Grill Road. KAM’s Stephanie Dawn line of is currently being sold in 45 states and also has some international sales, but is looking to expand those sales in the future. Ollie Adams, one of KAM’s owners, conducted a tour of the facility for Eikenbary and county officials.

“I was excited to learn about KAM Manufacturing and their skilled and talented workforce,” Eikenbary noted. “The employees’ attention to detail is remarkable.”

The regional development representative noted she was pleased to see such a unique business flourishing here in Van Wert also touted the state’s small business tax cut and the benefits it would have for KAM and other small businesses.

“I’m glad they will take advantage of the Small Business Tax Cut now available for them,” Eikenbary said. “This cut is just one part of a comprehensive tax reform package that was in the state budget last summer.”