WHITE SULFUR SPRINGS, W.Va. –– More than 1,000 business, health, education and political leaders will be in Greenbrier County this week to discuss investment opportunities in the Mountain State.
The 86th Annual Meeting and Business Summit, hosted by the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, takes place Wednesday through Friday at The Greenbrier.
President Steve Roberts told MetroNews a number of economic development announcements will be made during the three-day event. This follows moves by Nucor Steel in Mason County and GreenPower Motor in Kanawha County. GreenPower opened their new facility in South Charleston on Tuesday.
“We will hear from other companies announcing that they are coming to West Virginia. We don’t have a number yet, but we think it could go to thousands of new jobs during the Chamber of Commerce meeting,” Roberts said Tuesday.
The event begins with the annual West Virginia Chamber Board of Directors meeting at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Governor Jim Justice will deliver opening remarks at the start of the summit following lunch at 12:15 p.m.
it’s #WVBusinessSummit week! We look forward to welcoming you to @The_Greenbrier 🌸 pic.twitter.com/SKYTDKv40K
— West Virginia Chamber (@WVaChamber) August 30, 2022
The first session at 12:30 p.m. will focus on new health care solutions in the state with remarks from WVU Medicine President and CEO Albert Wright and Marshall University School of Medicine Interim Dean Joan C. Edwards Dr. Bobby Miller.
Roberts said good work can solve many problems related to the opioid epidemic.
“In the areas in West Virginia where we have the highest employment rates and the highest incomes, we have the lowest amount of drug use and the lowest number of health care problems,” he said.
The special announcement on economic development will be made at 13:15 on Wednesday.
Presentations from other prominent leaders on Thursday will come from U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (DW.Va.) and Shelley Moore Capito (RW.Va.), WVU President Gordon Gee, Marshall President Brad Smith, CAMC Health System President and CEO David Ramsey. among others.
State Senate President Craig Blair and House Speaker Roger Hanshaw will participate in a presentation Friday about modernizing West Virginia’s tax structure.
Higher education leaders will follow next. Chancellor of the State Commission of Higher Education Policy Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker will moderate a discussion that includes West Virginia State University President Ericke Cage, West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine President Dr. James Nemitz, University of Charleston President Martin Roth and Glenville State University President Mark Manchin.
The summit closes Friday morning with remarks on state government from state Auditor JB McCuskey, state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, state Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt and Secretary of State Mac Warner.
Roberts said the state has learned over the past several years that making West Virginia more business-friendly is key to attracting more companies to build here. He said that the goal of the summit is to continue this momentum.
“We’ve said all along, if we just fix a few things, employers will flock to West Virginia and bring good paying jobs. These good-paying jobs will allow West Virginia families to grow, prosper and thrive, and we’re seeing that happen,” he said.
To view the complete agenda for the 2022 West Virginia Business Summit, CLICK HERE.
