CHILLICOTHE - The final advocacy event of the Chamber’s 2025 calendar featured updates from the local, state, and federal levels Friday inside the visitors center at Adena Mansion and Gardens.

Guests heard from Ryan Gleason from the U.S. Chamber, Rick Carfagna and Matthew MacLaren from the Ohio Chamber, and Gloria Blauvelt from Ohio Southeast - who also fielded questions about issues impacting Chillicothe and Ross County.

Fresh off the recent announcement of the former paper mill’s purchase by U.S. Paper Mill Co. LLC, Gleason focused on the impact of the continuing government shutdown and tariffs on communities across the country just like Chillicothe. He also touched on the U.S. Chamber’s efforts to extend the Trump tax cut and “avoid the largest tax increase in American history.”

Carfagna, a former state legislator now in governmental affairs for the Ohio Chamber, focused on the fall legislative session, which will include ample discussion of property tax reform. He also said priorities would be placed on strengthening Ohio’s natural gas infrastructure, making third-party litigation financing more transparent, and combating workforce shortages in the child care system. 

MacLaren, who handles travel and tourism policy, touted the continuing rise of Ohio as a business friendly state, according to CNBC rankings. In 2022, the state was 15th and has risen each year to fifth overall in this year’s rankings. The state’s amount of funding for travel and tourism is up from $7.5 million/year to $11 million/year for the next two years. Visitors brought $57 billion or spending and indirect business sales into Ohio last year and generated $4.7 billion in state and local taxes last year.

A Ross County resident, Blauvelt expressed great pride as OhioSE won 42 projects creating 607 jobs, and more than $294 million in fixed asset capital investment in 2024. In Ross County, OhioSE partnered with Greater Chillicothe and Ross County Development on 42 projects with 1,215 jobs created and 12,236 jobs retained. Some examples include the Road Ready Center (MHC Kenworth), Herr’s Food Inc., and Maggie’s Farm and Aromatics.

The session was the final quarterly event for 2025 sponsored by the Chamber’s Advocacy Committee. Past events this year featured discussions with U.S. Rep. Dave Taylor, the annual State of the Community, and others.