Ohio County Development Authority

What Ohio County Development Authority does

Ohio County Development Authority (OCDA) is a public county government economic development authority operating under the Ohio County Commission in West Virginia's Northern Panhandle. Its statutory mandate is to promote, develop, and advance business prosperity, economic stability, and infrastructure within Ohio County for the benefit of its citizens, businesses, and industry. The authority is led by Administrator Randy Russell and Growth and Retention Manager Stephanie Hockenberry, supported by a headcount of approximately seven personnel, and operates from administrative offices inside the City-County Building in Wheeling, West Virginia. Its constituency spans local residents, existing businesses, and prospective employers considering relocation or expansion within the county's urban (Wheeling) and rural (Valley Grove, West Liberty) communities.

OCDA's service portfolio is structured around four functional areas: business development guidance and prospect support, infrastructure advancement (notably broadband expansion via the state's LEAD program in partnership with Comcast), coordination of public resources through partnerships with entities such as Belomar Regional Council, WVU Extension, and OVRTA, and direct citizen engagement. The digital product surface consists of the official Ohio County government website (powered by SmartSite.biz), the Ohio County Connect mobile application providing real-time news, alerts, and directory services, an emergency alerts notification network, online tax payment services spanning multiple municipalities, and links to the WV One Stop Business Portal and WV Tax Division for business registration. There is no proprietary commercial software product or disclosed technology platform beyond standard government web and notification tooling.

OCDA does not generate commercial revenue and charges no fees for its core economic development services. Funding flows through county budget allocations, state appropriations, and federal or state economic development grants, exemplified by the $6,839,403 Comcast LEAD broadband award in 2022. The go-to-market motion is therefore direct-to-government and direct-to-constituent rather than commercial: services are delivered through administrative offices, the county website, the Connect app, partner referrals, and self-serve state portals, with no traditional sales, pricing, or customer acquisition mechanics.

Name

Ohio County Development Authority

Legal name

Ohio County Development Authority

Website

https://ohiocountywv.gov

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ohio County Development Authority is a public county government entity in Wheeling, West Virginia, tasked with promoting business prosperity, economic stability, and infrastructure across Ohio County for its residents, businesses, and prospective employers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Administration of General Economic Programs (92611), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Administration of Economic Programs (9261)

SIC

Non-Operating Establishments (9995)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADABAA

Country Development Assistance Programs (Bilateral ODA)

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Bilateral Development Agencies & Aid Programs

SECONDARYBPADAEAL

Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Development & Technical Assistance

Keywords

• Economic development services
• County government services
• Business development support
• Infrastructure advancement
• Government funding programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Wheeling

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As a county development authority, the OCDA operates through government funding mechanisms including county budget allocations, state funding, and potentially federal economic development grants. Revenue supports economic development initiatives, business prosperity programs, and infrastructure advancement.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Ohio County Development Authority (OCDA) is a county government economic development authority that promotes, develops, and advances business prosperity, economic stability, and infrastructure within Ohio County, West Virginia. It provides business development guidance, supports new business establishment and expansion, and coordinates infrastructure initiatives for the benefit of citizens, businesses, and industry operating in the county.

Product overview

Ohio County Development Authority (OCDA) operates as a county government economic development body focused on promoting, developing, and advancing business prosperity, economic stability, and infrastructure of Ohio County, West Virginia. The authority provides resources for starting and growing businesses in the region through partnerships with state-level business portals and tax divisions. Its primary offerings include business development guidance, RFQ/RFP services, and access to meeting minutes and agendas for transparency. The organization does not offer a distinct commercial software product; rather, it provides public-sector economic development services and maintains a government website (ohiocountywv.gov) powered by SmartSite.biz as its digital presence.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ohio County Connect App A mobile application providing Ohio County residents and businesses with real-time news, events, alerts, directory search, location mapping, and the ability to share news and events via text, email, or social networks.
• Ohio County Emergency Alerts Network Emergency notification system providing real-time alerts and public service announcements to Ohio County residents via phone and email.
• Tax Payment Services Online tax payment and lookup services for county residents covering multiple municipalities including Wheeling, Bethlehem, Elm Grove, Triadelphia, Warwood, and West Liberty.
• Open for Business Economic Development Program Economic development initiative providing resources, guidance, and support for businesses starting, expanding, or relocating operations within Ohio County, West Virginia.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.

