Google the route through Ohio from Cincinnati to Wooster to Columbus to Findlay to Toledo, and you’ll find that it takes about 50 turns, 460 miles and some nine hours of driving.

I know, because I made this trip the week of March 6-12 to conduct a series of interviews and other meetings for Site Selection magazine and its publisher, Conway Inc.

When I set out on this road trip, I thought I’d learn more about the site selection factors that led companies to announce 517 expansion projects in Ohio last year, second only to Texas. What I discovered, however, was that Ohio companies aren’t just growing; they’re changing the world of commerce and how we as consumers interact with it.

Luconda Dager is a fourth-generation owner and president of Velvet Ice Cream, which has been making the frozen tasty treat in the small town of Utica, Ohio, for 102 years. The company recently broke ground on a $3-million expansion.

Photos courtesy of Velvet Ice Cream

From the creators of Tom + Chee in Cincinnati to the Charles Schwab worker who invented Craigslist after graduating from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohioans are leaving an indelible mark on every aspect of the consumer goods supply chain.

Take a bite out of the Krispy Kreme grilled cheese donut at Tom + Chee and you’ll see why. It’s insanely good, and we have two guys in Cincinnati to thank for it.

Founders Trew Quackenbush and Corey Ward began serving grilled cheese sandwiches to construction workers under a tiny tent in Fountain Square in downtown Cincy. Exposure and an investment deal on ABC’s “Shark Tank” TV show gave them their big break, and in 2013 the Brand Innovators Made in America Summit named Tom + Chee one of 25 “Brands to Watch.”

“We feel that if we can get consumers to the plant and see the extra steps we take, there will be an emotional connection between them and the brand. It is not so much about price anymore. It is about the passion for the product.”