Josh Jefferson
President & CEO , Regional Economic Development Partnership
RICH WOODING & EMILY RICE TRACY A . TOLER PHOTOGRAPHY
Josh Jefferson ’ s life contains commonalities throughout that display who he is to his friends , family , coworkers and community , including long-term human interconnectivity , mentoring and volunteerism .
As the president and CEO of the Regional Economic Development Partnership ( RED )— whether he is navigating business deals with oil and gas leaders , improving West Virginia ’ s Northern Panhandle ’ s employment prospects or serving as a volunteer board member for organizations like WVU Reynolds Memorial Hospital and Grand Vue Park — Jefferson ’ s focus is on people .
Jefferson ’ s earliest memories of his family bond and extended support network left a lasting impression on him .
“ I was fortunate to be born in Moundsville and blessed to be surrounded by loving family members , great neighbors and a caring community ,” he says . “ I never take that for granted . It formed a solid foundation of the person I hoped to be and I am a reflection of the great people surrounding me .”
Those early familial relationships coupled with his first work experiences were the basis for a hearty work ethic and understanding of the importance of perseverance . His first job was delivering The Intelligencer with help from his mom , dad , brother and grand father out of the back of a pickup truck .
These experiences taught Jefferson the value of working hard and helping his fellow man .
“ My family worked with a variety of people , and their relationships with their coworkers , customers , tenants , students and the public were always quite sincere ,” he says . “ They were able to build real friendships that lasted well beyond their professions .”
Jefferson ’ s first gig after graduating from West Virginia University ( WVU ) was under the tutelage of Steve Douglas , CEO of the WVU Alumni Association .
“ Steve was the absolute best at building and keeping sincere relationships with people from across the country ,” says Jefferson . “ The sincerity he had when talking with someone was something to witness .”
When Josh moved back to West Virginia , he worked for 17 years as the project coordinator for RED with another master of his craft , Don Rigby .
“ Don is an incredibly strategic thinker ,” Jefferson recalls . “ His talent in making deals work and closing them resulted in some of the most impactful projects our state and our region have seen in recent history , creating millions in investments and thousands of jobs .
I was incredibly fortunate to have his leadership .”
When Rigby retired in the waning days of 2020 , Jefferson was named his successor .
Despite a hectic schedule and family life , he still finds time to donate to organizations he feels strongly about . He serves as an executive committee member for WVU Reynolds Memorial Hospital , a member of the Northern Panhandle Workforce Development Board and a board member for Easterseals WV and the WV Route 2 and I-68 Authority . He is also a member of the West Virginia Economic Development Council , Wetzel County Oil & Gas Task Force , Natural Gas Task Force of Marshall County , Marshall County Chamber of Commerce and Wetzel-Tyler County Chamber of Commerce , where he serves on the economic development committee .
Jefferson ’ s love of his home state of West Virginia has been described as contagious by those who know him , and he has great hope for the future .
“ We are positioning to provide a great future and provide young families opportunity and growth ,” he says . “ I love being part of the team helping people realize West Virginia is an untapped gold mine of people , experiences and investment potential .” •
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ?
PLACE : Oglebay Park — where I got engaged
MOVIE : “ Field of Dreams ”
SUPERHERO : My wife and daughter
SEASON : Fall
Jefferson at the Steptoe & Johnson rooftop patio , which overlooks the Mountain Health Arena .
WWW . WVEXECUTIVE . COM FALL 2021 111