• ComcastmajorTechnology or Integration · 21 January 2022Comcast awarded $6,839,403 grant through the Line Extension Advancement and Development (LEAD) program to run approximately 120 miles of fiber optic cable in Brooke, Hancock, and Ohio Counties, reaching over 1,447 addresses including 350+ unserved homes in Ohio County for broadband expansion.
• West Virginia Governor's OfficemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Governor Justice announced preliminary approval of over $17.4 million in LEAD program funds for broadband infrastructure projects throughout the State, including the Comcast project benefiting Ohio County.
• Ohio County CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe OCDA operates under the Ohio County Commission government structure. The Commission provides administrative oversight, funding, and policy direction for economic development activities.
• West Virginia University Extension ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWVU Extension Service works in all 55 West Virginia counties to bring research-based knowledge and outreach to communities. In Ohio County, WVU Extension offers programs in 4-H youth development, agriculture, natural resources, and family/community development.
• Ohio Valley / Eastern Ohio Regional Transportation Authority (OVRTA)supportingOthersOVRTA provides public transportation services in Wheeling and Bethlehem in Ohio County, Benwood and McMechen in Marshall County, and portions of Belmont and Jefferson Counties in Ohio. Limited service to The Highlands shopping complex.
• Belomar Regional CouncilsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelomar Regional Council is listed as a resource link on the Ohio County website, providing regional economic development support for the northern West Virginia area.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Brooke County Economic Development Authority: County-level economic development authority immediately adjacent to Ohio County, part of the same Northern Panhandle region. Comparable as a peer county-development entity competing for similar investment and grants.
• Hancock County Economic Development Authority: County-level economic development authority in the Northern Panhandle, also a beneficiary of the LEAD-funded Comcast broadband build alongside OCDA. Comparable as a peer county-level economic development body serving the same region.
• Huntington Area Development Council: Regional economic development organization serving the Huntington area of West Virginia. Comparable as a peer sub-state economic development body that recruits and retains business investment in a West Virginia region.
• Marshall County Development Authority: Adjacent county-level economic development authority in West Virginia's Northern Panhandle with overlapping business recruitment mandate. Directly comparable as a peer county-level development entity across the state line.
• Greater Pittsburgh Regional Alliance: Multi-county economic development marketing organization for the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Comparable because it actively markets the broader region (including Ohio County's bordering PA counties) to business prospects, competing for the same site-selection deals.
• Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission: Regional planning and economic development agency serving the Ohio side of the Ohio River valley bordering Ohio County. Comparable as a sub-state economic development and planning counterpart operating in the same labor market and infrastructure ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• West Virginia Economic Development Authority: Statewide authority that provides direct loan financing and tax incentive programs to businesses expanding or locating in West Virginia. Comparable as a peer economic development finance body that operates in the same recruiting environment as OCDA.
• West Virginia Development Office: State-level economic development agency that drives business recruitment, expansion, and retention across West Virginia, including Ohio County. Comparable because it operates at a higher tier in the same economic development stack, setting the policy and funding framework that OCDA implements locally.

Emerging players

• Progress Fund (Pennsylvania): Community development financial institution (CDFI) that finances small businesses and community facilities in rural Pennsylvania and Ohio border regions. Comparable because it operates in the same tri-state economy and supports small business development that OCDA also targets.

Direct peers

• Belomar Regional Council: Regional planning and economic development council serving the Northern Panhandle (including Ohio County). Listed as a resource partner on OCDA's site and shares overlapping mandates on planning, infrastructure, and community development.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=x4I24tJ6OG8&t=8s
• Facebookfacebook.com/ohiocountywv
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ohiocountywv.gov
• Instagraminstagram.com/ohiocountycommission

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Ohio County Development Authority