Ohio Valley Manufacturing Conference Spotlights Billions In West Virginia Investment
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MOUNDSVILLE -- The Marshall County Chamber of Commerce’s Ohio Valley Manufacturing Conference was held Thursday at Grand Vue Park’s banquet hall.
The event featured state leaders in economic development, including Todd Hooker, acting executive director of West Virginia Economic Development; Joe Brouse, director of finance for the West Virginia Economic Development Authority; and Bill Bessett, president of the West Virginia Manufacturers Association.
Hooker said expanding broadband internet access across West Virginia is one of the state’s most important economic development goals. All companies, including manufacturers, need and want reliable broadband access.
To continue attracting new manufacturers, Hooker said the state must focus on having information about available sites readily accessible for prospective companies.
“We have a lot of work to do on sites,” Hooker said. “All site selection is a process of elimination. … If you have sites that have unknowns, they will move on.”
Hooker said two of the state’s largest recent investments are Nucor Steel’s $4 billion project and Procter & Gamble’s $2 billion investment.
Brouse said his agency works with companies large and small to secure the financing they need to open or expand in West Virginia. He said the authority’s loan programs complement local banks rather than replace them. The goal of the financing is job creation.
“The formula we like to see is one job created or retained for every $75,000 we lend out,” he said. “If you come to us for a loan it has to project that job number out.”
Bessett said his organization serves as the voice of the manufacturing industry in West Virginia.
“We tell the story. We take great pride in that. We are West Virginians and we have a great story to tell,” he said. “Billions in manufacturing are going to come online here in the next three quarters. As this year ends and next year starts, it’s amazing what’s happening. Not just in certain areas but really across West Virginia.”
Bessett said it is also important to have lawmakers who support manufacturing and job creation.
According to the West Virginia Manufacturers Association, more than 44,000 people are employed by manufacturing businesses in the state. West Virginia exported $4.3 billion in manufactured goods in 2024. The state’s largest export category was chemicals at $1.6 billion. Other top exports included transportation equipment, nonelectrical machinery, primary metals and petroleum and coal products.
The top destinations for West Virginia exports were Canada at $2 billion, China at $443 million, Belgium at $312 million, Mexico at $253 million and the Netherlands at $188 million.
The conference also featured two panel discussions with local business and education leaders.
The manufacturing panel included James Mull, president and CEO of the Mull Group; Rudy Olson, director of new technology at Consol Innovations; Luke Diserio, president of American Muscle Docks; John Trifonoff, vice president of East Coast Metal Systems; and Paolo Ghigo, president of Technocap USA.
The workforce resources panel included Nick Nunnery, apprenticeship program coordinator for West Virginia Economic Development; Derek Scarbro, director of Marshall Advanced Manufacturing; Jack Doyle, assistant director of career technical education at Wheeling Park High School; Melanie Knutsen, career development counselor for Marshall County Schools; and Karri Mulhern, vice president of continuing education and workforce development at West Virginia Northern Community College.
Valerie Piko, program development manager for the Regional Economic Development Partnership, served as moderator. Jennifer Rohrig, senior manager of business retention and attraction for West Virginia Economic Development, served as emcee. Scott Reager, executive director of the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce, opened the event with introductions.