What Wayne Economic Development Council does

Wayne Economic Development Council (WEDC) is a non-profit economic development organization founded in 1991 and headquartered at 542 E. Liberty St. in Wooster, Ohio. It serves Wayne County, Ohio — encompassing 14 municipalities including Wooster, Orrville, Rittman, and Dalton — by coordinating business attraction, retention, and expansion activity. Its core offerings include site-selection services with a Property Search and Analysis tool, shovel-ready site identification, workforce-data and incentive navigation, an Economic Development Toolkit, and a Universal Report Maker that lets consultants generate custom reports combining property, workforce, and community profiles. Staff engage directly with site selectors, corporate prospects, and existing employers in a consultative model, and coordinate with regional partners including Team NEO, JobsOhio, and the Ohio Department of Development.

WEDC is funded as a public-private partnership: investor membership fees are collected across five tiers (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Supporter) from local businesses, municipalities, healthcare providers, and financial institutions, with county and municipal appropriations supplementing revenue. The organization also facilitates access to state and federal economic-development capital, including Ohio Department of Transportation Transportation Improvement District (TID) funding — most recently $623,598 in June 2026 across two Wayne County infrastructure projects supporting a $90 million manufacturing plant (150 new jobs, 2,083 retained jobs) and a Wooster industrial park employing 2,552 workers. WEDC's digital surface includes a website-based property database, community profiles for all 14 municipalities, GIS/mapping layers, and social-media presence across Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube, supplemented by a monthly newsletter and annual reports.

The organization's go-to-market is enterprise field sales overlaid with event-driven community engagement: WEDC markets Wayne County as a top-tier micropolitan business location, leveraging consecutive Top-10 Site Selection Magazine rankings (2024 and 2025), a #1 Ohio ranking in the 2024 POLICOM Strengths Ranking, and strategic assets including US 30 / rail access, the largest agbioscience research facility in the United States (Ohio State ATI), and the third-largest agricultural economy in Ohio.

Name

Wayne Economic Development Council

Legal name

Wayne Economic Development Council

Website

https://waynecountyedc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wayne Economic Development Council (WEDC) is a non-profit public-private economic development organization founded in 1991 that promotes business attraction, retention, and workforce development for Wayne County, Ohio's 14 municipalities, supported by tiered investor memberships and county appropriations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Site selection assistance
• Business attraction programs
• Workforce development services
• Investment incentives navigation

Headquarters

HQ city

Ohio

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Investor Memberships: WEDC generates revenue through a tiered investor membership program with Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Supporter levels. Local businesses, municipalities, hospitals, financial institutions, and organizations pay membership fees to support economic development activities and receive recognition, networking, and advocacy benefits.
2. State/Federal Grants and Programs: WEDC facilitates access to transportation improvement district funding, Ohio Department of Development programs, and JobsOhio resources for Wayne County projects. While funds flow through government channels, WEDC's role in securing and administering these programs supports their mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Wayne Economic Development Council (WEDC) provides economic development services for Wayne County, Ohio, including site selection assistance, a property search database, workforce development resources, community profiles for 14 municipalities, and coordination of state and regional incentives for businesses expanding or relocating. The organization operates a tiered investor membership program (Platinum through Supporter) and collaborates with Team NEO, JobsOhio, and the Ohio Department of Development to attract and retain employers in the region.

Product overview

Wayne Economic Development Council (WEDC) is an economic development organization serving Wayne County, Ohio. Rather than a unified software product, WEDC offers a portfolio of services including a Property Search and Analysis Tool for site selection, an Economic Development Toolkit with downloadable resources, tiered Investor Programs (Platinum through Supporter levels), Workforce Development Resources connecting employers with training providers like Stark State's CDL program, Site Selection Services with community profiles and infrastructure data, a Universal Report Maker for generating custom reports, and the monthly Wayne County Connections Newsletter. The organization does not operate as a technology product company but provides economic development services to attract and retain businesses in the region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Property Search and Analysis Tool Interactive digital tool enabling site selectors and businesses to search available commercial and industrial properties in Wayne County, Ohio for expansion or relocation purposes.
• Economic Development Toolkit Downloadable PDF resource providing comprehensive guides on location benefits, county and state incentives, business resources, and workforce training resources for companies considering Wayne County.
• Investor Program (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Supporter tiers) Tiered annual sponsorship program allowing businesses, municipalities, and organizations to support economic development in Wayne County at defined contribution levels, with benefits including visibility, networking, and advocacy.
• Workforce Development Resources Resources connecting Wayne County employers with workforce data, talent pipelines, training programs, and CDL training partnerships for businesses seeking qualified employees.
• Site Selection Services Consultative assistance for businesses evaluating Wayne County locations, including community profiles, county data, shovel-ready site information, infrastructure details, and location advantage analysis.
• Universal Report Maker Web-based tool allowing users to generate custom reports combining various WEDC website pages for site selectors, businesses, lenders, and grant administrators.
• Wayne County Connections Newsletter Monthly digital newsletter keeping investors and stakeholders informed about economic development news, workforce initiatives, transportation projects, community events, and business success stories in Wayne County.

