DCI recognizes Cierra Clymer on its annual 40-Under-40 Awards
Cierra Clymer earned a place on DCI’s 2025 40-Under-40 Award list after driving foreign direct investment for the Cincinnati region.
CINCINNATI – February 24, 2024 – DCI has named Cierra Clymer to its 2025 40-Under-40 Awards list, honoring 40 economic developers under the age of 40 who exhibit leadership, commitment and innovation. Clymer, who has dedicated over nine years to economic development in the Cincinnati region, currently serves as REDI Cincinnati’s Director of International Business Development and Inclusion, ensuring a strong business ecosystem by stimulating foreign investment and inclusive business growth across the region.
“It is an honor to be recognized alongside such an impressive group of economic developers,” said Clymer. “I consider myself incredibly fortunate to work on behalf of a region committed to cultivating stronger, more inclusive communities, and I’m excited to continue building into this as my career grows. Thank you to DCI for this recognition and thank you to the REDI Cincinnati team for nominating me.”
In leading international business attraction and helping support the more than 450 international businesses in the Cincinnati Region, Clymer has earned a reputation for her commitment to supporting the region’s economic vitality. Throughout her career, she has led significant projects bringing foreign businesses to the region, including the attraction of Spanish manufacturer Saica, one of Europe’s largest producers of recycled paper for corrugated packaging. Saica created 64 new jobs and invested nearly $72 million to establish its first Northern American headquarters in the Cincinnati region.
Clymer has guided REDI Cincinnati’s partnership with JobsOhio and its Small Business Grant program, which serves underrepresented ownership and distressed zip codes. Since the program’s inception, she has led the support of more than 80 small businesses across southwest Ohio, generating $31 million in new payroll over $13.2 million in capital investment. Her strategic vision includes ensuring economic development is more inclusive and expanding efforts to amplify the region’s story. To this end, Clymer has built key partnerships with premier conferences, including the Women Business Enterprise National Conference, the National Minority Supplier Development Conference and Black Tech Week. Black Tech Week is one of the country’s largest Black and Brown tech events and is hosted in Cincinnati. Clymer has led panels at the event, representing REDI Cincinnati and the Cincinnati region.
“Cierra’s recognition from DCI on its 40-Under-40 list confirms what we’ve witnessed first-hand for nearly a decade here in the Cincinnati region, that Cierra is a rising star in the economic development profession,” said Kimm Lauterbach, president and CEO of REDI Cincinnati. “I’ve had a front row seat watching her career blossom into a regional asset for our business ecosystem, and we are incredibly proud and grateful to have Cierra as a vital member of our team. Congratulations, Cierra.”
With this honor, the REDI Cincinnati team continues a legacy of recognition for its staff. Over the past eight-plus years, REDI Cincinnati staff has also been named to Consultant Connect’s Top-50 Economic Developers list on six different occasions, including a pair of awards for Lauterbach in 2017 and 2021 and Andrea Enders in 2024.
About REDI Cincinnati
The Regional Economic Development Initiative (REDI) Cincinnati is the first point-of-contact for companies locating or growing in the 15-county region at the heart of southwest Ohio, northern Kentucky, and southeast Indiana. REDI Cincinnati is supported by top business leaders and community partners and staffed by a team of economic development experts who are uniting the Cincinnati region to compete globally.
The future is bright, and we’re building it, right now. Join us at REDICincinnati.com.