Dublin is offering Northwest Bank up to $510,000 in incentives to move its headquarters and 120 employees from Columbus, the third financial-services company in just over a year to strike a deal with the city.

Dublin City Council is scheduled to hear the Northwest Bank proposal at its Aug. 10 meeting. The bank, a publicly traded company operating as Northwest Bancshares Inc., currently has its headquarters at 3 Easton Oval in Columbus.

Under the proposed agreement, Dublin would pay Northwest Bank $50,000 upon signing a lease of at least 15 years, plus up to $460,000 more over five years if the new jobs generate the payroll tax revenue the city projects, according to Dublin Daily, which first reported the incentive terms. The company plans to grow its Dublin workforce to 300 by 2034.

As we reported Aug. 6, the relocation would bring 120 positions initially. Columbus Business First reported the move Aug. 5.

A pattern in financial services

Northwest Bank would be the third financial firm to land in Dublin since July 2025.

Pathways Financial Credit Union, a cooperative with 12 branches in Ohio and Kentucky, won unanimous council approval on July 1, 2025 to relocate its headquarters to 5000 Tuttle Crossing Blvd. after a three-year search for freeway-accessible office space. The city provided a one-time location incentive, though the dollar amount was not disclosed in the city's announcement.

Seven weeks later, council approved an agreement with Benefit Bank Distributors, an Austin, Texas-based independent marketing organization that offers annuities and life insurance through banks including Huntington Bank, Key Bank, Fifth Third Bank and Wells Fargo. That deal, approved Aug. 25, 2025, provides up to $37,000 over three years tied to payroll withholdings. Benefit Bank plans to create 56 positions in Dublin by Dec. 31, 2028.

Richard Chiu, executive vice president and COO of VIP Insurance, Benefit Bank's sister company, said in a Dec. 2, 2025 city economic development profile that Dublin made the process simple: "The City of Dublin is very pro-business. The state is as well. It really was that easy: we reached out, got a meeting right away, and the team helped guide us through the process efficiently."

Why financial firms are choosing Dublin

The city's 2% income tax rate undercuts Columbus, Upper Arlington, Gahanna and Hilliard, all at 2.5%. Income tax collections totaled $118.1 million in 2025, making it Dublin's largest revenue source. Because more than 75% of Dublin residents work outside city limits, according to the city's 2026 tax guide, attracting employers who pay workers inside Dublin is critical to the city's fiscal health.

The city's economic development materials also cite Class A office space at competitive rates and a deep pool of licensed financial professionals already living in the area as draws for the sector.

What's next

Council meets Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. in the Council Chamber at 5555 Perimeter Drive. The Northwest Bank ordinance is a first reading; residents can attend and address council at the Aug. 24 meeting, when the final vote is expected.