Through a partnership between the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA), the West Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the local business community, Mr. Joe Carlucci has joined the NRGRDA as an SBDC regional Business Coach. Private support was provided by the following partners: Beckley-Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce, City of Summersville, BB&T, Chase Bank, City National Bank, United Bank, and Fayette County Chamber of Commerce. This new position is structured to be a technical resource and conduit for businesses throughout the New River Gorge region of West Virginia.
His diverse experience started at 13, as he made fishing sinkers on the New Jersey coast. After graduating Liberty High School in Glen Daniel, he moved to Raleigh, NC to work as a field engineer for a civil engineering company. It was in Raleigh that he joined the Navy as a member of the Presidential Honor Guard, in DC. Later, while stationed in South Korea, he was trained as a religious program specialist to provide physical security for the chaplain. From South Korea, he was moved to Italy to serve as a Crypto Tech Communications Officer. Joe earned his BS in Business Administration while serving from the University of Maryland University College. After his service years, Joe started his own general contracting firm, where he worked to renovate military bases around DC in cooperation with Kellogg Brown and Root. After successfully selling his company, he joined the national tech firm Booze Allen Hamilton. He worked in their newest department, Business Center of Excellence, managing the teaming portion and capture of Department of Defense and joint services.
Recently, Joe and his wife Cybil decided they wanted to raise their three children where they shared their fondest childhood experiences. Though born in Albuquerque, NM, at 38 years old, Joe still considers Beckley, WV his home town and was ready to focus on giving back to the region that raised him. Chad Wykle, the NRGRDA Executive Director explained “The addition of Joe to the NRGRDA team is the next step in our efforts to diversify and grow the regional economy. Our strong connection to chambers of commerce and other private sector leaders is just one of the strengths of this new partnership and I’m confident we will see dividends from it.  We’re glad he’s come home to the Mountain State.”
At his welcome luncheon, on July 31st, Joe said “I can already see a renewed vision, mission, confidence and energy from Leaders in the business community; that we are primed for growth through entrepreneurship, and expansion of existing businesses. That is why I am here, to fulfill that mission and to help people succeed.”
The partners sponsoring this new regional asset believe Joes diverse background, and entrepreneurial experience, will help others through practical tools and relevant understanding of what it’s like to operate and succeed in a modern business climate. Â He later explained “I know what it’s like to be the accountant, the Sales Rep, HR manager, and still have to hustle for the next gig on a shoe string budget.”
Joe is the latest addition to the reorganized NRGRDA. Since the recruitment of a new Executive Director in October of 2013, the organization has welcomed a Chief Communications Officer, Agribusiness Coordinator, and Regional Business Coach to their team. This amplified staffing structure is allowing the organization to significantly increase their existing business services, community outreach efforts, technical support, and new business attraction. Some initiatives already underway include a future mega site in Ghent, downtown revitalization projects in multiple communities, business accelerator programs, online feasibility and market assessment tools, and increased access to capital for local entrepreneurs.
