West Virginia Chamber of Commerce Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

University Leaders Call On Business Community For Help

The role of education in the state’s business future was a key talking point at this week’s West Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s Business Summit.

The role of education in the state’s business future was a key talking point at this week’s West Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s Business Summit. Marshall University President Brad Smith and West Virginia University President Gordon Gee opened the summit by announcing a program to try and keep college graduates in the state.

Immediately after the announcement, Smith discussed how higher education is fueling West Virginia’s economy and on Thursday Gee was joined by Marty Roth, president of the University of Charleston, to discuss investments in the state’s next generation.

On Friday, presidents from the state’s smaller schools such as Glenville State University, WVU Tech and Mountwest Community & Technical College came together to discuss how higher education is driving change in West Virginia.

Ericke Cage, president of West Virginia State University, addressed the question of whether higher education still matters moving forward.

“There’s only one way that a self-described small town, country boy from southern Virginia is able to sit on the stage today and be the president of one of West Virginia’s great institutions, and that is through the transformative power of education,” Cage said. “Make no mistake, ladies and gentlemen, higher education still remains the greatest platform for social and economic mobility in our country.”

Sarah Armstrong Tucker, chancellor of the Higher Education Policy Commission called on the assembled business community to stand with higher education and its role in the state’s future job market.

“When I go out and I talk to students in K-12, not once do they tell me I’m choosing what I want to do for my future because of the football team,” Tucker said. “They tell me that they want a job. They want a job that will pay them enough money that they will be better off than their families were. They want security. They want to know that they will be able to feed their children. And that’s where we need you.”

Consultant Brings Business Home To W.Va.

As part of our “Returning Home” radio series, Eric Douglas spoke with Crystal Mersh about her return to Calhoun County.

Mersh is the CEO of Quality Executive Partners, a consulting firm that provides expert support in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, advanced therapy and medical device fields.

In October, Mersh and others from the community announced the 1982 Foundation to restore the old Calhoun County High School in Grantsville as a community center and business incubator. To make that happen, Mersh has moved back to West Virginia from Atlanta.

Douglas spoke with Mersh from a local pharmacy in Calhoun County because it was where she had to go to find a reliable internet connection.

Douglas: You’ve decided to move back to West Virginia. Why?

Mersh: I guess I would say West Virginia has always been home. So no matter where I’ve lived, and I’ve lived all over the U.S., and I’ve also lived in Europe, when I use the word home, it’s referring to West Virginia.

I never really considered that there would be a legitimate option for me to move back home until we experienced the pandemic. And through that experience, it became very clear that you can work anywhere and live where you want and have all of the necessities that you need.

Douglas: It sounds like you left pretty much right after you graduated high school.

Mersh: I did. I got married seven days after I graduated high school to a Marine and we moved to where he was stationed.

Douglas: What’s different? What’s the same? What’s your impression, now that you’re back?

Mersh: A lot has changed in Calhoun County, and some of it is not in the spirit of progress. I think economically the county has struggled. It also struggled with the drug epidemic. Sometime in 1998 or 1999, the high school was moved from Grantsville, about eight miles away, to make it more central to the county. But at least part of the fallout of that has been that we’ve lost some of the economic viability of the county seat. Because everything revolved around the high school.

Douglas: You’re making significant personal investments, but also community investments, and really trying to drive your hometown community forward again. Why? Why was that important to you?

Mersh: It’s something I’ve been thinking about for some time about how to give back because, for better or worse, I’m a product of this community. And I felt that folks invested in me many years ago, and they didn’t have to, they didn’t need to, they weren’t paid to. And they did it. And I feel that the kids today really deserve similar support. If they then choose to stay here, they would find options. And we would help them create options to do that. If they choose to leave and spread their wings and see part of the world and then decide to come back. That’s great, too.

Douglas: When you’re talking to some of your peers, what’s your message to people about moving to West Virginia? What’s your sales pitch?

Mersh: Really just opening up the dialogue and helping them see that there is indeed a viable path to this. That’s all you have to do. They want to know how they maintain their level of income? Does that mean they need to have a job here locally, or can they do remote work? How does that work? And, you know, quality of housing is an issue. And that’s about it.

