A New Home Among the Hills: The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve
Located in the New River Gorge region of West Virginia, the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve sits on 10,600 acres of forested mountains adjacent to more than 70,000 acres of the New River Gorge National River area. On July 15-24, the summit played host to the first of many national Scout jamborees that will be held at the site, which is the new permanent home of the event. By all accounts, the inaugural jamboree at the summit was a resounding success—both for the Boy Scouts of America and for the State of West Virginia.
Repurposing West Virginia
Green preservation expert Carl Elefante has been credited with the saying, “The greenest building is the one that is already built.” Although sustainability has become a fast-growing trend, reusing old buildings is not a new concept. For hundreds of years, old buildings have found new purposes through adaptive reuse for economic, social and, more recently, environmental reasons. In West Virginia, creative architects, contractors and individuals are changing the landscape by reusing historic buildings and breathing new life into communities.
Economic Outlook: The Construction Industry
West Virginia’s construction sector remains on the road to recovery. While job gains have not been consistent on a monthly basis over the course of 2013, employment in the sector has increased at a strong pace overall.
Locally Owned, Nationally Grown: A Q&A with Gregory Burton
For our first executive issue, the staff at West Virginia Executive went on the search for an experienced, widely-knowledgeable Mountain State professional who not only had a business that has exceeded the state’s borders but who could share with us important insight as to what is taking place in West Virginia’s business community.
Beyond Beckley: Pushing the Boundaries in International Industry
Tim Warden has found a way to make his hometown the headquarters of one of the state’s most successful businesses in international operations. Engart Inc., a wet dust extraction company located in Beckley, was named the 2013 West Virginia Small Business Exporter of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Corporate Connections
When I was acquiring a business six years ago, one of the people involved with the deal suggested I explore a business networking organization called Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO).