Storage Hub and how West Virginia’s
attorney general has teamed up with
other elected officials and industry leaders
to fight the Environmental Protection
Agency’s war on coal. The issue also highlighted some of West Virginia’s top manufacturing companies. With the many
struggles facing coal, natural gas and
manufacturing, overcoming obstacles and
using West Virginia’s best resource—its
people—were the focus of several of the
event’s keynote speakers.
“When it comes to energy and manufacturing, West Virginia’s most promising resource is West Virginians,” says BJ
Evans, co-founder and managing director
of Aridea Solutions. “We have the incredible resource of families who have
generational experience in extraction
and natural resource management. With
proper training facilities, West Virginia’s
youth can gain the knowledge they need
to leverage the wisdom of their parents
and grandparents to move the Mountain
State forward.”
Event attendees received a commemorative 16-ounce hot and cold tumbler
and enjoyed a night of food, drinks and
networking. According to Wes Richardson, managing partner at Northwestern
Mutual, meeting new people and seeing
the potential for success in West Virginia
is the key to driving the Mountain State’s
struggling industries. “These events remind
everyone that this is a thriving state, and
if we come together, we can keep the
momentum up and build on it,” he says.
“I think to keep up, we are going to have
to change. I wish I knew exactly where
that change comes from, but we have
never lacked in being creative when it
comes time to fail or survive.”
WVE would like to extend a special
thank you to its partners and advertisers, including the businesses that sponsored this event: Aridea Solutions, Babst
Calland Attorneys at Law, Dewberry,
Northwestern Mutual, The Health Plan
and University of Charleston.
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west virginia executive