Team NEO Claims Hand in Creating 3,000 New Jobs in Northeast Ohio

CEO Matt Dolan says more work needed to boost region's growth rate

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Team NEO, Northeast Ohio's jobs development partner with the state, released its annual report claiming it helped attract or retain more than 10,000 jobs in the region. However, CEO Matt Dolan says the organization's work is not enough to move the needle on Northeast Ohio's growth rate, and they will sharpen their focus on international business attraction efforts in 2026.

Why it matters

Team NEO plays a crucial role in driving economic development and job growth in Northeast Ohio. While the organization has had some success in attracting and retaining jobs, the region's overall growth rate remains a concern, prompting Team NEO to reevaluate its strategy and focus more on international investment.

The details

The report cites 92 'wins' resulting in the attraction of 2,953 new jobs averaging about $64,000 a year, and the retention of another 7,197 jobs. These deals accounted for nearly a half-billion dollars in investments. Team NEO uses loans, grants, and tax incentive programs to attract jobs. Dolan, who took over as CEO a year ago, says the organization's work is not 'moving the needle' on Northeast Ohio's growth rate, and they will sharpen their focus on international business attraction efforts in 2026.

  • Team NEO released its annual report on February 9, 2026.
  • Matt Dolan celebrated his first anniversary as CEO of Team NEO on the day the report was released.

The players

Team NEO

Northeast Ohio's jobs development partner with the state, focused on creating and keeping jobs in the region.

Matt Dolan

The CEO of Team NEO, who took over leadership of the 14-county organization a year ago.

LayerZero Power Systems Inc.

A company that designs and builds power equipment for places such as data centers to ensure reliable power for computers and servers, creating 535 new jobs and retaining 278 others in Strongsville.

Great Day Improvements

A company that created 412 new jobs and retained 410 others in Walton Hills, Bedford Heights, and Twinsburg through investments in its patio and sunroom product lines, including a new manufacturing site in Walton Hills.

GPD Group

An engineering firm that created 119 new jobs and retained 425 others with an expansion of its downtown Akron headquarters.

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What they’re saying

“It's a good scorecard that definitely needs to be built on.”

— Matt Dolan, CEO, Team NEO (cleveland.com)

“We celebrate every one of those jobs. It's not moving the needle, though, on making sure that Northeast Ohio is growing at the rate we need to grow, to be the vibrant community that we've talked about in terms of bending the curve.”

— Matt Dolan, CEO, Team NEO (cleveland.com)

“In 2026, we will sharpen our focus on business attraction efforts - including international investment - to expand the region's global footprint and secure transformative opportunities.”

— Matt Dolan, CEO, Team NEO (cleveland.com)

What’s next

A specialized team is being created at Team NEO to focus on 'international attraction' in 2026.

The takeaway

While Team NEO has had some success in attracting and retaining jobs in Northeast Ohio, the region's overall growth rate remains a concern, prompting the organization to reevaluate its strategy and focus more on international investment to drive transformative opportunities and boost the region's economic development.