HEATH-NEWARK-LICKING COUNTY PORT AUTHORITY
                      PUBLIC INFORMATION PROGRAM


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE					CONTACT:
April 6, 2004		        Rick Platt, 740-788-5500 ext. 35

 STATEMENT OF PORT AUTHORITY DIRECTOR RICK PLATT CONCERNING 
   NAMING OF JOE RENAUD AS AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE ADVISOR TO 
                       GOVERNOR BOB TAFT

Selfishly, the Governor naming Joe Renaud to this position 
is good news for the Central Ohio Aerospace and Technology 
Center.  Joe knows the Base, lives in Newark, and I'm sure 
will keep us high on his priority list.

Joe has already met with me and conveyed ideas about 
collaborations between the State and the Port Authority in 
the aerospace and defense arena.

With our $200 million annual economic impact and with the 
presence of six of the Top 20 largest defense contractors, 
the C.O.A.T.C. is among the top five largest aerospace and 
defense concentrations in Ohio.  Joe understands, first hand, 
that growth for C.O.A.T.C. and our tenants is important to 
all of Ohio.

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