Creating Economic Opportunities in Rural Areas: Making Development Work for You

Creating Economic Opportunities in Rural Areas:
Making Development Work for You
January 22, 2011
Workshop Summary
The day provided great opportunities to highlight the role of small businesses in our area and review
resources available to assist small businesses. The resources mentioned extended from micro-loan
programs, to business planning assistance, to informal mentoring from established business owners.
The importance of local leadership was the most repeated message from speakers and participants.
Local leaders can make connections within the community, match businesses up with available
resources, and combine forces with neighbors to increase momentum of efforts.
Workshop Notes
Introduction
Chris Stadelman from the Phillips Group welcomed everyone and facilitated the morning session. Chris
introduced the featured speaker, Mr. Lane Bailey. Mr. Bailey is the Regional Managing Director of Golin
Harris, an international public relations and public affairs firm.
Lane Bailey
Mr. Bailey began by noting that he is a West Virginia native, growing up the son of a coal miner in
Mercer County and graduated from Concord College. He got involved in politics while still in college,
working on early campaigns of Senator Jay Rockefeller. He spent many years working for Governor and
then Senator Rockefeller before moving to Golin Harris.
Mr. Bailey noted that we as residents, business owners, and local leaders are in a position to help define
ourselves and the future we want for our region. We need to think about how we want to be seen and
how we talk about ourselves to others. He believes that our region, from Elkins to the Virginia border
along Corridor H, is the authentic West Virginia and that we still have the opportunity to create a “brand
for the region” and use that brand to attract the kind of development we want. He believes that people
outside of WV don’t really know much about WV and that we ourselves sometimes repeat negative
messages about who we are. He also urged participants not to accept the status quo. We can seize the
opportunities that are available, but only if we take some actions.
Mr. Bailey then laid out ten concepts for the future.
1) Think and plan for the long-term—20 years out into the future
2) Get alignment—work together across traditional boundaries and rethink existing boundaries
defined a long time ago
3) Create a brand for your area—you have the real WV here with the combination of natural
areas, hard working people, and businesses
4) Ensure full coverage of broadband service, it’s imperative for new business and without it the
divide is going to widen
5) Use social networks—it is the future of communications and marketing
6) Bring in higher education—colleges and universities have become major economic drivers, reach
out to all possible partners