Miami grad, mom aims to help shape Liberty Twp.'s future

Official says area seeks to build up commercial property while maintaining green space.

Liberty Twp. Economic Development Director Caroline McKinney stands near Hamilton Mason Road and the new Cox Road intersection Monday, Feb 9, 2009 in Liberty Twp.

File photo Liberty Twp. Economic Development Director Caroline McKinney stands near Hamilton Mason Road and the new Cox Road intersection Monday, Feb 9, 2009 in Liberty Twp.

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By Lindsey Hilty, Staff Writer Updated 5:49 PM Monday, June 29, 2009

The following article is part of a series called, "Women of Influence." To suggest a person to be featured in this series, e-mail butlercountynews@coxohio.com.

Meet Caroline McKinney

Husband: Matthew, a technology project manager for Cengage learning

Sons: Kyle, 4 and Simon, 1

Pets: Golden Retriever, Bodie, and a black Labrador, Molly

Education: Miami University, 1997, speech communications and public relations

Hobbies: Hanging out with family, especially camping and hiking

Associations: West Chester Chamber Alliance

Liberty Twp. Economic Development Director Caroline McKinney has a vested interest in the community. It is both her place of employment and her home.

With each new development, McKinney said she gets excited for the positive addition to the township.

Some of the larger projects she has helped with have included Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Liberty Campus and the Liberty Interchange project. But even the smaller business are cause for celebration.

“We’re pretty excited about Bruno’s” she said of the Oxford-based pizza restaurant branching out in Liberty Twp. off Cincinnati-Dayton Road.

Both she and her husband were Miami University graduates, but didn’t meet until later when both worked at the Cincinnati Art Museum.

“For both of us, we’re kind of energized by living in a community that’s young and thriving,” she said. “I love this area — I love this community.”

The couple of seven years chose to live in Liberty Twp. a year before McKinney took her current job, and she said it seemed the ideal place to raise her sons Kyle, 4 and Simon, 1.

Raising boys, she said, means spending time outdoors camping and hiking. This year Kyle is involved with T-ball and both take swim lessons at the YMCA.

“Obviously my boys mean the world to me,” she said. “I love, love being a mom.”

Dina Minneci, township administrator said McKinney is a great mother, economic development directtor and wife.

“She’s just one of the most well-rounded people I have ever met, and she has just fit perfectly within to our team,” she said. “Caroline stood out from the very beginning when we were looking to hire an economic development director.”

Minneci said McKinney is dynamic, diplomatic, determined, detailed and has a strong demeanor.

“She just has a presence about her that exudes all those elements,” Minneci said. “She just exemplifies each and every one.”

Shaping a township's future

McKinney has what she calls the “perfect job,” with a team of visionaries.

McKinney credits leaders who worked for years on long-term projects, such as the Liberty interchange, which is slated to open this Spring.

A comprehensive plan for land use was developed in 2006, and she said that plan drives where the township wants to be a decade from now.

“We can sit back and let other people define us, or we can be proactive and lead that,” she said.

Part of her goals, she said is to capitalize on the location of the township between two major cities, but not to forget that it has a more rural feeling for residents who want to get away from the crowded city. The vision for Liberty Twp. is that it will be a place that embraces green space and nature, but promotes commercial growth and progress, she said. The plan is to build up key areas to 18 percent commercial property in order to offset taxes for residents. Right now it is at 3-4 percent, she said. Around 8 percent of property is zoned and ready for commercial use.

“The township is planning ahead,” she said. “We are concerned about the balance. We are very mindful that this is a residential community and the residents came first.”

Building identity is key, she said. Welcome signs soon will appear in newly landscaped areas of Ohio 129 exits at Cincinnati-Dayton Road and Ohio 747. Also, she said the name of Hamilton-Mason Road has been changed to Liberty Way in order to encourage the continuation of the name “Liberty” when the interchange project is complete.

“That exit point is really the gateway to Liberty,” she said. “We’ve got a really exciting year to 18 months ahead.”

For two years she has been able to draw on her past experience as the marketing account manager for economic development for the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber to build regional relationships and foster local growth. One of her many responsibilities, she said, is to maintain strong relationships with area businesses and the West Chester/Liberty Chamber Alliance.

“It’s very important for businesses to connect a face with the township,” she said. “There really is a sense of community here. Everyone is pulling for each other.

Char Mason, vice president of Outpatient Services for Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center, said McKinney helped foster positive relationships with the Cincinnati Children’s Liberty Campus.

“She has really made it easy for us to enter into the community and to partner with the township in delivering services for the kids and families,” she said. “She’s very progressive in her thinking and very open to conversations about how we can best work together. And, I think she’s done wonderful things in terms of helping to develop the Liberty Twp. area and making it very welcoming and attractive to be able to work within the community.

Rod Nimtz, director of the Miami University Voice of America Learning Center, said McKinney has been a positive asset to the center as well as a helpful alumna.

“Even prior to our moving into our offices last October, she was connecting with us, helping us to learn the community and what is developing in Liberty Township, and participating in a number of our open houses and other public events,” he said. “Her knowledge of the communities we serve ... has helped to open doors for us through sharing of key information and personal introductions. Personally I have found her energy and positive approach to things to be of great value, and greatly encouraging.”

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