{"id":24863,"date":"2024-08-14T19:15:04","date_gmt":"2024-08-14T19:15:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northeastohioregion.com\/?post_type=news&#038;p=24863"},"modified":"2024-08-14T19:15:10","modified_gmt":"2024-08-14T19:15:10","slug":"team-neo-announces-plans-to-conduct-a-search-for-a-new-ceo-as-bill-koehler-prepares-to-pass-the-torch-to-a-new-leader","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/northeastohioregion.com\/news\/team-neo-announces-plans-to-conduct-a-search-for-a-new-ceo-as-bill-koehler-prepares-to-pass-the-torch-to-a-new-leader\/","title":{"rendered":"Team NEO announces plans to conduct a search for a new CEO as Bill Koehler prepares to pass the torch to a new leader"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Koehler led Team NEO, transforming regional economic development for nearly a decade<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Team NEO&#8217;s Board of Directors proudly announces a milestone transition as CEO Bill Koehler prepares to pass the torch after nearly a decade of transformative leadership. With Koehler\u2019s vision and steady guidance since 2015, Team NEO has cemented its position as a powerful convener of regional economic development partners, organizations, associations and institutions, leading to significant regional impact and organizational growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kim Riley, Chair of the Team NEO Board of Directors, stated, &#8220;Bill&#8217;s exceptional leadership has propelled Team NEO to the forefront of regional economic development. His legacy of fostering collaboration, driving research-based strategies, and cultivating vital partnerships leaves an indelible mark on our organization and the entire Northeast Ohio region.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Team NEO, the JobsOhio network partner for the 14-county Northeast Ohio Region, has flourished under Koehler&#8217;s stewardship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBill has been an exceptional leader and partner for JobsOhio in Northeast Ohio. He leaves an impressive legacy, beginning with the outstanding team he has built, who drove the organization\u2019s success and who will undoubtedly continue the momentum during this transition,\u201d said JobsOhio President &amp; CEO JP Nauseef. \u201cBill\u2019s leadership impacted every corner of Team NEO\u2019s region, including the Mahoning Valley, where the momentum driven by Bill and the team made it possible to create an independent Lake to River region, JobsOhio\u2019s seventh and final network partner. The relationships Bill has built across the state with JobsOhio network partners has strengthened the entire network and led to better economic outcomes for Northeast Ohio and the state. I\u2019m grateful to Bill for that leadership and wish him all the best in his next steps.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During Koehler&#8217;s tenure, Team NEO has undergone remarkable growth and evolution. Today, Team NEO is recognized as a catalytic and unifying force, bringing together diverse organizations, associations and institutions to advance industry, foster innovation, develop sites, cultivate talent, champion equitable prosperity, and promote the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;It has been an honor to lead Team NEO and work alongside our talented staff, dedicated board, and committed partners across the region,&#8221; Koehler said. &#8220;I&#8217;m immensely proud of what we&#8217;ve accomplished together. As I prepare for this transition, I&#8217;m confident that Team NEO is poised for even greater achievements under new leadership. Until then, I promise to \u2018run through the tape\u2019 to help Team NEO achieve its ambitious goals and set up the next leader for success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Key achievements under Koehler\u2019s leadership include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Expanded staff from 27 to 37 professionals, increased its annual budget from $4.5 million to $7.4 million and tripled its investor base<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Establishment of four strategy councils that harness Team NEO\u2019s data-driven insights to build talent pipelines, identify prime development sites, foster industry innovation, and promote Northeast Ohio&#8217;s strengths<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Development of innovative tools like the <em>Aligning Opportunities<\/em> portfolio and the <em>Developing Opportunities<\/em> platform<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Creation of the Vibrant Economy Indicators to benchmark Northeast Ohio against 12 U.S. markets and help create a more competitive and prosperous regional economy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Launch of a compelling regional brand platform to bolster business attraction and retention<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Team NEO\u2019s impressive track record speaks volumes about Bill\u2019s leadership and the breadth and depth of the team he has built, which together completed 846 successful projects, leading to the creation of 54,138 new jobs and $2.5 billion in new annual payroll, the retention of 142,279 jobs and $9.3 billion in annual payroll, and more than $13.9 billion in capital investment secured. Team NEO has consistently driven 30-40% of Ohio&#8217;s annual economic development outcomes annually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Team NEO embarks on this exciting new chapter, the Board of Directors has established a search committee led by Jodi Berg, Bill Seelbach, Don Taylor, Al Mistysyn, Glenn Richardson and Peter Broer. To identify a dynamic successor over the next six months, the committee has engaged Waverly Partners, a respected Cleveland-based executive search firm with deep experience in economic development including working with University Circle, Inc., West Side Market, Greater Akron Chamber, and Akron Urban League, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The search, while national in scope, will focus on leaders familiar with Northeast Ohio and its economic landscape. The goal is to find a visionary who can build upon Team NEO&#8217;s strong foundation and drive continued regional collaboration and growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Waverly Partners&#8217; Heidi Milosovic, a Certified Diversity Recruiter, and Eric Peterson, renowned for his expertise in economic development executive search, will guide this inclusive process. Their combined experience ensures a diverse and exceptional pool of candidates uniquely suited to Team NEO&#8217;s future aspirations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the search progresses, Koehler will continue to lead Team NEO, ensuring a seamless transition and uninterrupted momentum in the organization&#8217;s vital work. The entire Team NEO family looks forward to celebrating Koehler&#8217;s remarkable tenure and welcoming a new leader poised to guide the organization into an exciting future of regional prosperity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About Team NEO<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Team NEO is a private, nonprofit economic development organization that ignites economic vibrancy, fosters sustainable growth, and champions equitable prosperity. As a designated JobsOhio Network Partner, we collaborate across all 14 counties in the Northeast Ohio Region to create strategies to attract and retain companies, drive innovation, cultivate a skilled workforce, advance market-ready sites, and promote and engage the region. To learn how Team NEO helps make Northeast Ohio more competitive, visit&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/northeastohioregion.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">northeastohioregion.com<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":22516,"template":"","categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24863","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-press-releases"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/northeastohioregion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/24863","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/northeastohioregion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/northeastohioregion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/northeastohioregion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/24863\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24870,"href":"https:\/\/northeastohioregion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/24863\/revisions\/24870"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/northeastohioregion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/northeastohioregion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24863"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/northeastohioregion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24863"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/northeastohioregion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24863"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}