We Showed Up for Geauga County, and Here’s What It Looked Like

A look back at GGP’s 2026 Annual Meeting

There’s something that happens when a community comes together with intention.

It’s not just the packed room or the morning coffee or the familiar faces. It’s the feeling that something real is being built, slowly, deliberately, by people who genuinely care about where they live and work.

That’s what GGP’s 2026 Annual Meeting felt like.

It was a morning of milestones and gratitude, of honest reflection and forward momentum. And it gave us the chance to do something we don’t always slow down enough to do: celebrate.

Sixteen Years in the Making

GGP was founded in 2010 with a simple but powerful belief, that Geauga County’s businesses, people, and future are worth fighting for.

This year, we paused to honor the founders who carried that belief longest. David Ford, Lee Imhof, Rich Frenchie, and Jay Giles. Sixteen years of showing up, advocating, and building something that didn’t exist before. As our organization grows into new governance structures, including term limits that will ensure fresh energy and sustained strength, we honor these four men as the architects of who we are.

Outgoing Board Chair John Epprecht also stepped down from his sixteen-year tenure leading the board with characteristic grace and confidence in what GGP is becoming. His steady hand shaped this organization. His belief in Geauga County never wavered. He’s not going anywhere, just stepping into a new role as Ad Hoc member, and we are grateful for every chapter of his service.

2025: A Momentum Year

GGP President & CEO Kimm Leininger didn’t mince words when she described last year.

“2025 was not a maintenance year. It was a momentum year.”

Here’s what that momentum looked like:

Business Retention & Expansion deepened with direct conversations with employers, understanding workforce gaps, capital needs, succession challenges, and growth opportunities. Partnerships with JobsOhio, TeamNEO, MAGNET, Kent State Geauga, and Lakeland Community College helped ensure Geauga County businesses could access regional resources without losing their local identity.

Workforce development was front and center. The Geauga Healthcare Sector Partnership, with incredible engagement from Judson Senior Living and UH Geauga Medical Center, created a model for aligning employers, educators, and training providers that can transfer to other industries. This is how you address workforce shortages at scale.

Youth career exposure expanded with industry tours, career exploration events, and student engagement designed to show young people that high-wage, meaningful careers are available right here, not just somewhere else. Twenty-two companies opened their doors, shared their work, and invested in the next generation. That’s extraordinary.

Convening continued in earnest, CEO roundtables, Small Business Forums, the Geauga County Safety Council, and strategic conversations with the Cleveland Foundation, TeamNEO, and MAGNET. Because in today’s economy, collaboration isn’t optional. It’s essential.

And behind the scenes, GGP expanded its Philanthropy Circle, grew the Frank Samuel Fund for Workforce Development and the Legacy Fund, and implemented the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to strengthen focus, accountability, and execution. Because impact requires infrastructure.

Honoring Excellence

Every year, GGP recognizes individuals and organizations whose work reflects the best of what Geauga County has to offer. This year’s honorees were particularly inspiring.

Dr. Heng Wang, 2026 Frank Samuel Distinguished Service Award

The Frank Samuel Award is reserved for someone who believes, as Frank Samuel did, that when business, education, and community work together, everyone rises. This year’s recipient, Dr. Heng Wang of DDC Clinic, embodies that vision in ways that take your breath away.

A board-certified pediatrician and Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Wang has led DDC Clinic since its founding in 2002. What started as a small clinic in Middlefield has become internationally recognized for groundbreaking work in rare genetic disorders. He has served more than 1,100 families. Identified multiple previously unknown genetic conditions. Co-authored more than 80 peer-reviewed publications. And done all of it while staying focused on the children sitting in exam rooms right here in Geauga County.

Dr. Wang demonstrates something we all need to be reminded of: world-class excellence doesn’t require a big city address. Innovation happens in Middlefield. Breakthroughs start in Geauga County. And compassion, when paired with intellect and persistence, can change lives across continents.

Dr. Wang was presented with a stunning award crafted right here in our community by the talented artists at Marsh Valley and Cleveland Art, a beautiful reminder that exceptional work deserves recognition made with equal care and creativity.

Congratulations, Dr. Wang. This honor is deeply deserved.

Burton Station Fixture, 2026 Excellence in Manufacturing Award

Manufacturing is the backbone of Geauga County’s economy, and Burton Station Fixture represents its very best. With precision, problem-solving, and a commitment to quality that extends across multiple industries, this team exemplifies what it means to pursue excellence quietly and consistently. Thank you to Arc Hound Welding for crafting the award itself, a fitting tribute made by skilled hands, for skilled hands.

The Conversation We Need to Keep Having

Our keynote panel brought an important and sometimes difficult conversation to the forefront: behavioral health in the workplace.

Led by Paul Bolino, President & CEO of Ravenwood Health, the newly merged organization serving Geauga, Ashtabula, and surrounding counties, and joined by Tracie Roberts (Montville Plastics), Craig Swenson, and Gina Shultz (Geauga County Job and Family Services), the panel explored what it really means to support a workforce.

It means seeing the whole person. It means investing in mental health and addiction services. It means creating workplaces where people can actually thrive. This kind of conversation is exactly what GGP exists to facilitate, honest, cross-sector, grounded in the realities of our community.

Where We’re Going

Geauga County is at an inflection point.

We have strong employers. Strong schools. Strong quality of life. Strategic land assets. And proximity to not one but two major metropolitan regions. The ingredients for something extraordinary are already here.

What’s next is intentional action.

GGP is pursuing a more coordinated economic development model, with clear roles, clear metrics, and clear accountability. We’re expanding the Healthcare Sector Partnership and building a framework that can scale across industries. We’re working on talent attraction and retention, housing and transportation conversations, site readiness, and a stronger innovation ecosystem.

And the fuel for all of it? People who believe.

That’s why it means so much that our Board of Directors has committed to 100% participation in a $50,000 matching fund for 2026. Every dollar invested in GGP’s mission will be doubled. That kind of board-level belief changes conversations. It builds credibility. It multiplies momentum.

“We are building the future of Geauga County,” Kimm said before closing the morning. “And we are just getting started.”

We believe that. We believe it because of the people who filled that room this morning, business leaders, educators, healthcare partners, elected officials, community champions, and founding members who poured sixteen years of themselves into something worth building.

Thank you for being part of this community. Thank you for believing in what we are building together.

Stay engaged. Lean in. The best is still ahead.

To learn more about GGP’s work or to explore becoming a philanthropic partner in 2026, visit [ggpartnership.org] or reach out to our team directly.

Geauga Growth Partnership strengthens the economic climate of Geauga County by supporting businesses, preparing our workforce, and building a resilient, thriving community.