Ohio Economic Development Association upcoming events

2026 OEDA Annual Summit (06 Oct 2026)

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 11:30:00 GMT

2026 OEDA Annual Summit

October 6–9, 2026 | Dayton Convention Center | Dayton, Ohio

The 2026 OEDA Annual Summit will convene more than 500 economic development professionals for three energizing days of learning, inspiration, and meaningful connection—right in the heart of downtown Dayton. Whether you're a seasoned expert or just starting out, the Summit is designed to help you sharpen your skills, expand your network, and amplify your impact.

Highlights of this year's Summit include:

30+ Breakout Sessions organized into six dynamic tracks: Sites, Energy & Infrastructure; Workforce, Housing & Community Competitiveness; Finance, Incentives & Deal Strategy; Technology, Innovation & AI; Leadership, Partnerships & Community Engagement; and Wildcard (see flag #6)
Content for All Levels: Each track features sessions for beginner, intermediate, and advanced practitioners, plus focused spotlights on Dayton and the Dayton Region's innovations.
5 Experiential Tours / Learning Labs showcasing real-world projects and community partnerships.
10 high-impact IGNITE presentations—quick, powerful talks that spark new thinking.
Inspiring General Sessions and Keynotes featuring statewide and national voices in economic development.
Engaging Networking + Social Events that foster collaboration and community—like the Chairman's Reception, Women in ED, and the always-popular Late Night Trivia.
Pre-Conference Activities on October 6, including our annual community service project, a golf scramble, and an early arrival reception.

About the Host City – Dayton, Ohio

Dayton, the seat of Montgomery County, is a city in southwest Ohio's Miami Valley with a legacy of invention that still defines it. As the birthplace of aviation—home to Wilbur and Orville Wright—Dayton built a culture of engineering and ingenuity that lives on today in its aerospace, defense, and advanced manufacturing economy, anchored by nearby Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Downtown Dayton is in the middle of a visible revitalization, from the restored Dayton Arcade to a reimagined riverfront, blending historic architecture with new energy. As a hub of the broader Dayton Region, the city pairs a diverse, innovation-driven economy with the walkable, welcoming feel of a community on the rise.

About the Venue – Dayton Convention Center

The newly reimagined Dayton Convention Center sits in the heart of downtown Dayton and serves as the central hub for the 2026 Summit. Following a major renovation, the modernized facility offers flexible meeting and exhibit space, a central downtown location within walking distance of hotels, dining, and entertainment, and a fresh, contemporary setting that makes it one of the region's premier event venues.

The 2026 OEDA Annual Summit will be among the first major statewide events hosted in the renovated center.

Where to Stay

OEDA has secured room blocks at five preferred hotels for the 2026 OEDA Annual Summit—all in or near downtown Dayton with easy access to the Dayton Convention Center. Rates and cut-off dates are confirmed for all five; online booking links are being finalized for the hotels noted below.

Hotel Ardent

$149 (king) / $159 (two queens)
10 min walk (0.4 mi) to Dayton Convention Center
Sold Out

Hilton Garden Inn

Connected to Dayton Arcade
6 min walk (0.3 mi) to Dayton Convention Center
$169 (king or two queens)
Sold Out

Fairfield Inn & Suites

Starting location of OEDA Fun Run/Walk
16 min walk (0.7 mi) to Dayton Convention Center
$179 (king or two queens)
Click here to book!

AC Marriott Downtown Dayton

$209 (king or 2 queens)
14 min walk (0.6 mi) to Dayton Convention Center
Sold Out

Thank you to Our Sponsors!

AES • Agracel • American Structurepoint • Archall • Aspire Energy • Bricker Graydon Wyatt • Bruns Construction Enterprises • Burgess & Niple • Business First • CenterPoint Energy • CESO Inc. • Choice One Engineering • City of Dayton • CityWide Development Corp • CivicServe • Coolidge Wall • Dayton Development Coalition • Dayton International Airport • Dayton/Montgomery Co Port Authority • Design Collaborative • Envision Group LLC. • E.S. Wagner • Exxcel Project Management • Findlay-Hancock ED • HDR • Huntington National Bank • I-70/75 Development Association • JobsOhio • Kent State-OEOC • Kettering Health • Kleinfelder • Kleingers Group • Kutak Rock LLP • Lathrop Turner • LJB Inc. • Mannik Smith • MCCFA • Messer Construction • Miller Valentine • Montgomery County • Neighborhood Strategies • NORED • Norfolk Southern • OCPA • Ohio AQDA • Ohio Electric Co-Ops • Passero Associates • Patriot Engineering • Planning NEXT • Rudolph Libbe • SOCHE • SSOE • Terracon • The Columbus Region • The Greentree Group • Verdantas • Wayne County Economic Development Council • Woolpert

We are grateful to all our sponsors for their commitment and dedication to Ohio's economic development practitioners.

Interested in exhibiting or want to discuss available opportunities? Contact Jason Kester, Summit & Sponsorship Chair at jkester@agracel.com.

Visiting Dayton

Dayton offers visitors a rich mix of history, culture, and outdoor space. Aviation and history enthusiasts can explore the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, one of the world's largest military aviation museums and free to the public, or trace the Wright brothers' story through the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. Carillon Historical Park brings the region's innovation story to life across an open-air campus of historic buildings.

Art lovers can visit the Dayton Art Institute, while the historic Oregon District offers a walkable stretch of local restaurants, bars, and shops. For outdoor time, RiverScape MetroPark and the Five Rivers MetroParks system provide trails and riverfront space just minutes from the convention center.

