Auglaize County, Ohio

E stablished on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1848, Auglaize County, Ohio embraces several unique and prosperous communities in the heart of West Central Ohio. The county is named for the Auglaize River – an unusual name, reputedly coming from the French term “eau glaise” meaning “clay-filled water.” This year, the Auglaize County seat –Wapakoneta – welcomes visitors from far and wide to its doorstep, as the hometown of Apollo 11 Commander, Neil Armstrong, proudly celebrates the 50th anniversary of the first moon walk. Auglaize County has a population of about 48,000 people. The largest centers are Wapakoneta (9,600), St. Marys (8,300), and New Bremen, Minster, and New Knoxville (combined about 7,000), and each of those communities has its own distinct character and opportunities. Business View Magazine recently spoke with Greg Myers, Executive Director - Wapakoneta Area Economic Development Council; Angela Hamberg, Economic Development Director of the Village of New Bremen; and Mike Burkholder, Manager of Industrial and Community Development for the City of St. Marys, about the attributes and ongoing initiatives that make Auglaize County an exceptional place to live, visit, and do business. The following is a transcript of that conversation. BVM: How is economic development managed in a county with such diverse needs? Myers: “Auglaize County has three significant and fairly equal population centers. The city of Wapakoneta, which is the county seat; the city of St. Marys; and the villages of New Bremen, Minster, and New Knoxville – three small communities, but Augl Great past, greater future