About Marion CAN DO!

At Marion CAN DO!, we’re more than an economic development office.

We’re a team of business leaders and innovators.

We educate and inform other like-minded, forward-thinking executives looking for a prosperous community to relocate, launch or grow their business. We are dedicated to using our vast educational and technical training assets to provide businesses with the most qualified workforce to fit the needs of new and expanding industries.

We are a member of One Columbus – The Columbus Region, an 11-county collaborative and one of the most dynamic and diverse metropolitan regions in the U.S. One Columbus is known for its abundant opportunities, top-ranked market access, competitively-priced real estate and talented workforce.

Since 1993

Marion CAN DO! began in 1993 by a group of citizens who believed it was time for the community to focus its resources on rejuvenating the area economy. Today, Marion CAN DO! is a 501c(3) corporation marketing Marion’s assets and is governed by a 20-member board of trustees.

Investors in Marion CAN DO! are public and private partners working together to guide our collective funding, expertise, technologies and united power to attract new business investment to the region.

Our Staff

Gus Comstock

Executive Director

Office: (740) 387-2267
Direct: (740) 272-0687
gusc@marioncando.com

Denny Ferguson

Executive Assistant

Office: (740) 387-2267
denny222@marioncando.com

2024 Executive Committee

Roxane Somerlot

Chair

Dan Dreher

2nd Vice Chair

Jennifer Adams

Immediate Past president

Kevin Smith

1st Vice Chair

Gary Sims

Secretary/Treasurer

Kerr Murray

Committee Member

2024 Board of Trustees

Jennifer Adams, Retired Superintendent, Pleasant Local Schools

Leslie Armstrong, Controller, Nucor Steel Marion

Scott Ballenger, Area Manager Marion/Tiffin, Aqua Ohio

Jeremy Byers, Executive Director, Marion YMCA

Honorable Bill Collins, Mayor, City of Marion

Dan Dreher, Agent, Generations Reality

Tami Galloway, Director, MTC’s America’s Workforce Development Capital Program

Vidya Iyengar, Retired CEO, Pillar Credit Union

Joe Jakubick, Regional External Affairs, FirstEnergy Corporation

Spencer Mathews, Manager, Mathews Auto Group

Ryan McCall, Ph.D., President, Marion Technical College

Honorable Kerr Murray, Marion County Commissioner

Lars Olson, President, Alluvial Private Wealth

Evelyn Warr-Omness, Director, Marion County/City Regional Planning

Councilman Matt Pollock, At Large Marion City Council

Gary Sims, President, Sims Brothers Recycling

Howard Smith, President, The Wilson Bohannan Company

Kevin Smith, Retired Regional President, First Citizens National Bank

Roxane Somerlot, Director, Marion County Job & Family Services

Board Member Emeritus

Tim Anderson, Retired Comptroller, Whirlpool Corp. Marion Division

Dan Burkhart, Retired Utilities CEO

Ken Lengieza, Special Projects, Marion County/City Regional Planning

Dr. Dal Madia, Retired Medical Professional

Rex Parrott, Retired CEO, Wyandot Inc.

Marion CAN DO! Investors

Alluvial Private Wealth
Alvada Construction
Aqua Water Ohio
ArcelorMittal
Dan Burkhart
City of Marion
Clarity Technology Solutions
Clouse Construction
CT Consultants
Cummins Facility Services

Custom Professional Accounting
DANIS Building Services
Dostal & Kirk Insurance
First Citizens National Bank
FirstEnergy
Humble Construction
Kegler Brown Hill Ritter
Lehman Daman Const. Services
Marion County Commissioners

Marion Industrial Rail Park
Mathews Auto Group
Mennel Milling
Mid Ohio Energy Co-op
OhioHealth/Marion General
Ohio State University Marion
Park National Bank
Pillar Credit Union
RiAlto
Savion Energy

Sakamura USA
Sika Corporation
Simcote
Sims Brothers Recycling
Steam Turbine Alternative Res.
Stifel Nicolaus
United Church Homes
Verne Hart Insurance
Whirlpool Marion Division
Wilson Bohannan Lock Company

Marion CAN DO! is hard-working, and invariably understands exactly what economic development is all about. Based on my time working with this organization, they have lifted my professionalism to a higher standard.”

Gary Smalley, Charles Construction

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Marion is an innovative and evolving community composed of a diverse workforce ready to grow your business output.