Office of the Mayor
Carty Finkbeiner
One Government Center
Toledo, OH 43604
419.245.1001
On behalf of our citizens, welcome to the City of Toledo – a City of the Future. As Mayor of the City of Toledo, located along the shores of Lake Erie, I am excited and pleased with the progress our city has made in improving its local economy and the lives of its citizens.
Toledo was founded in 1837 as a port city. In the late 19th century, glass manufacturing emerged as our principal industry. Early in the 20th century, the automotive sector became a prime component of our economy. Toledo is celebrated as the “Birthplace of the Jeep” when the Willys-Overland Company, and later Kaiser and American Motors, manufactured Jeeps for military use for several decades. Today, the automotive sector is still strong with recent expansions at Toledo’s General Motors Powertrain plant as well as the development of the Chrysler Jeep Campus in North Toledo. Ask any Jeep owner and they’ll tell you that “Fun is Manufactured in Toledo, Ohio”.
Besides its strong presence in the automotive industry, Toledo is developing an international reputation as a center for alternative fuels and “clean” technology development. A strong agricultural economy in the Toledo area provides the raw materials and the developing University of Toledo Technology Corridor is providing the intellectual capital for Toledo’s economic renaissance. We are expanding our industries in wind power, solar power and photovoltaeics, and alternative fuels.
Toledo continues to receive international recognition for both its economy and its quality of life. FDi Magazine, a publication of the London Financial Times, recently recognized Toledo as one of the Top 10 Cities of the Future, as well as proclaiming it as the Most Business Friendly City in North America. Entrepreneur Magazine recognized our city as one of the Top 20 Hot Cities for Entrepreneurs. Our tap water quality was ranked in the top five in the United States by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Empower America ranked us as one of the top 100 communities in the United States in which to raise a family.
Should you visit Toledo, I would invite you to visit our world-class Toledo Museum of Art, our nationally known Toledo Zoo, Tony Packos Restaurant – made famous on the television show M*A*S*H, or take in a baseball game at Fifth Third Field – home of the world famous Toledo Mud Hens and the stadium voted best in the minor leagues. We are home to the University of Toledo and several state and private colleges and universities can be found in the Toledo area. Maumee Bay and Lake Erie provide ample recreational opportunities for boating and fishing enthusiasts.
Toledo is a great place to live, work, and raise a family. I hope you will visit us.
Carty Finkbeiner
Mayor