JumpStart Hires Experienced Executive Ocie Irons to Lead Work in Northwest Ohio

Irons Brings 25 Years of Expertise at Both Small and Large Enterprises

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Apr 23, 2019, 09:15 ET

TOLEDO, Ohio, April 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- JumpStart Inc. has named Ocie Irons as the organization's new senior partner in Toledo. In this role, he will oversee JumpStart's work in Northwest Ohio, including its work with tech startups, traditional small businesses and its growing relationships with a host of local collaborators.

Learn more about JumpStart's work in Northwest Ohio
Visit nwo.jumpstartinc.org

JumpStart Inc. has named Ocie Irons (pictured) as the organization’s new senior partner in Toledo. In this role, he will oversee JumpStart’s work in Northwest Ohio, including its work with tech startups, traditional small businesses and its growing relationships with a host of local collaborators.

Irons brings a wealth of experience—ranging from small startups to large enterprises—to this new role, including time at GE Capital, Mazda Motor for America, Citigroup and TechTown Detroit. Most recently, he was the Co-Executive Director for the Detroit-based Center for Community Based Enterprise. Irons is also active as a business consultant to small-to-medium sized businesses through Ironbridge Development and supports youth entrepreneurial development as an Associate at Generation E Institute.

"Northwest Ohio has a strong and growing entrepreneurial culture with many dedicated people and organizations working to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses," said Irons. "I am excited to join this community and leverage the experience I have gathered over the course of my career to help build strong and lasting collaborations for the benefit of all entrepreneurs and small business owners, and the communities they serve."

"A strong and collaborative entrepreneurial support system in Northwest Ohio is extremely important to our State's economy and to our organization," said JumpStart CEO, Ray Leach. "Finding the right person to lead this work day-to-day is absolutely critical and Ocie brings an ideal combination of leadership skills, technical experience and collaborative spirit."

Earlier this year, JumpStart increased its presence in Northwest Ohio after years of working with NextTech, a part of the Ohio Third Frontier's Entrepreneurial Services Provider (ESP) program.

JumpStart is now managing NextTech's work with Northwest Ohio tech entrepreneurs alongside four other ESP partners—ProMedica Innovations, Mercy Health, The University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University.

"JumpStart is working closely alongside many important organizations to provide the best assistance possible to Northwest Ohio entrepreneurs," said Frank Calzonetti, vice president for research at The University of Toledo and chair of NextTech's governing board. "We welcome Ocie to this new role and look forward to the knowledge and experience he will bring to the community."

As part of this work, JumpStart has also launched several new initiatives to help non tech-focused entrepreneurs with support from KeyBank Foundation (through the KeyBank Business Boost & Build program), ProMedica, Huntington, Toledo Lucas County Port Authority and others.

Headquarters for all JumpStart's Northwest Ohio activity is the Bell Building at 709 Madison Ave., Suite 101, in Downtown Toledo.

Learn more at nwo.jumpstartinc.org.

About JumpStart Inc.
JumpStart is a nationally recognized investing, entrepreneurial support and economic development organization dedicated to unlocking the full potential of diverse and ambitious entrepreneurs to economically transform entire communities. For more information, visit www.jumpstartinc.org and follow @JumpStartInc on Twitter.

SOURCE JumpStart Inc.