The coronavirus pandemic has pushed the world to rely even more on the internet, forcing West Virginia’s business community—especially small businesses—to re-evaluate and grow their online presence and government agencies and educational institutions to brainstorm new ways to train and engage students. Amid opportunities for transformation and innovation, however, the pandemic also opened West Virginians up to online exploitation.
West Virginians helping West Virginians has never been more important. During a year of uncertainty, an unprecedented stay-at-home order, business closings, layoffs, remote work and fear, citizens of the Mountain State have proven once again that in the face of adversity, they take care of their own.
As the rise and fall in the demand for coal continues for established uses like power generation, one West Virginia-based company is developing innovative applications for the state’s most prominent export. As the rise and fall in the demand for coal continues for established uses like power generation, one West Virginia-based company is developing innovative applications for the state’s most prominent export. Because coal is a hydrocarbon with unique properties, it can easily be converted to a wide range of products, and Wheeling-based Touchstone Research Laboratories is committed to finding alternative uses for coal in research, manufacturing and commercialization.
Foreign investment is an important and growing sector of the Mountain State economy, and today it benefits from investments from 30 countries representing 136 companies that employ approximately 30,000 West Virginians. The West Virginia Development Office’s (WVDO) International Division works to ensure the state receives consideration when investors are reviewing location options because international companies that invest in the U.S. are typically good corporate citizens that offer quality jobs with competitive wages and benefits.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Putnam County is the only county in its region that has recorded population growth on every census since 1970. The burgeoning area is a tapestry of charming small towns nestled between West Virginia’s two largest cities. Community leaders are embracing this strategic location and sustained growth to create an intergenerational place that appeals to everyone from college graduates looking for their first jobs to families to retirees. Putnam County is more than a bedroom community for Charleston and Huntington—it is a unique and vibrant place that is home to a variety of small businesses, industries, restaurants, recreational opportunities and developable land.
Business is at the forefront of the current national dialogue. In West Virginia and across the U.S., small businesses are the heart and soul of numerous communities, creating jobs, rebuilding downtowns and attracting tourists. In spite of the international impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world economy, many businesses are staying the course, and with the important role exporting is playing in the Mountain State, hope for a brighter future remains.