West Virginia Polymer Alliance Zone Expands
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A regional economic development organization has become the largest in West Virginia following the inclusion of three Northern Panhandle counties.
Ohio, Marshall and Wetzel counties have joined the West Virginia Polymer Alliance Zone, the group announced Thursday. The inclusion of those three counties expands the PAZ geographic footprint to 10 counties along the Ohio River in West Virginia - Jackson, Mason, Pleasants, Tyler, Cabell, Wayne, Wood, Wetzel, Marshall and Ohio.
PAZ includes three of West Virginia's five largest population centers.
The three newest counties in PAZ already make up the Regional Economic Development Partnership, said PAZ President Keith Burdette. RED is a self-sustaining development organization with the mission to create business opportunities in West Virginia by generating new jobs and stimulating the economy.
RED Partnership is a one-stop resource for development programs as well as business environment, demographic, economic and community information in the Wheeling region.
"The addition of the three RED counties is consistent with our goal to advance the core mission of PAZ, to attract new investments and foster the creation of new jobs for our citizens who live and work in West Virginia," stated Burdette. "Josh Jefferson and his team at RED are very active and engaged as an economic development organization creating successful outcomes in the upper Ohio Valley."
Jefferson, president and CEO of the Regional Economic Development Partnership, said he was excited about the collaborative partnership and the opportunities it will create for success.
"Being in a position to take advantage of PAZ's international and national marketing efforts will strengthen our ability to reach new prospects," he said.
The mission of PAZ is to create new, good paying jobs and an improved quality of life by expanding the manufacturing base in Jackson, Mason, Pleasants, Tyler, Cabell, Wayne, Wood, Wetzel, Marshall and Ohio counties.