Background

Ohio Valley Electrical Services (OVES), an employee-owned electrical contractor based in Blue Ash, Ohio, had outgrown its leased space as the company expanded across Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Alabama. To support its growing operations, leadership began planning a new headquarters in Blue Ash that could bring together office space, warehousing, and electrical panel production under one roof while creating room for the company’s evolving workforce and future expansion.

OVES had been a long-time KSM tax and assurance client, with KSM’s role expanding alongside the company’s growth. As leadership explored plans for their new headquarters, KSM introduced them to its site selection and incentives practice, KSM Location Advisors (KSMLA), to explore whether state and local incentives could help offset project costs. Although OVES was familiar with construction and expansion projects, it had limited experience navigating the economic development and incentives landscape. KSMLA provided guidance on available opportunities, helping leadership understand how strategic incentives could support the company’s investment while positioning the project for consideration by state and local stakeholders.

The Challenge

Because OVES was already established in Blue Ash, the project was not as competitive for incentives as a traditional relocation would have been. To secure incentives, the KSMLA team needed to demonstrate why the company’s expansion and long-term investment in the community still warranted support from state and local economic development leaders.

At the same time, the project timeline was moving quickly. With a preferred property already identified, KSMLA had to navigate negotiations efficiently while building a strong case for incentives before the company finalized the site.

The Solution

Working against a compressed project timeline, KSMLA developed and executed an incentives strategy that aligned with OVES’ expansion plans. The team evaluated available programs, built the business case for incentives eligibility, prepared supporting analyses, and coordinated discussions with state and local economic development organizations.

KSMLA also helped frame the company’s multistate footprint, growth trajectory, workforce impact, and long-term commitment to the region, creating a compelling narrative that demonstrated the value of supporting the project despite the company already operating in Blue Ash. Throughout the process, KSMLA served as a single point of coordination, allowing company leadership to remain focused on day-to-day operations while negotiations progressed.

The Result

By partnering with KSMLA, OVES secured approximately $415,000 in state and local incentives to support the construction of its new headquarters in Blue Ash. The incentives help offset project costs while recognizing the company’s continued investment in the region, workforce growth, and long-term economic impact.

KSMLA’s involvement extends beyond the negotiation process. The team continues to provide compliance management services, overseeing reporting requirements, monitoring deadlines, and helping the company navigate program obligations to ensure it captures the full value of its incentive awards.

KSMLA brought structure and clarity to a process we had never navigated before. Their team helped us move quickly, understand our options, and secure meaningful support for a project that represents an important investment in our company’s future.

-Tim Kelley, CFO, Ohio Valley Electrical Services

Ready To Explore Incentives for Your Next Growth Project?

Whether you are building, expanding, relocating, or reinvesting in your current or a new community, KSMLA can help identify opportunities, negotiate incentives, and manage compliance long after awards are secured. Contact us to learn how your next project could qualify.

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