Knox County, Ohio has been recently featured in Business View Magazine.
The feature is based on an interview between President Jeff Gottke, Commissioner Jason E. Booth, and Business View Magazine's Editor-in-Chief Karen Surca as part of the magazine's series covering economic growth and best city practices.
Housing, industry, and workforce development take center stage in the area.
The county is a rich blend of history and innovation stretching out over two centuries. Located in the heart of the Buckeye State, Knox County is named after Henry Knox, a Revolutionary War general and the first Secretary of War under George Washington. “The county was founded in 1803, right after Ohio became a state,” said Gottke, president of the Knox County Area Development Foundation. “Mount Vernon, our county seat, came along in 1805 and was named after Washington’s estate.”
Throughout its history, Knox County has evolved from a small farming settlement into a region rich with educational institutions and industrial prowess. One of the county’s most distinctive institutions, Kenyon College, the state’s oldest private college, is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year. “But, we’re lucky to have not just Kenyon, but also Mount Vernon Nazarene University and a campus of Central Ohio Technical College,” Gottke said.
Industry has long been a backbone of Knox County’s economy. Its industrial history began in 1833 with Charles and Elias Cooper’s iron foundry in Mount Vernon, which evolved into Cooper-Bessemer, the largest diesel engine manufacturer in the U.S. “They were known for producing large power generation systems,” said Gottke.
Ariel Corporation, founded locally in the 1960s, is now a global leader in natural gas compressors. “Chances are, natural gas in your house has gone through an Ariel compressor,” Gottke said.
The region also pioneered glassmaking with Pittsburgh Plate Glass and the innovative “Pennvernon process.”
Business View Magazine is a global leader in multi‐platform Business to Business profiles, news and opinion with over 840,000 executive subscribers across North America. To learn more about Knox County and Business View Magazine or to view a current issue, please visit our website at: businessviewmagazine.com.
