CNBC names Ohio No. 1 for state to do business

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(The Center Square) – An Ohio State University business professor was not surprised when the state was reently named as the top place in the nation to do business.

A new study by Consumer News and the network CNBC, cited infrastructure, cost of doing business, quality of life and other factors in naming Ohio No. 1 in its annual Americas Top States for Business ranking. It cited low housing costs as well, making the state one of the most affordable in the U.S.

North Carolina was ranked second.

This is the first time Ohio has achieved the top spot in state business rankings.

“For a long time, Ohio has really punched above its weight” in business, Terry Esper, professor of Logistics at Ohio State University told The Center Square. ��It’s not the largest state in the country and because it’s in the Midwest, sometimes it’s considered not as appealing as the Californias, the Floridas and the North Carolinas.”

But the reality is that Ohio has built a signficant business infrastructure system, particularly in the Columbus area, the professor said.

“Ohio is known throughout the world as a place where a lot of major corporations do distribution activities and this is where a lot of orders are fulfilled for customers of major corporations,” said Esper. “I think that’s a big part of why Ohio is so strong relative to business. It’s not so much about the strategic side of business. It’s more about execution and operations. That’s where Ohio is a very big player. This is where the rubber meets the road.”

Ohio was one of the first states to embrace supply chain education – the study of the management of the flow of goods and services, Esper said.

“Now, of course, every business school is teaching supply chain,” he said. “We’re been doing this for decades. We have a legacy of realizing that supply chain is important for business. There is a critical mass of people in Ohio that know the value of supply chain operations.”

It wasn’t luck that landed Ohio the top ranking, Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine said in a social media post.

“It happened by design,” the governor said. “Ohioans have worked together for years to make Ohio the most business-friendly state in the nation."

The ranking can help as states compete to convince new businesses to locate in Ohio, Esper said.

“I think there is a lot of opportunity when you start to get these rankings to showcase that there are some hidden opportunities, maybe to consider Ohio,” the professor said.