Now’s a great time for Ohio, Jim Tressel tells Chamber of Commerce

STEUBENVILLE -- Jim Tressel is confident this is a great time for the state of Ohio.

That’s the message the lieutenant governor shared during Wednesday’s 118th-annual Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce Meeting and Awards Dinner at the Franciscan University of Steubenville.

“We’re seeing what’s going on at the university, and we talk about workforce every day. To see how they’re kind of stepping outside the box to figure out we’re going to solve our workforce problems -- I mean, there’s so much going on here and I’m so appreciative to be a part of it,” Tressel said while speaking to the 300 or so chamber members and their guests who attended the dinner inside the Christ the Teacher Academic Hall.

Tressel who led college football teams to five national championships -- four at Youngstown State University and one at Ohio State University -- said Eastern Ohio and the Tri-State Area are heading into an exciting time.

“You can just feel what’s going on right here,” Tressel said. “I’ve had the opportunity to see now, and you can feel what’s going on in the state of Ohio, and right across the border. Spending so long at Youngstown State University, I used to always tell people in Columbus, hey, you’re missing the boat -- there’s not a wall at the state line. We’ve got some things going on in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. So, there’s a lot going on in our region.”

After retiring as a coach, Tressel became president at YSU in 2014 and served until he retired in 2023. Gov. Mike DeWine appointed him as lieutenant governor in February 2025 to replace Jon Husted, who DeWine had appointed to fill the Senate term of J.D. Vance after Vance became vice president.

Tressel explained the pendulum was swinging back to this region. Where the state was ranked as the 34th best state in the country to do business 15 years ago, it now stands as No. 1, according to a CNBC study.

“We kept working, and we kept working and we kept working, and we had tremendous help with JobsOhio, members of the general assembly and business and industry leaders in the state,” Tressel said. “Everyone was pitching in, and you’re hearing them talk.”

He pointed to a discussion he had earlier with Steubenville Mayor Ralph Petrella who emphasized the need to get a replacement for the Market Street Bridge built.

The biggest challenge facing the state, Tressel said, is not about having an opportunity -- it’s about workforce and making sure area residents are equipped to do the jobs.

“There are opportunities here that haven’t been here for 60 or 70 years,” he said. “We’ve got to make sure that our young people, as they are starting to grow in the third, fourth and fifth grades, know that there’s great stuff here. We start giving them exposure to it, and that’s where business and industry step up, and that’s why the chamber is so critical.

“We have to get good enough to take advantage of those opportunities. You have to be a good student. We have to learn trades, or we have to go to work and learn what those opportunities are. We have them, and we have to have business and industry join us and give kids opportunities,” he added.

It was something chamber President Emily Byers discussed in her opening remarks.

“During the past year, our chamber has continued to grow, evolve and to find new ways to serve our members,” she said. “From creating opportunities for businesses to connect and build relationships, to supporting workforce development, celebrating local businesses and advocating for a strong business community, everything we do begins with you, our business community.”

Before the dinner, Tressel said there were great things in education happening in the community. Ohio has 14 public four-year schools, 23 public two-year schools and 70 or so private schools, he said. Among those are Franciscan University, St. Joseph the Worker College and Youngstown State University-Steubenville.

Several awards were presented during the dinner. Ann Quillen, who earlier this year retired as executive director of the Ohio Valley Health Center, received the community impact award. Tom Timmons, who spent his career in the banking industry, received the lifetime achievement award for his many years of community service with numerous organizations.

Olivia “Libby” Pence was named the young professional of the year, and Jessica Elias was named the chamber ambassador of the year.

Before he spoke at the chamber dinner, Tressel had stopped at Harrison Central Junior-Senior High School in Cadiz to promote his team Tressel Fitness Challenge. The program, he explained, helps students in third through eighth grades set personal goals, build healthy habits and reach their full potential. Activities focus on cardio, strength, flexibility, nutrition, sleep and an attitude of gratitude.

Tressel said before the dinner Steubenville’s rich history and proximity to the Pittsburgh area and Northern West Virginia should make it the ideal location for the High School Football Hall of Fame. The city has been named a finalist in the selection process for the hall’s new home.

“Think about the history of Steubenville -- I talk about coach Reno Saccoccia all of the time, but Abe Bryan and then you think about all of the great athletes who have come out of here, and the leagues they have played in during the course of history, and the history up the road in Youngstown and Warren. I think it would be a neat place, and we have a little advantage here -- we are really close to West Virginia and Pittsburgh, and from a local standpoint, we recognize the importance of high school football in these regions might be way more than it is in other places in the country.”

Amanda Krupinski was welcomed as the new chair of the board of directors, accepting the gavel from James Lash, now past chair.

Members of the Steubenville High School choir performed during the event. Sponsors for the dinner included the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Interstate Waste Services, Comcast Business, UPMC Trinity, WTOV-TV, Consumers National Bank, Arm Industries, Tri-State CCS Hub, Project BEST and Voto Sales. JK Auto Glass sponsored Tressel’s appearance.