Douglas: You’re also involved in a project with the Chamber of Commerce. They came to you to actually bring people back to West Virginia. Tell me a little bit about that.

Mersh: Yes, it was an idea that came up in the West Virginia Economic Business Summit that was held in the Greenbrier earlier this fall. I asked the question “What are you doing to attract other people like me?” When that came out of my mouth both the president of the Chamber of Commerce and the director were making a beeline to me to talk about that, like I had a plan, which I didn’t.

I was just saying this would make sense, because you’ve got people who’ve gone away, who have a love for this state, and always will have, and who started businesses and they can relocate those businesses anywhere. So why not entice them to come back. And because in addition to me coming back, I’m also bringing my business with me. We’re talking with the state economic development group about relocating here. It looks very, very promising and will likely locate a $100 million business into West Virginia. So that’s how that concept came about. Let’s reach out to the folks who have a heart for this state and can live anywhere.

Generally, it doesn’t take too much enticement for folks to really give it some serious thought. So we want to do that. We’re going to start that here in Calhoun and then we also want to have a program that’s focused on high school seniors and those going into college that opens up their eyes to entrepreneurial ventures and probably will be a combination of a work study program for them in college to provide avenues to keep them home.

Economic Roadmap for West Virginia Outlined at Chamber's Business Summit

West Virginia’s state university and commerce officials say plastics and chemical manufacturing, cybersecurity, higher-end tourism and automotive assembly are sectors where the state can turn its lagging economy around.

In an address Thursday to business leaders at the Greenbrier Resort, West Virginia University President Gordon Gee says they collaborated to produce a roadmap for reinforcing the state’s existing foundation for growth and identify sectors to diversify the economy.

West Virginia has been hurt by sharp declines in coal production and employment the past several years despite an uptick this year.

A full report is expected by mid-September. It follows a study conducted by McKinsey & Co., a global management consultant. Additional ideas can be submitted via email leading up to the release of the final report.

Other sectors identified Thursday are computer cloud services and data centers and life sciences.

W.Va. Chamber of Commerce Backs Justice Business Tax

The West Virginia Chamber of Commerce has thrown its support behind Gov. Jim Justice’s proposed Commercial Activities Tax, or CAT tax.

The 0.045 percent tax would create $45 million a year in new tax revenues for the state.

In a press release from the Governor’s Office, Chamber President Steve Roberts called the tax the “least painful thing” West Virginia businesses can do to contribute to the state.

“The business community recognizes that education and good health are essential to the future success of our state,” Roberts said. “Vital health and education programs are on the line, and if participation from business can save those programs our members want to be part of the solution.”

“It’s time to solve this budget crisis and give West Virginia businesses stability and predictability,” Roberts said.

In a press conference Thursday, Justice said budget negotiations between his office and House Republican leaders had broken down over $45 million the governor believes are needed in new revenues.

Groups Oppose RFRA, Donate to Lawmakers Who Voted for it

While business groups in West Virginia and some of the state’s largest corporations are organizing to oppose any new “religious freedom” laws, campaign finance reports show some are donating to lawmakers who voted for the 2016 “Religious Freedom Restoration Act.”

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce has given at least $28,000 to 38 lawmakers in the West Virginia House of Delegates who voted for the bill.

Opponents say the bill allows discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Chamber President Steve Roberts says his organization is still opposed to the law, but says its decision to donate was based more on candidates’ willingness to cut regulations and limit lawsuits against corporations.

Other groups that have opposed the RFRA but donated to lawmakers who voted for it include AT&T and the Marriott Town Center in Charleston.

Bill Cole: West Virginia Needs 'Full-Time Governor'

Republican gubernatorial nominee Bill Cole says West Virginia needs a full-time governor to address the state’s challenges.

His comments Thursday at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s annual business meeting at the Greenbrier Resort were in reference to Democratic opponent Jim Justice.

Justice owns the Greenbrier and told the meeting earlier he owns 102 businesses.

Cole is the state Senate president who owns car dealerships in West Virginia and Kentucky. He says West Virginia has “full-time problems that require full-time solutions” and needs a “full-time governor” committed to moving the state forward.

Justice says voters who question how he can be governor with his many commitments should know he’s very organized.

Justice says Cole doesn’t have the experience, the expertise or the contacts to be a successful governor.