Women leaders in the natural gas, coal and related industries will share their insights on opportunities and challenges facing West Virginia’s energy sector and how they will shape the future of the Mountain State at a special Elevations luncheon, to be held Thursday, July 28, at the Charleston Marriott Town Center Pavilion.  

Sharon O. Flanery, a petroleum engineer and attorney who leads the Steptoe & Johnson Energy Team, will moderate  “Women with Energy,” a roundtable discussion with female business executives, lawyers, engineers and other professionals on the front lines of developments in the natural gas and coal fields.

Confirmed speakers to date include:

·          Maribeth Anderson, director, corporate developmentChesapeake Energy Corporation

·         Tania Hotmer, manager of external affairs, AEP

·         Linda Raines Torre, co-founder and senior engineer for Decota Consulting, a mining/environmental consulting firm

The event begins at 11:30 a.m. with informal networking (optional), followed by a luncheon and program at 11:45 a.m.. 

Registration is $30 for Alliance members/$40 future members through July 22. Prices increase to $40 Alliance members/$50 future members after that date.  Reserved tables of eight, which include program recognition and signage, are $500 for Alliance members; $600 future members. 

For more information about reserved tables, contact JoEllen Zacks:  jzacks@charlestonareaalliance.org

 Click here to register!

“Women with Energy” is presented with the generous support of Steptoe & Johnson. 

The mission of the 1,700-member Elevations Professional Women’s Network is to “enrich, empower and elevate women to achieve success.”  Through luncheons and other events featuring high-profile speakers, Elevations provides an affirmative network that connects professional women with the information, resources and contacts that helps them, their businesses and their communities succeed. 

Elevations is presented by the Charleston Area Alliance and Title Sponsor DOW. 

The Alliance cannot invoice for groups of fewer than 10 and is unable to issue refunds for cancellations received less than 48 prior to an event.

The West Virginia Education, Research & Technology Park has retained more than 550 high-paying, high-quality jobs in West Virginia, according to a new report from Battelle and CH2M Hill released today. Considering economic multipliers, the park has supported more than 1,000 additional jobs in the state and produced more than $600 million in economic output.

The park’s annual economic impact is just under $100 million.

Battelle, a preeminent research and development organization, conducted the months-long study and recommendations for the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.  The commission will take ownership of the park on Dec. 15.

The Battelle report includes information on the “next steps” in the development of the Tech Park, but it also provides data on the jobs and economic impact of the businesses and jobs already in located there:

“Today, as the park property transitions to the Higher Education Policy Commission, the state has been able to retain these high paying jobs, which average $81,900 in salaries and wages,” the report says. 

“This represents a total payroll of nearly $39 million with estimated direct and indirect income impacts of over $96 million annually. This activity translates into millions of dollars in state and local taxes collected each year. Few recent state economic development deals have offered as high a return on investment.

“But it is the long-term potential for creating an innovation and technology development driver for reinvigorating the global competitiveness of the state’s long-standing chemical and energy sectors that stands to offer the highest economic development pay-offs for the state.”

“The Charleston Area Alliance would like to acknowledge the hard work and diligence of Battelle and CH2MHill, along with the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, in completing the assessment and development plan for the former Dow Technology Park,” said Alliance President and CEO Matt Ballard. 

“This has been an open process, with all stakeholders having input. Mixing those ideas with the skills, expertise and knowledge of Battelle to recommend best practices in the development and management of technology parks has generated a solid document.”

HEPC Chancellor Brian Nolland appointed Ballard to serve on the Tech Park steering committee.

“This regional project will have a wide geographic impact,” Ballard said. “The park’s employment base spans from Ashland, Ky., to Charleston, to Flatwoods, to Ripley. While the jobs help our regional economy, the innovation potential for the park will positively impact our entire state and even the nation. After all, it is innovation that will be the driver to bring us out of this global economic slump.

“Now, the next phase begins,” Ballard continued. “We encourage all stakeholders to maintain their focus on the long-term goal of generating new investment and new jobs and diversifying the tax base through innovation and technology.”

The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission press release, which describes the four primary recommendations of the report can be found at http://www.wvresearch.org/techpark/news.htm.

This FAQs list was created to address issues related to Dow Chemical Company’s offer to donate property at the South Charleston Technology Park to the State of West Virginia. We encourage you to learn more about the project and see what you can do to ensure that its potential is realized before it is too late:
 

1. Exactly what is Dow proposing to donate?

Dow has proposed and is willing to donate 258 acres of its technology park including fully outfitted laboratory buildings, pilot plants and infrastructure to the State of West Virginia.  

2. Why does Dow want to donate this property?

As a publicly-traded global corporation, Dow has made strategic business decisions that have resulted in the downsizing of its research and development activities at the South Charleston site.  The company incurs significant expenses each year to maintain buildings and property it no longer needs.   

3. Is Dow leaving the technology park?

Dow would likely continue as a tenant in this park rather than a “landlord.”  This donation does not impact the manufacturing facilities of Dow that are located off of MacCorkle Avenue in South Charleston.  Those plants will continue in their operation.  

4. Are there environmental issues on the portions that Dow will donate?

Comprehensive environmental studies have been conducted by several neutral parties and the data collected show no reason that the donation cannot occur. 

5. Is Dow passing off its environmental liability to the state?

Under federal law, Dow is not permitted to “give away” any responsibility arising from potential environmental issues.   (more…)

The South Charleston Technology Park is on the brink of closing.

Why should you care? If we allow this to happen, the region could lose more than 500 quality jobs. If we maintain and nurture the park, it could create thousands of jobs.

Generation Charleston is dedicated to making Charleston and the Kanawha more attractive to emerging leaders and young talent. Standing on the sideline while our region’s future hangs in the balance isn’t part of that mission.

The time to act is now. Join us from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday at MATRIC in Building 740 of the Technology for an open forum presented by Generation Charleston. The event is open to anyone in the community interested in learning about the park’s history and its potential impact on the state’s future.

To get to the park, take the Kanawha Turnpike exit from I-64, then turn left into the park. Building 740 is immediately on the right.

We believe that with growing support and a united voice, the technology park can become a symbol of our state’s resilience and ability to go the distance for the greater good. A successful outcome will be a transformational event in the history of West Virginia.

President Lincoln said the best way to predict the future is to create it – let’s start by saving the tech park. This is your opportunity to make change that matters.

In recent days you may have read about a project that would rejuvenate the South Charleston Technology Park. 

If realized, the project could generate hundreds if not thousands of high value jobs, make our region highly competitive in research and development and create new opportunities for West Virginia’s coal, natural gas and other leading industries.

At stake is a pending donation by Dow Chemical Company of valuable buildings and land located at the technology park to the State of West Virginia.

But this is not just a real estate transfer — it’s about the future of West Virginia.

The purpose of this message is to tell you why this project matters to you, your business and everyone in our region, and what you can do today to help make it happen.

Background

For more than 50 years, the tech park arguably was the top research center in the chemical industry.  Dozens of patents were produced there each year, resulting in globally distributed products worth billions of dollars. (more…)