If there is a ground zero for America’s modern defense buildout, it’s Ohio, home to one of the country’s most sophisticated economic development engines: JobsOhio.
Across our reporting at Standard & Works – whether it’s life sciences, data centers, or mega-projects – Ohio is consistently cited as the state to beat – assertive, creative, fast, and backed by deep resources.
JP Nauseef, CEO of JobsOhio, puts it plainly:
“We win and we’re going to continue to win – with humility of course. We’re still humble midwesterners, but we’re not afraid to get in the trenches.”
A Playbook Shaped by Personal Experience
Nauseef understands how communities function when missions anchor the local economy.
He grew up in Ohio as a military brat. His father was an Air Force general. He later served as an Air Force officer himself.
Nauseef was pulled into economic development during the early 2000s, when Dayton’s Wright-Patterson Air Force Base faced a base realignment and closure (BRAC) review.
Ohio orchestrated a campaign that mobilized advocates, from the state’s federal delegation to local groups.
“ That's where I learned how connections and influence play a part, how locals play a part, how federal and state come together,” Nauseef says.
Wright-Patt didn’t just survive, it won – becoming a receiver of new missions.
Its population has doubled since.
“Missions are important because they bring jobs and they bring value, and that's good in itself – but the big prize is the industry that comes as a result,” Nauseef said.
The BRAC victory became the blueprint for Ohio’s rise as a national aerospace and defense powerhouse.
The front page from August 2005
How Ohio Wins
Ohio’s ascent was not guaranteed.
A decade ago, it was still shaking off the Rust Belt label.
JobsOhio has formally designated advanced aerospace and defense as one of its five “super sectors” – trillion-dollar opportunity areas where the state deploys its full arsenal of economic development tools.
Nauseef has built a full-stack model to compete:
1. Land the Mission
“Proximity is what we’re selling,” he says.
Wright-Patt hosts an entire defense lifecycle:
Threat identification at NASIC
Research to oppose the threat at the Air Force Research Lab
Acquisition at the Life Cycle Management Center
Production with industry partners nearby
“The program managers at Wright-Patterson can walk down the street and work with their contractor. They can do that right here, in real time, very quickly,” Nauseef says.
2. Activate The Network
JobsOhio openly calls its aerospace and defense advisory board its “secret sauce.”
It’s a highly accomplished network of former military and NASA leaders who understand federal dynamics and can help win deals.
JobsOhio cultivates stakeholder relationships as a standing competitive advantage, Nauseef notes.
“You can't turn it on and off with a switch. It has to be real. And we've been at this for decades. With each victory you get more believers.”
The model traces back to the BRAC fight – when local, state, and federal leaders, including Gov. Mike DeWine (then U.S. Senator) and U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (then Ohio’s House Speaker) – came together to protect Wright-Patt.
3. Lift Up Communities
Ohio’s patriotic culture has resonated with Nauseef ever since he was a kid. Today he nurtures it as a workforce asset.
JobsOhio built the Hometown Heroes program to give veterans and their families access and recognition at major cultural, sports, and civic events.
It reinforces that their service is not only valued, but woven into the fabric of the state’s identity.
In return, it creates a love for Ohio among military members and families.
As Nauseef puts it:
“Employers love to hire veterans and veterans want to live somewhere that's affordable, where the population appreciates them, and where they can get involved.”
🏁 The Model in Action
JobsOhio’s strategy — land the mission, rally stakeholders, build the industry around it — has produced results:
Sierra Nevada Corporation (2022): Ohio initially lost the race for a major aircraft maintenance facility. But it didn’t relent. JobsOhio re-engaged the company with the help of an advisory board member and fought to flip the decision.
Joby (2023): Ohio wasn’t even on Joby’s site selection list. So they flew to California and muscled their way in. Now Joby is building blades in Dayton.
Anduril (2025): What’s now the largest jobs-creation project in Ohio history started as a 48-state search. By the time JobsOhio, Gov. DeWine, and then-Lt. Gov. Husted met the company, Nauseef said the pitch came naturally.
Anduril founder Palmer Luckey spoke to Bloomberg earlier this year about the site selection experience:
“As someone who is from California, there's some states that are really good at pushing you out and slowing you down, and there's others that are great at pulling you in and speeding you up. And that's what Ohio was.”
Watching from Washington, Savills executive managing director Ken Biberaj sees Ohio’s strategy as a winning playbook:
“It’s a perfect example of a community embracing the ethos of their ecosystem and being proactive and not reactive to target companies they want in their community.
“If you know the talent in your community is well-equipped, economic leaders should not sit back. They should go to those companies and get them to come.”
🚀 Ohio’s Next Mission
Ohio is now deploying its playbook to rally support around the state’s NASA Glenn Research Center – angling to anchor Lunar and Mars missions, and the industry ecosystems that come with them.
