Erhardt Preitauer leads one of the largest companies in the Dayton region. Preitauer is president and CEO of CareSource, Ohio’s largest provider of Medicaid. The company reported $10.4 billion in revenue last year — up more than 18 percent since 2017 — and is one of the region’s top employers, with more than 3,000 local employees in 2018. Preitauer discussed his outlook for the new year.
How would you assess the Dayton-area economy going into 2020? The word that comes to mind is “momentum.” We have strong leadership in the community, major developments coming online, businesses that are poised to grow, and most of all, amazing people who are committed to the city.
For the Dayton area, what are you most excited about and what concerns you the most? I am most excited about the same thing that concerns me: momentum. We have to keep it going. Overall, the economy across the country is strong, and with the natural cycle of things a downturn is inevitable. We, including CareSource, need to make sure we recognize there is continuous work to do. We must position ourselves to keep up our momentum, even if the broader economy falters.
What are you most excited about for the future of CareSource in 2020? How do you create a path for successful growth? CareSource’s growth is my top priority for 2020. Our growth is dependent on being exceptional at managing care for our members and driving quality outcomes. We recently celebrated the fact that amongst all Ohio Medicaid managed care plans, CareSource ranked No. 1 in quality and No. 1 most cost effective, while also being the No. 1 choice of consumers. We are working on a number of opportunities that will position us for the future, create more jobs in Dayton, and allow us to continue to be a key part of building the ecosystem that makes up the Dayton area economy.
As you mentioned that you are approaching your second anniversary in Dayton, what unique qualities have you noticed about the region? Dayton is a special place. It has a unique and rich history, a great quality of life, fantastic people, and a sense of community that reminds me of where I grew up. I’ve brought several senior executives from major cities across the country to Dayton — and they love it here as much as I do. I’m very appreciative of the community’s support for CareSource and we consider it one of our many great assets.
2018 revenue
| Rank | Prior Rank | Company |
|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Speedway LLC |
2 | 2 | CareSource |
3 | 3 | AK Steel |