Op-Ed | Patronize Where You Live

View Article As Featured in Dayton Daily News

Workforce development and attraction continues to be one of the top challenges for businesses across the country. Dayton area companies have an advantage in the workforce game if they are building their internal pipeline and ensuring their company is attractive to all workers, including early career professionals.

Dayton-area early career professionals are workforce shopping all of our businesses and they are looking for substantive relationships with employers. They want employers that invest in their development and who are transparent and honest about their future growth opportunities.

In a recent discussion with our local early career professionals that left the region and are returning to the Dayton area, we talked to them about what’s bringing them back. The answer is more than the culture of our companies, it’s the culture of our community. Midwest values, work ethic, honesty and quality of life are attributes that are top drivers for those returning to Dayton.

This community culture is a characteristic that all of our businesses, our local governments, nonprofit organization and community leaders effect.

It’s a driving reason why all of us are in the Dayton region and it’s a driving reason why young people are returning home. These returning professionals make our community vibrant, contribute to our businesses and address our workforce issues.

As much as it’s important for all of us to drive the culture of our community, it’s just as important that these young professionals are engaged and contributing to the culture of our community.

Engaging in nonprofits, supporting the communities where you live and telling the Dayton story is a responsibility that all of us own. Culture is a top driver for retaining talent in your organization and the same is true for our community.

It has taken decades to create a community culture that supports individualism, uniqueness, quality of life, family, inclusiveness, and innovation.

Now, it is our job as a community to build on this culture and help it evolve as our community evolves. My grandfather, a retired tool designer from the NCR Corporation always said, “Patronize where you live.”

Chris Kershner, CAE
President & CEO
Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce