| WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. – The West Virginia Chamber of Commerce 89th Annual Meeting & Business Summit kicked off Wednesday at The Greenbrier Resort with a record turnout and an announcement about a multimillion project in the Eastern Panhandle that is expected to create 200 direct jobs.
More than 1,200 people are attending the three-day summit – the largest gathering of business, industry, education, healthcare, financial and political leaders from around the state.
This year’s event started out of the blocks fast on the opening day with news that Valor Reserve plans to invest $300 million and build a water bottling plant in Middleway in Jefferson County. Company officials said the project will generate $220 million in annual spending during its construction phase and has the potential to support hundreds of jobs across the region.
Valor Reserve cofounder Sean Masterson, who made the announcement at the summit along with company cofounder Jeff Fischbeck, said the 200 direct jobs will pay annual salaries of $60,000.
“This is a state where we can make a generational change,” Masterson said.
The summit took on a solemn note during opening ceremonies when a moment of silence was observed for West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Tim Armstead. Armstead – a former speaker of the House of Delegates – passed away Tuesday. West Virginia Chamber Chair Maribeth Anderson paid tribute to Armstead, describing him as a champion of West Virginia and a true friend of the Chamber.
After opening remarks, the program officially began for this year’s summit, themed “Forging Alliances, Fueling Success.”
The state’s energy needs was the focus of first panel and was moderated by West Virginia Chamber President Steve Roberts. The “all-the-above” energy approach session featured panelists Todd Johnston, deputy chief of staff for Gov. Patrick Morrisey; Aaron Walker, president and chief operating officer of Appalachian Power; and Frank Macchiarola, chief advocacy officer for American Clean Power – the host sponsor of this year’s summit.
Next the leaders of three key West Virginia cities – Huntington Mayor Patrick Farrell, Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin and Parkersburg Mayor Tom Joyce – took the stage to talk about how their municipalities are faring and the role they play in the state’s economic growth.
Goodwin said municipalities have a role other than paving roads, collecting trash and providing services and that is retention. She said what Charleston, Huntington and Parkersburg do promotes West Virginia and encourages people to live and stay here. Charleston’s city government is focused on more than just putting on events like the Charleston Regatta and the U.S. Pro Cycling event – it is pushing to make sure families have strategic infrastructure and things to do, she said.
Parkersburg’s Joyce said he has focused on building infrastructure in the more than eight years he has been mayor, with the city working to improve water and sewer service, eliminating debt and investing in parks and swimming pools.
Farrell said his city is at a turning point where growth is needed. He mentioned empty fields that will be the home of a cyber security institute and plans to build a new advanced manufacturing center and a $250 million wastewater treatment plant.
From the role of major cities, the focus moved to higher education and how it is powering the growth of business in West Virginia. Featured panelists were Marshall University President Brad D. Smith, Mitch Carmichael, senior advisor of strategic initiatives for LG NOVA; and Johnny Jacobs, vice president and general manager of Nucor Steel West Virginia.
Smith, the leader of Marshall, said companies and jobs follow talent and higher education is in the talent business. He said Marshall has boosted its enrollment by 15%, ending three years of declining numbers. The school’s president said it has emphasized affordability, noting its free tuition program that covers tuition and fees for students with a family income of $65,000 or less. He said the school also demonstrates that investing in Marshall is a good one, with 64% of its students staying in state and graduates earning $1 million more throughout their lifetime over those with just a high school education.
Carmichael of LG NOVA added that he is excited about the $700 million that LG will invest in West Virginia and the 275 jobs it will create here. He said he believes changes the state has made to provide access to capital and providing a great workforce are making a difference.
Jacobs of NUCOR expressed his appreciation for the partnerships with Marshall and government officials. He said the company received assistance with everything from timely permits to electricity to economic development measures to help make the $4 billion investment and huge steel plant being constructed in Mason County a reality.
“From our team, we are just thrilled to be here in West Virginia,” Jacobs said. “We are so excited to be here and see what is happening in Apple Grove.”
While business development and prospects were the focus of much discussion, the topic switched to the current political environment. A national perspective was provided by Jonathan Martin, politics bureau chief and senior political columnist for POLITICO.
Martin said the country has become extremely nationalized when it comes to politics and in 42 of 50 states “we know who is going to win.” He said increased reliance on technology is the biggest reason for the shift in politics. Martin mentioned the influence of social media algorithms and the huge amount of time people spend on their phones.
Following the Eastern Panhandle job announcement, discussion moved to how a nonprofit middle school and educator professional development facility is sparking creativity and learning in the classroom. Ron Clark, founder of Ron Clark Academy, explained how the program is equipping teachers with best practices to transform their classrooms. Earlier this year, thanks to a program through Huntington Bank, many West Virginia teachers experienced the energy and enthusiasm of the renowned academy and on Wednesday, Business Summit attendees got a taste of that same inspiration.
The opening session of the summit then moved on to an important topic vital to the health of West Virginians – redefining rural healthcare. Discussion was led by Albert L. Wright Jr., president and chief executive officer of West Virginia University Health System, and Nick Barcellona, senior vice president and chief financial officer of WVU Health System.
During the afternoon, the schedule was packed with workshops and breakout sessions, including “CourtWatch,” an overview of West Virginia Supreme Court decisions. The 2024 CourtWatch publication can be found here. Activities at the summit continue Wednesday evening with networking receptions planned to give participants more opportunities to share ideas.
The summit is being streamed on the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s website and on its YouTube page. You can follow the latest news about the event on
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