What Portage Development Board does

Portage Development Board (PDB) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit economic development organization founded in 2011 and headquartered in Ravenna, Ohio. It serves businesses seeking to locate, expand, or grow within Portage County by providing site selection, financing facilitation, tax incentive structuring, workforce development coordination, and access to a maintained available property database. The organization operates with a lean core staff of approximately three employees supported by a 37-member board and a 12-member executive committee, and it administers the Portage County Port Authority, which provides tax-exempt bond and TIF financing capability.

PDB's business model is contribution-based rather than fee-based: services are provided free of charge to businesses, and operating funding is sourced from member contributions drawn from both government entities and private sector participants. Revenue is therefore not correlated with individual client wins, but with membership renewal cycles and the organization's ability to demonstrate deal throughput to sustaining funders. Since inception, PDB has facilitated more than $960 million in cumulative project investment, including $227.7 million in new investment in 2022, and has supported marquee projects such as the LG Chem America manufacturing plant in Ravenna (254,000 square feet), the Geis Spec Building (approximately 1 million square feet), Aurora Plastics' expansion, and Rubbermaid's distribution operations.

The organization leverages partnerships with the Development Finance Authority of Summit County for bond financing capacity and with Team NEO/JobsOhio to channel regional deal flow into Portage County. Workforce development efforts are anchored by ties to Kent State University, NEOMED, and local K-12 districts, positioning PDB as the connective tissue between prospective employers, capital, and labor pipelines within the county.

Name

Portage Development Board

Legal name

Portage Development Board

Website

https://portagedevbd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Portage Development Board is a 501(c)(3) non-profit economic development organization founded in 2011 that serves businesses seeking to locate, expand, or grow in Portage County, Ohio, by providing site selection, financing, tax incentives, and workforce development resources at no cost.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ravenna, 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

Revenue model

1. Membership/Investor Contributions: PDB operates as a 501(c)(3) private non-profit funded through contributions and investments from government entities, local businesses, organizations, and individuals committed to Portage County economic success.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Portage Development Board is a 501(c)(3) non-profit economic development organization serving Portage County, Ohio. It assists businesses with site location, financing, tax incentive coordination, and workforce development to support job creation and capital investment in the county. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Ravenna, Ohio, the organization is governed by a 37-member Board of Directors.

Product overview

Portage Development Board (PDB) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit economic development agency serving Portage County, Ohio. Founded in 2011, PDB provides economic development services to help businesses locate, stay, and grow in the county. The organization's offerings include confidential site and building search assistance, financing information and referrals, property tax exemptions and tax credit guidance, and workforce development resources. Additionally, PDB administers the Portage County Port Authority, which offers loan resources at competitive rates, property management services, revenue bond issuance for port authority facilities, and assistance with federal and state grants. PDB operates as a coordination and resource hub rather than a product-based company, connecting businesses with available properties, community resources, and economic development partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Location Assistance
• Financing Assistance
• Tax Incentive Coordination
• Workforce Development Services

Quantifiable outcome

• $1.37 billion in total investment facilitated in Portage County since inception
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Development Finance Authority (DFA) of Summit CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal agreement to provide financing for projects within Portage County. DFA's Bond Reserve Fund offers long-term, fixed-interest-rate financing for qualified industrial, commercial and public projects. The $5 million Bond Reserve Fund has an investment-grade credit rating of A.
• Team NEO / JobsOhiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional economic development partners that work with PDB on business attraction and expansion projects. Assisted with major projects including Rubbermaid distribution center, Aurora Plastics expansion, and LG Chem America facility.
• Portage County Port AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelated entity created by Portage County Board of Commissioners. Provides tax-exempt financing options including bond issuance, lease financing, and conduit financing for economic development projects.
• Kent State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor educational partner with representation on PDB Board. KSU provides workforce pipeline and the university itself has been a recipient of Port Authority financing for facilities like the Center for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement.
• Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical university in Rootstown Township that has received Port Authority financing for the Village at NEOMED (339-bed housing facility with $34.85M in revenue bonds) and an 80,000 sq ft research and graduate education building.
• Cascade Capital CorporationmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides SBA 504 Loan and Regional 166 Direct Loan programs to businesses in Portage County through PDB's resource partner network.
• Jack Kohl AgencymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustrial realty partner that connects businesses with available properties. Assisted Singleton Reels in finding Rootstown Township location.
• Geis CompaniesmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction company constructing LG Chem America's 254,000 sq ft plant and technical center in Ravenna.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Greater Cleveland Partnership: Larger Northeast Ohio regional economic development and chamber organization with broader portfolio and greater resources than PDB. Competes with PDB in the same Northeast Ohio market for major projects.
• JobsOhio: Ohio's statewide private economic development corporation. Sits upstream of PDB, providing incentive funding for projects PDB helps bring to Portage County. Functions as a partner channel but also sets the competitive landscape for all in-state EDOs.

Direct peers

• Greater Akron Chamber: The Greater Akron Chamber is a regional economic development and chamber organization serving Summit County, Ohio, immediately adjacent to Portage County. It is the closest geographic and functional peer, competing for the same Northeast Ohio business attraction and expansion projects.
• Stark County Economic Development Board: Stark County's county-level economic development organization serving a similar mix of industrial, manufacturing, and distribution clients in a neighboring Ohio county. Directly comparable to PDB in mission, structure, and target industry mix.
• Regional Growth Partnership (Northwest Ohio): Northwest Ohio regional economic development organization delivering site selection, incentive packaging, and project management services. Closely comparable to PDB in function and client base.
• Team NEO: Regional economic development organization coordinating across 18 Northeast Ohio counties, including Portage County. PDB is a co-investor partner; Team NEO is the most direct regional EDO peer and a key collaborator.
• Dayton Development Coalition: Dayton region economic development organization focused on business attraction, expansion, and workforce development. Comparable mission and service offering to PDB at a regional scale in Ohio.
• Mahoning Valley Economic Development Corporation: MVEDC is a county/regional economic development organization in Youngstown/Warren, Ohio, providing the same suite of site selection, financing, and incentive services to businesses. Competes with PDB for Northeast Ohio industrial projects.

Regional players

• Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth (APEG): Multi-county economic development organization serving Appalachian Ohio with similar site location, financing, and workforce services to PDB. Comparable in function but operating in a different geographic territory.

Emerging players

• Columbus 2020: Central Ohio regional economic development organization pursuing similar business attraction and expansion mandates. Less of a direct competitor geographically but operates the same playbook and competes for footprint-expansion projects across Ohio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PortageDevBD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/portagedevbd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Portage Development Board