Steve Fritsch leads the deployment of Team NEO’s industry strategy, which includes business development, cluster advancement & network engagement. In his more than 15 years at Team NEO, he has been a key part of standing up a network engagement system towards greater collaboration and interdependence among economic development partners across our 18-county region; leading an inclusive, research-driven regional brand building process while honoring the uniqueness of the communities that call Northeast Ohio home; and being part of a small team that developed the Vibrant Economy Index – a tool that helps us measure our performance across a number of variables in talent, equity, innovation and resilience.

Steve brings a network system orientation to his work by engaging partners and stakeholders early, leveraging each’s unique capabilities to lift the collective effort. He is a strategic relator, able to connect and unite to achieve greater impact. His greatest interest is in understand what success looks like, then equipping his team with the tools to accomplish it. Through his efforts, Team NEO’s Business Development Council emerged as a venue for economic development and business leaders to share insights, build alignment, drive performance, and advance inclusion – manifesting into Northeast Ohio winning a record number of job creation investments by companies in 2021.

Steve has served on the Board of Directors of the Ohio Economic Development Association and the Industrial Asset Management Council Demographics Committee. Steve graduated from Kent State University with a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences and resides in Hudson, Ohio.