West Virginia rallies
after summer's floods

After southern West Virginia was hit by devastating floods this summer, the primary concern was the health and safety of those impacted.

An entire state mobilized: people collected money, office workers volunteered as cleanup crews, an out-of-state comedian even asked the 800-plus members of his audience to put a dollar in a box for flood relief as each one left his show. These efforts made the difference for thousands of West Virginians affected by the floods.

Gov. Bob Wise understood, however, that an investment in West Virginia’s businesses was the key to ensuring long-term success for communities struggling to recover.

He marshaled the state’s resources and developed a creative solution: a forgivable deferred loan program that allowed flood-damaged firms to borrow up to $20,000 at zero interest. Twenty percent of the debt will be wiped off the books each year the business continues to operate in the community. After five years, the business will owe nothing.

“My pride in the team spirit of West Virginians continues as we pull together the state’s resources to help one another recover from the devastating effects of this summer’s flooding,” Wise said. “Finding a creative solution is a hallmark of Mountaineer resourcefulness.”

Wise outlines plans
at Business Summit

Speaking at the 2001 Business Summit at The Greenbrier, Gov. Bob Wise emphasized raising educational achievement as the state’s best contribution to business.

“We need to assure business people and investors of a steady supply of young people with real job skills,” he said.

He also addressed several issues that specifically focused on business costs in West Virginia. His administration’s goal is to ensure that West Virginia’s Workers’ Compensation premiums are competitive with other states. Gov. Wise announced that he will revive his proposal for a $10 million Sunny Day Fund to invest in infrastructure, training or other incentives during the 2002 legislative session.

Nearly 600 private and public sector leaders attended the three-day business summit, the largest annual gathering of West Virginia business leaders.

International law firm
announces center

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, an international law firm with 500-plus lawyers, will locate a global support center in Wheeling. The $10 million investment will result in a minimum of 250 jobs in such areas as finance and information technology.

Gov. Bob Wise began discussions with the company before he took office in January.

“This is an example of how West Virginia will be a part of the new economy – providing services to a world market and taking advantage of new technology to create jobs and opportunities that did not exist in the past century.”

Orrick has offices in San Francisco, New York, the Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Seattle, Sacramento, London, Singapore and Tokyo.

West Virginia tops list
among southern states

In its fall 2001 edition, Southern Business & Development, a 20,000-circulation magazine, ranked West Virginia first among southern states for the number of new projects per million residents announced during calendar year 2000.

Those projects included Quad/Graphics’ plans to invest $70 million in its Martinsburg facility and hire an additional 700 employees as a result of winning a contract to print 9 million copies of National Geographic each month.

In previous years, the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina traded the top position. West Virginia reported 7.77 big investment projects per 1 million people. Virginia was second. Rounding out the top 10 were Kentucky, Alabama, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Georgia and Tennessee.

West Virginia among
top 10 on job list

West Virginia solidified its standing among the top 10 states ranked by Site Selection magazine for announcing the most new jobs per 1 million residents.

For the past three years, West Virginia’s impressive tally has earned the state a spot on the list. This year, the state shot from No. 8 to No. 6 with a job total of 12,883.03. Virginia ranked No. 1 at 23,523.50 jobs; North Dakota was No. 10 at 9,869.54. Other states and totals include No. 2 Kentucky, 18,234.19; No. 3 Michigan, 14,565.48; No. 4 New York, 14,388.83 and No. 5 South Carolina, 13,890.82.

Coal-fired power
station proposed

Gov. Bob Wise joined officials from Dominion and Anker Energy Corp. in announcing plans to develop a new coal and coal waste-fired electric power station and mining complex in Upshur County.

The project, which represents a potential investment of $600 million, will create more than 500 jobs during construction and 50 to 60 permanent, high-skill jobs at the power station.

The station will use clean coal technology and burn more than 65 percent coal waste. Its operation depends upon federal, state and local permitting.

The generating station will supply electricity to the western portion of the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland wholesale power grid. When the 450-megawatt station is operational by 2005, additional permanent mining jobs will be created.

Company announces
200 high-tech jobs

ADI Technology Corp., based in Alexandria, Va., announced it will create 200 new jobs in Fairmont.

The company will provide software solutions, document management, data mining and warehousing, industrial control systems and human factors consulting.

ADI employs more than 500 people in offices in Virginia, New Hampshire, West Virginia and Hawaii. Company revenues were $44 million in 2000 and are expected to reach $60 million by the end of 2001.