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026ODOT awarded $8.5 million in Transportation Improvement District Program funding for 24 roadwork projects across 21 Ohio counties, including $498,598 for Wayne County TID projects (Village of Dalton US 30 improvements) and $125,000 for N. Geyers Chapel Road reconstruction in Wooster. These projects support economic development and access to industrial parks.
• Stark State CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStark State College operates a CDL program with a 99.5% exam pass rate delivering a minimum of 160 hours of training. The program provides Wayne County employers with qualified drivers through classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel experience. Staggered class starts every 3-4 weeks with Day (5 weeks) and Evening/Weekend (8 weeks) cohorts.
• Team NEOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeam NEO is the regional economic development organization for Northeast Ohio. WEDC collaborates with Team NEO to market Wayne County to businesses considering expansion in the region, ensuring local priorities are represented in state-level economic development efforts.
• JobsOhiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJobsOhio is Ohio's private, non-profit economic development corporation. WEDC works with JobsOhio to attract businesses to Wayne County and connect companies with state-level resources, incentives, and business development support.
• Ohio Department of DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWEDC collaborates with the Ohio Department of Development to leverage state resources, incentive programs, and economic development initiatives for Wayne County businesses and communities.
• Ohio Means Jobs - Wayne CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhioMeansJobs Wayne County provides employment and training services to job seekers and employers in the county. WEDC connects businesses with this resource for workforce recruitment and training support.
• Work In WaynecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWork In Wayne is a collaborative initiative of local business, educational, governmental, and social service organizations to attract, retain, and develop talent in Wayne County. WEDC partners with this initiative to strengthen the local workforce pipeline and support business competitiveness.
• City of WoostercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe City of Wooster is a Platinum-level investor and WEDC works closely with the city on economic development initiatives, business attraction, and community growth. Mayor Bob Reynolds collaborates with WEDC on regional economic development efforts.
• City of Orrville/Orrville UtilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Orrville is a Platinum-level investor and key municipal partner. WEDC provides development support, coordinates with state/federal officials, and advocates for Orrville's economic development needs.
• Wayne County Board of CommissionerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWayne County Board of Commissioners is a Platinum-level investor and the primary government partner for WEDC, providing funding and policy support for economic development initiatives across the county.
• Wayne County Schools Career CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWayne County Schools Career Center provides career and technical training to 850 high school students and 3,500 adult students annually. WEDC connects businesses with WCSCC for workforce training, consulting services in HR/assessment, industrial training, and business training.
• The Ohio State University Wooster Campus (ATI/BTES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhio State University Wooster Campus provides Business Training & Educational Services (BTES) for workforce development. BTES works with key-decision makers to develop customized training plans, from needs assessment to delivery, tailored to business unique needs.
• The College of WoostercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe College of Wooster (Top 10 Liberal Arts College) is listed as a Major Employer and educational partner, providing educated talent for Wayne County businesses and supporting workforce development initiatives.
• University of Akron Wayne CampuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Akron Wayne Campus provides higher education opportunities for Wayne County residents and supports workforce development through the Workforce Development Department with flexible training programs.
• Smucker FoodscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe J.M. Smucker Company is highlighted as a nationally recognized brand that has made their home in Wayne County. As a major employer and Platinum-level investor, Smucker's presence demonstrates Wayne County's ability to attract and retain leading manufacturers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Team NEO: Team NEO is the regional economic development organization for Northeast Ohio, with which WEDC partners directly. It is the closest functional peer: site selection, business attraction, workforce, and incentive navigation across a multi-county footprint rather than a single county.

Broad incumbents

• JobsOhio: JobsOhio is the state's private, nonprofit economic development corporation that WEDC leans on as a core partner. As a state-level incumbent, it offers broader portfolio capabilities (incentives, capital, marketing) that overlap with WEDC's site selection and attraction work but at a statewide scale.

Regional players

• One Columbus: One Columbus is the Columbus Region's economic development organization, executing against a comparable playbook: site selection, regional data, and workforce storytelling to attract and retain employers across an 11-county region in Central Ohio.
• Dayton Development Coalition: The Dayton Development Coalition leads regional economic development in the Dayton, Ohio region, providing site selection, workforce, and incentive services to companies. It is a directly comparable county/regional EDC model operating in Ohio.
• Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber: The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber's economic development arm runs attraction, retention, and workforce programs for the Greater Cincinnati region, a comparable regional EDC peer with multi-county reach.
• Greater Cleveland Partnership: GCP combines the Greater Cleveland Chamber of Commerce with the Cleveland Plus regional EDC, pursuing economic and community development across Northeast Ohio. It is a directly comparable regional chamber/EDC structure to WEDC's Northeast Ohio ecosystem.
• Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce: The Toledo Regional Chamber runs regional economic development, advocacy, and workforce initiatives in NW Ohio, mirroring WEDC's chamber-adjacent, public-private partnership model for a different Ohio micropolitan market.
• Mahoning Valley Economic Development Corporation: MVEDC serves the Youngstown/Warren metro area with site selection, business attraction, and incentive work. It is a directly comparable Ohio regional EDC peer operating under the same JobsOhio/Team NEO ecosystem that WEDC uses.
• Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth: APEG is the EDA-designated economic development district for southern and eastern Ohio counties. It is a thematic peer operating regional EDC and workforce programs in adjacent Ohio geographies under a similar federal-state partnership structure.

Others

• Golden Shovel Agency: Golden Shovel is the technology and website vendor powering WEDC's digital presence, including the Property Search tool and Universal Report Maker. It is an ecosystem enabler serving many EDOs rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WayneCountyEDC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@wayneeconomicdevelopmentco9346/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/WayneCountyEDC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wayne-economic-development-council
• Instagraminstagram.com/waynecountyedevcouncil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wayne Economic Development Council