For decades, the West Virginia Chamber has served as the voice of business in the state, working diligently to create opportunities for West Virginia’s workforce. It was founded by business leaders in banking, coal, natural gas, steel, glassmaking, publishing and retail. This year, it will celebrate a major milestone as it marks 90 years as the most influential general business organization in the state.
“For 90 years, the Chamber has brought together leaders from across industries to tackle challenges, create opportunities and help shape a stronger future for West Virginia,” Maribeth Anderson, vice president of governmental affairs at Antero Resources Corporation and chair of the Chamber’s board of directors, said. “That legacy is something we are incredibly proud of.”
With the milestone approaching, Chamber staff have taken the opportunity over the last year to sift through the archives and look at stories, newsletters, notes and publications related to the Chamber’s work, including the original articles of incorporation.
“In the Chamber’s statements and what they worked on, they really took seriously their role of being the front door for West Virginia,” West Virginia Chamber President Steve Roberts said. “They were excited about our state and saw its enormous potential. They were clearly out there telling the great news, the wonderful story about what West Virginia offers and why people should want to come here, invest here and grow jobs here. We were very impressed with how seriously they took the role of speaking for business.”
From the very beginning, the West Virginia Chamber attracted top leaders associated with both large and small businesses.
“From the newsletters, notes and conversations that we’ve been able to find, they really wanted to unite the business community to advance West Virginia,” Roberts said. “Were they there to speak for business and put the business point of view into the minds of people? Yes. But they had an equally important ambition to make sure that West Virginia had every opportunity to grow and succeed and compete with states that were growing and succeeding.”
Roberts has been involved with the Chamber world for a little more than half of its existence, starting with his work at the Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce. So, the anniversary is special to him since he has actual memories of some of the people involved in the early days of the organization. He said the Chamber will be incorporating some of those moments and the history it’s uncovered into its celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary.
“We’re going to add a component related to looking to the past for markers to show us our way into the future,” Roberts said.
The main celebration of the anniversary will be at the West Virginia Chamber Annual Meeting & Business Summit Sept. 2-4 at The Greenbrier. The annual meeting has taken place every year during the Chamber’s 90 years of existence. Some of the gathering’s most notable speakers have included Vice Presidents Dick Cheney and Mike Pence, NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West and Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz.
“It’s exciting to see 1,200 people brought together for three days and hear from business leaders from across the state,” Kathy Thomas, the Chamber’s vice president and chief financial officer, said. “You can feel the excitement. There are lots of possibilities while you’re there. Big deals are closed there. I think people look forward to this event all year long.”
“These are the people who are most invested in the state,” Roberts said. “They care deeply about the state and have given a lot of thought to how to make West Virginia the state that we all know it can be and are striving for it to become.”
Invoking the milestone anniversary, the theme for this year’s event is “A Legacy That Leads.”
“I think that describes the Chamber,” Thomas said. “It’s a 90-year legacy, and the Chamber leads the state of West Virginia in business matters.”
Thomas said all of the top businesses in the state will be a part of this year’s event. Included among this year’s speakers are representatives from the state’s healthcare providers, political analyst Chris Stirewalt, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and Sen. Jim Justice. TC Energy President and CEO François Poirier is also scheduled to speak.
“TC Energy has made a large investment in West Virginia, and so it’s going to be really exciting to hear from him,” Thomas said.
Roberts said he thinks there are going to be some economic development announcements made at the meeting as well.
“You never know what’s going to happen or who you’re going to see,” Thomas said. “It is the place to be. It brings together business leaders from across the state from every industry. You never know who you’re going to meet or who you’re going to sit next to at lunch or dinner. The possibilities are endless.”
While the Chamber is excited to celebrate 90 years of history, it is also very focused on the state’s future.
“What excites me most is that the Chamber’s best work is still ahead of us,” Anderson said. “As our state continues to grow and evolve, the Chamber remains focused on advancing policies that strengthen our economy, support employers and create opportunities for future generations. The same spirit of innovation and collaboration that has guided the organization for 90 years will continue to lead us into the future.”
To ensure the Mountain State remains highly competitive with surrounding states, the Chamber is focused on business taxes that are lower, flatter and more competitive with neighboring states to attract new capital, alongside the reduction of the unemployment compensation taxable wage base to minimize undue financial burdens on small, local employers.
The Chamber is also leading the charge to foster a fair legal landscape and judiciary system that provides predictability for employers, which includes efforts to modernize the statute of limitations for contracts to bring West Virginia in line with modern interstate commerce standards. These efforts work hand-in-hand to support small businesses and tourism, protect employers and support robust economic development and energy initiatives, ensuring the state serves as an American energy powerhouse.
A thriving economy demands a stable, healthy and highly skilled pipeline of talent. The Chamber has identified improving workforce participation as one of the single most critical economic challenges facing the state today. To move the needle, the Chamber is tackling the crisis from multiple systemic angles, including excellence in K-12 education, enhancing health and wellness, promoting quality of life and public safety and urging the critical need for accessible, affordable childcare.
“I am excited about the opportunities ahead for West Virginia,” Anderson said. “The Chamber will continue serving as a voice for West Virginia’s business community, a convener of leaders and a catalyst for progress. The challenges may change, but our commitment to advancing a stronger, more prosperous West Virginia remains as steadfast today as it was 90 years ago.”
“We’re strengthened by the success of the past, and we’re hugely optimistic about the future,” Roberts said. “That doesn’t mean we’re satisfied; in many ways, we’re not satisfied. It’s that lack of satisfaction that keeps us at the wheel.
“We’re looking at what business is going to need to succeed in the 21st century. Healthcare, education, air service, cybersecurity — all of these things, the Chamber is on the forefront of and will continue to be. Former Governor Cecil Underwood said it this way: ‘We need to go farther and we need to go fast.’ Nothing could sum up what we believe better than that.”
Angela Henderson-Bentley is a freelance writer living in Kentucky.