Verizon adds 100 jobs
in Huntington

Gov. Bob Wise recently joined community leaders and Verizon executives to formally dedicate a new Verizon work center in downtown Huntington.

The center has brought nearly 100 technology jobs to the area. The Carrier Account Team Center is part of Verizon’s wholesale services division and is located on the renovated second floor of the company’s building at 1135 6th Ave.

Employees at the center provide maintenance and repair services for telecommunications companies that buy data and local phone services wholesale from Verizon. The new jobs are among the 450 brought to West Virginia by Verizon in the past two years.

Door manufacturer
plans facility, jobs

Toronto-based Rochman Universal Doors announced a new facility in Hancock County and as many as 200 jobs by 2004.

The company sells steel and glass doors and counts Lowe’s Home Improvement as its biggest customer.

Allan Farrell, director of logistics and operations, credits the availability of West Virginia’s workforce as an incentive for his firm, which plans to invest $5 million in equipment in the Newell operation.

Charleston wins honor
as top destination

The readers of Facilities & Destinations magazine have once again chosen Charleston, West Virginia, as a top destination.

For the second time in three years, subscribers offered at least 100 votes of confidence to the convention and visitors bureau. Such cities as Houston, Boston, Baltimore and Chicago also received the honor.

Westvaco, Mead agree
to $10 billion merger

Westvaco Corp. and the Mead Corp. will merge, creating MeadWestvaco Corp., with a focus on packaging, coated and specialty papers, consumer and office products, and specialty chemicals.

Westvaco operates its Fine Papers Division in Luke, Maryland, where 570 West Virginians are employed in its 1,000-person work force. The company owns and manages 372,227 acres of pine, natural pine and hardwood plantations, hardwood fiber farms and natural hardwood in West Virginia.

ATK Missile Products
changes its name

ATK Missile Products Co. at Rocket Center, West Virginia, has changed its name to ATK Tactical Systems Co., reflecting its expanded product offering and customer base after parent company ATK acquired Thiokol Propulsion in April 2001.

ATK Tactical Systems Co. develops and produces tactical propulsion, warhead and composite structures, and metal fabrication products for the U.S. Department of Defense.

ATK, Potomac State
form partnership

ATK Tactical Systems Co., in partnership with Potomac State College, now operates Hilltop Café, which can support 1,000 people for onsite breakfast and lunch at the Naval Sea Systems Command facility in Rocket Center, West Virginia.

The company-college partnership is part of the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory Facility Restoration program sponsored by U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd. The program has resulted in the development of a solid rocket motor and composite structures manufacturing facility for the defense and aerospace industries.

The newly renovated facility is home to ATK Tactical Systems Co., Information Manufacturing Corp. and the Robert C. Byrd Institute of Advanced Flexible Manufacturing.

Employment training
funding available

West Virginia businesses can use the expertise of the state’s community and technical colleges to train employees through the Workforce Development Initiative, administered by the West Virginia Council for Community and Economic Development.

West Virginia’s community and technical colleges apply for the grants. Successful projects include strong private-sector partnerships.

“The West Virginia Legislature set aside $827,500 for Workforce Development Initiative grants,” said David Lieving, workforce development manager in the West Virginia Development Office.

A competitive process including a project proposal is required. For more information, contact the workforce development coordinator at a nearby community and technical college or Lieving at (304) 558-2234 or (800) 982-3386.

Center concentrates
on energy options

A new nonprofit organization, the Center for Energy Development and Environmental Assessment, will create and identify opportunities for energy and environmental technology related businesses in West Virginia.

The energy technology initiative will build upon the efforts of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory, West Virginia University, Marshall University, Fairmont State College and other federal facilities and educational institutions in the state.

“With the strong base of energy and environmental research in West Virginia, the creation of a nonprofit organization to help develop businesses around this research is essential,” said Gov. Bob Wise, who recently named an energy task force to develop a state energy strategy for the next 20 years. The new organization is adjacent to NETL in the Collins Ferry Commerce Center in Morgantown. For more information, contact CEDEA at (304) 599-3200.

Mine expansion
will mean jobs

A recent supply agreement between CONSOL Energy Inc. and American Electric Power will result in 100 to 150 additional jobs over the next two years at the McElroy Mine in Glen Easton.

The expansion calls for a second longwall mining system at the mine, which is expected to increase production from about 7.1 million tons a year to 12.5 million tons by the end of 2003.