“We have health care, and IT, and energy and manufacturing. We’re a diverse state, so we’re open to whatever it is we can do, because we’re within 600 miles of 60 percent of the country. We’re stable politically, we’re running surpluses, and we can be a good home for people.”

Kasich may find an appreciative audience at the forum. A PricewaterhouseCoopers survey shows CEOs worldwide are more pessimistic about their companies’ chances for expansion this year.

In 2011, 48 percent felt expansion was likely. This year, that number fell to 36 percent.