Lou Gentile
Practice Areas
Education
- West Virginia University, B.A., 2001
Former Ohio State Senator Lou Gentile (D) is a principal for Vorys Advisors LLC, a wholly owned affiliate of the law firm, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP. He focuses his work on providing strategic counsel to businesses and organizations throughout Ohio, with an emphasis on economic development. Lou works closely with the law firm’s economic development incentive practice group, guiding clients seeking to utilize federal, state and local incentives.
Since joining Vorys Advisors in 2017, Lou has helped secure millions in economic development incentives for a large scale development in eastern Ohio revitalizing a former industrial site. His work has led to the creation of hundreds of jobs. Lou played a critical role in helping a higher education institution secure nearly $1 million for a workforce development training center, supporting workers in communities impacted by the loss of jobs in Appalachia Ohio.
Lou’s work also includes assisting developers seeking economic development incentives in Qualified Opportunity Zones.
Prior to joining Vorys Advisors, Lou spent 15 years working in government and politics. Elected to the Ohio House and Senate, Lou served in the Ohio legislature from 2011-2017. In the Senate, Lou was selected by his peers as the assistant minority whip for the Senate Democrats and as the ranking democrat on the Senate Energy Committee. He also served on the influential Senate Finance Committee and Public Utilities Committee.
Before being elected to the Ohio legislature, Lou served as Governor Strickland’s deputy director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia. In this office, he managed a $10 million grant program focused on investing in infrastructure, workforce development and job creation programs in the region. In addition, Lou worked with both the private sector and local governments to grow and attract jobs.
Lou continues public service today as a member of the Jefferson County Board of Elections. He is a frequent contributor on the Columbus Sunday morning television shows NBC4's The Spectrum and 10TV's Face the State.
A native of Steubenville, Lou graduated in 2001 from West Virginia University with a B.A. in political science.
Professional and Community Activities
- Board member of the Jefferson County Board of Elections until 2021
- Elected member of the State Central Committee, 30th District
- Member of the Ohio Democratic Party Executive Committee
Honors & Awards
- 2017 Upper Ohio Valley Italian American of the Year
News
- 12/9/2019Lou Gentile, a principal with Vorys Advisors, was a guest on the December 8, 2019 edition of 10TV’s (WBNS) weekly political show Face the State.
- 3/31/2019Lou Gentile, a principal with Vorys Advisors, was a guest on the March 31st edition of 10TV’s (WBNS) weekly political show Face the State.
- 3/24/2019Former Ohio State Senator Lou Gentile, a principal with Vorys Advisors, was a guest on WCMH-NCB4’s weekly political show, The Spectrum.
- 10/28/2018Lou Gentile, a principal with Vorys Advisors, was a guest on the October 28th edition of 10TV’s (WBNS) weekly political show Face the State.
- 9/16/2018Lou Gentile, a principal with Vorys Advisors, was a guest on the September 16th edition of 10TV’s (WBNS) weekly political show Face the State.
- 7/9/2018Lou Gentile, a principal with Vorys Advisors, was a guest on the July 8th edition of 10TV’s (WBNS) weekly political show Face the State.
- 7/9/2018Lou Gentile, a principal with Vorys Advisors, was a guest on the July 8th edition of NBC4’s (WCMH) weekly political show The Spectrum.
- 5/30/2018Lou Gentile, a principal with Vorys Advisors, was a guest on the May 27th edition of NBC4’s (WCMH) weekly political show The Spectrum.
- 4/9/2018Lou Gentile, a principal with Vorys Advisors, was a guest on the April 8, 2018 edition of 10TV’s (WBNS) weekly public affairs TV show Face the State.
- 3/16/2018Lou Gentile, a principal with Vorys Advisors, was a guest on WCMH-NCB4’s weekly political show The Spectrum.
- 9/5/2017Lou Gentile, a principal with Vorys Advisors, was recently a guest on 10TV’s Face the State.
- 8/23/2017Former Ohio State Senator Lou Gentile has joined Vorys Advisors as a principal. Gentile served in the Ohio House before being appointed to fill the vacancy in Ohio’s 30th Senate District in 2011, where he served until the end of 2016.
Events
- 10/20/2020Partnered with OMEGA (Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association), Vorys Partner Scott Ziance, Former Ohio State Senator (D) and Principal for Vorys Advisors Lou Gentile, and Vorys Associate Chris Knezevic discussed economic incentives and programs that Ohio communities can utilize to advance economic development.
- 9/11/2017Principals with Vorys Advisors Tom Niehaus and Lou Gentile presented at the OCTC Member Retreat and Golf Outing on September 11, 2017 on upcoming issues that could impact the chemical industry.
Insights
- 11/4/2020
- 10/8/2020As the November 3, 2020 General Election draws near and political activity is heating up, below is a brief reminder regarding political contribution limits and restrictions applicable to federal and Ohio elections.
- 11/7/2018This alert details results of the 2018 general election.