It was suggested at a leadership breakfast held this week in Cranberry Township that Butler County is undergoing a “renaissance” and could become an economic powerhouse — but only if it invests in local employees.

The event — which was held Tuesday by the Butler County Chamber of Commerce and Butler County Growth Collaborative (BCGC) — drew county elected officials and business leaders as well as keynote speaker Craig Poole, a general manager and president of DoubleTree by Hilton in Reading.

Poole noted that as a manger, he has hired a number of residents from his community who needed a helping hand — from the homeless and disabled to people with prior criminal convictions or those who have overcome drug addiction.

But the trait that Poole emphasized when it comes to growing a community’s economy is drawing from a local talent pool.

“You got to hire locally,” he said. “You got to hire in the heart of the community.”

Industry experts would agree with Poole. Hiring local workers has many benefits: Some communities offer incentives for businesses that hire local workers, vetting candidates from the area can be easier and employees who prove themselves to be trustworthy can recommend other people they know in the community for employment.

Hiring locally can benefit business owners because doing so signals to the community that they are investing in it and, as a result, could increase their business.

Turnover could be lower because employees might be less likely to leave if they have a short commute to work. On top of that, local workers likely already know the community in which they’re working and might have established relationships with many of the people they’d be serving.

It stands to reason that your neighbor likely cares about you more than a stranger would. If you visit a local store where you know the owners and employees, they’re more likely to make sure you’re taken care of. To them, you’re not a nameless person.

Often, local businesses are more invested in a community — they support the local sports teams or donate to a neighborhood food bank. Locally hired employees are often the same.

We agree with Poole’s assertion that hiring locally is a win-win situation — both for business owners and the people from the community they employ.