Why do companies like Vertiv choose Westerville? Here are a few reasons:

• Safe, vibrant, full-service city: locally controlled public safety services and municipal utilities equate to unmatched reliability, competitive rates, and responsive and proactive service.
• Community amenities: Westerville is a “City in a Park,” with more than 650 acres of parkland, 51+ miles of trails; a nationally-recognized historic Uptown; a “medical mile” offering hospital and destination healthcare services; and is home to Otterbein University.
• Access to talent: Westerville is an amenity-rich community, centrally located in the Columbus Region, making it easy to attract a talented workforce.
• Speed to market: the City offers buildings and shovel-ready sites with municipal utilities, capable of delivering new construction projects on an expedited timeline.

The Westerville Economic Development Strategy serves as our community’s north star when it comes to business retention, expansion, and attraction efforts. In order to maintain and expand our tax base, which is necessary to fund local public services, we need to be able to attract and grow companies of all sizes and in industry sectors whose workforce and real estate needs match the talent and commercial real estate available in our community. In Westerville, those industries include: headquarters and managing offices; healthcare, HealthTech, and life sciences; finance and insurance; professional services; and advanced manufacturing.

Listening to the business leaders in our community, from top employers like Vertiv, DHL Supply Chain, The Marzetti Co, and Central Ohio Primary Care Physicians, to the local small business owners in Uptown, is a non-negotiable; our existing “customers” offer valuable insights about what’s going well and where we can assist with overcoming challenges. For example, when leaders at DHL Supply Chain shared that their employees were experiencing a traffic bottleneck on Polaris Parkway, Westerville City leaders worked with neighboring City of Columbus to add a lane and offer some commute-time relief.

While it’s straightforward enough to survey existing businesses about what they need to be successful, it’s also important to monitor site selection trends across key industry sectors. In years past, as “megaprojects” have exploded throughout the country, site selectors were focused on finding “certified” sites with a certain level of due diligence already completed, utility connections in place, and pre-zoned for specific uses. This critical combination theoretically allows projects to move quickly once a site selection decision is made.

According to One Columbus and Area Development, as of 2026, companies are still prioritizing speed to market, cost control, and risk mitigation, but if there is one factor that takes precedence over all the others, it’s this: competitive advantage lies in execution certainty. This means that, to site selectors and their customers (the companies they’re helping identify sites for) the win is more than a transaction: it’s about establishing a long-term relationship with the company, and demonstrating credibility as a true partner.

In an era of myriad uncertainties - from fluctuating interest rates and material costs, to labor shortages and workforce challenges - communities like Westerville that stand ready to assist well before, at all points during, and long after the ribbon is cut are best positioned to retain existing businesses while attracting new investment to the community.

Vertiv’s headquarters relocation to Westerville in 2023 and planned 200+ job expansion are celebration-worthy announcements. But vibrancy isn’t only measured by the scale of new projects. In April 2026, Birdie Books, an independent, locally-owned bookstore, cut the ribbon on its bookstore and cafe expansion after launching nearly five years ago in Uptown. Asterisk Supper Club - an Uptown staple restaurant and bar - celebrated its 10th anniversary, while neighboring Meza Wine Shop celebrated its 18th anniversary - serving Uptown Westerville residents and visitors for nearly two decades.

Small, locally-owned businesses like these not only offer vibrancy and a strong sense of place - they’re a testament to a community that is a true partner, invested in longevity and a thriving business climate.

Learn more about the City of Westerville at business.westerville.org.