Link: Visit Dayton (Dayton/Montgomery County CVB)

Community Engagement Strategies for Economic Developers (30 Oct 2026)

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Join us for a timely Webinar on

Community Engagement Strategies

for Economic Development

Friday, October 30, 2026

10:30 - 11:30 AM

In partnership between

the Ohio Economic Development Association and

MurphyEpson

Economic developers need to be ready for and get ahead of questions surrounding projects and their hot topics like data centers, renewable energy, rezoning, affordable housing, and more.

Today, opposition is organized, trust is low, and the stakes are high. MurphyEpson’s communications and engagement professionals work with public, private and nonprofit clients to bring communities along every day.

Please join us for a practical dialogue on community engagement strategies for economic development on Friday, October 30, 2026 at 10:30am.

This webinar will help you:

- Anticipate tough questions
- Engage residents and community organizations
- Prepare partners and elected officials
- Build a communications strategy
- Work with the media
- Address misinformation
- Build trust before opposition gains momentum

OEDA Professional Development programs are made possible through the generous support of:

2026 OEDI Real Estate Development Course (19 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

2026 OEDI REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCING CORE COURSE

REVISED DATE: November 19 - 20, 2026

Early Bird Registration Closes on October 15

Ohio University - Dublin Integrated Education Center
6805 Bobcat Way | Dublin, Ohio 43016

Course Description: This course teaches the critical steps of real estate development and helps attendees develop a comprehensive understanding of how a deal progresses from concept to completion. Attendees will analyze the anatomy of a real estate deal and learn how each component stage impacts the next. The economic developer will build the knowledge they need to more thoughtfully approach securing and closing the deal and what comes after.

Knowledge: Participants will learn about the important stages in real estate development; from the earliest stages of due diligence to occupancy and property management. Participants will gain the knowledge they need to determine project feasibility, how to finance real estate development and redevelopment, and how to recognize and overcome the challenges to advancing a new development in their community.·

Network: This course provides a forum for economic development professionals to share information and build relationships with the best in the real estate industry. Unlike traditional lecture-style trainings, this course focuses on participant and presenter engagement and interaction. This course provides unmatched opportunities to dialogue with instructors, speakers, and colleagues.

Course Topics: The course is constantly being updated to keep current with emerging real estate development issues and trends. Some of the past topics include:

What Real Estate Development is Right for Your Community
Project Feasibility from a Market, Financial and Political Perspective. Understanding ownership structures.
Public Private Collaboration and Partnership
Due Diligence & Construction – Knowing the Risks and How to Avoid Them.
The Financial Anatomy of a Deal – Building a Proforma.
Marketing, Occupancy, and Property/Asset Management: Showing it, Filling it and Selling it
Closing the Gap: What Programs from JobsOhio and Other Sources Can Help a Deal Come Together

Who Should Attend: This course is specifically designed to deliver comprehensive training in the use of finance and incentive programs; making it attractive to the intermediate level professional as well as the experienced practitioner who wants to brush up on the latest in project finance and new tools and programs.

Pre-Requisites: Because of the program’s rigor, attendees must have completed The Ohio Basic Economic Development Course or have three years of economic or community development experience. Individuals who will be taking the Ohio Basic Economic Development Course in the Spring of 2026* may register for this course.

Faculty: OEDI Core Courses are taught by experienced local, state, and national economic development practitioners. In addition to these lead instructor(s), each course has a unique faculty group made up on individuals who have been hand selected because of their subject matter expertise, leadership role in Ohio economic development, or role in the case studies utilized in the course.

Past Institute faculty has included representatives from: JobsOhio, the Ohio Department of Development, the six regional JobsOhio Network Partners, and experienced development finance experts.

Registration: Early Bird Registration of offers a discount to the regular OEDA member registration. The early-bird registration period ends October 15, 2026 and all registration options increase to the regular fee. Members are encouraged to register for multiple courses to receive special discounted pricing.

Why OEDI: The Ohio Economic Development Institute (OEDI) is the premier training and professional development program for economic developers in Ohio. As a state-specific program, OEDI’s Core Courses focus on the practice of economic development in Ohio; including the state’s unique economic development structure and ecosystem. The Institute is made possible through the generous and continuing support of JobsOhio. OEDA’s academic partner is the Ohio University Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service.

Ohio Certified Economic Developer: OEDI courses are part of a comprehensive curriculum, but they can be taken singly. They also serve as the pathway to the Ohio Certified Economic Development (OhioCED) Individuals who successfully complete the five Core Courses, a project-based Capstone Course, and an additional 24 hours of electives, are eligible for the Ohio Certified Economic Developer or OhioCED.

Lodging information: A variety of hotel options to fit specific travel needs and budget are nearby. Visit VISIT DUBLIN OHIO for a full list of options. For those looking to stay close to the facility, the following hotels are recommended (all are within six miles of Ohio University’s Dublin Campus): Columbus Marriott Northwest, Crowne Plaza Dublin, Embassy Suites Columbus-Dublin, Residence Inn by Marriott. Please note that the start time for the first day is 9 a.m.

AICP members can earn Certification Maintenance (CM) credits for this activity.

Policies & Additional Information

1. Full attendance on both days is required for the course to count towards certification.

2. Cancellations must be requested in writing no later than 7 days prior to each course to receive a full refund. Please note that no refunds will be issued after this date and registrations not canceled and pending payment are responsible for full payment. As an additional option, you may submit a request in writing to transfer your registration to another student up to 7 days prior to the course.

3. Pre-registration is required as space is limited. Walk-in registration cannot be accommodated.

4. If the multiple course rate is selected, the registrant must register for and attend at least one additional OEDI core course in 2026. If the registrant does not register for and attend an additional course, a $50 fee will be assessed and an invoice will be sent to the registrant.

Thank you to our Leadership Circle Investors for your generous support: