MEGAN BEVINS
WEST VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
West Virginia ’ s Economic Renaissance
Realizing Our Potential
West Virginia is becoming a major hub for new business ventures . Organizations on a local , national and international scale are choosing the Mountain State as a location to build and expand their companies . The Mountain State is often disregarded when it comes to economics , but with the help of a large team of hard-working individuals , it continues to rise as a promising stronghold .
The West Virginia Department of Economic Development ( WVDED ) works to provide resources to businesses and help improve the state ’ s economy by marketing West Virginia as a prosperous site and place worth investing in . It operates through many different teams , that cover areas like leadership , business attraction , research and training and the work the office does with international customers .
The WVDED contains seven divisions : the Small Business Development Center , Office of Community Advancement and Development , Office of Energy , Office of Broadband , Film Office , International Development and Business and Industrial Development .
Mike Graney , executive director of the WVDED , says the collaboration between these divisions is the beauty of the office ’ s work , as each section contributes respectively to the overall success of the development office .
“ We have broken down silos and are moving more at the speed of business than the speed of government ,” he says .
When working with businesses that run from within the state , the WVDEC begins by identifying specific ways it can help the business expand . Representatives are placed throughout the state and often work with their respective communities to pinpoint what the office can do for them . In other words , the office is working on a large scale , as