Create West Virginia

How Quickly Lists Change

For several years, West Virginians have lamented the steady flow of "first on bad lists, last on good lists" syndrome. Some people dismissed the lists as biased, others just shrugged and figured that's where West Virginia will most likely be for some time.

However, the misfortunes of the rest of the country and the relative stability of West Virginia's economy recently have elevated us on some recent lists. Now that we're getting some credit at the top, maybe it's time to start touting them.

Careerbuilders.com recently listed the "Top 25 Best Markets to Find a Job." After years of seeing young people leave the state to find jobs, West Virginians might scratch their heads and allow themselves a little bit of glee to see that we have two cities in the national top 25 list - Morgantown and Charleston!

The list was generated by looking at unemployment rates and job growth. West Virginia currently has a very low unemployment rate and Morgantown in particular has a high job growth rate. The rest of the Top 25 were mostly Western cities.

Of course, each city in West Virginia is showing well for different reasons. In Charleston, the energy boom with coal and natural gas has stimulated the region. In Morgantown, the growth of high-tech and university/research organizations has driven growth.

Whatever the reasons, it's nice to be on top for a change. And here's hoping we stay there for a while. 

Creative Cone Awards Announced

There are literally hundreds (thousands?) of creative people in communities throughout our state taking a leadership role by sticking their neck out to instigate positive change. To honor their work and to honor the work of specific individuals who have earned our respect and admiration for their creative accomplishments, the Create WV team launched the first "Creative Cone" awards on the last day of the conference.

Why a "creative cone"? Because we're all working in creative communities "under construction." Some communities are a little further down their path, but we're all at various stages.

Please join us in celebrating the work of this year's honorees:

Jeanne Mozier, Berkeley Springs - We're not sure it's possible to think of Berkeley Springs without thinking of Jeanne. She's the entrepreneurial heart and soul behind the creative power of this little town in Morgan County who has earned multiple "top arts town" designations and is the first certified arts community in West Virginia.

Keith Pauley, Charleston - Keith is the CEO of MATRIC, the research non-profit launched in 2004 that has put the Kanawha Valley on the R&D map again by putting Ph.D.'s back to work in the Kanawha Valley. Under Keith's leadership, MATRIC has hired dozens of new highly-paid researchers and spawned new commercial companies from their work.

Marlon LeBlanc and Jason Staples, Morgantown - OneWVU arose, according to Sharon Mallow, program coordinator for the President’s Office for Social Justice, after an incident occurred at the University in which a student athlete was called a racial slur. WVU soccer coach Marlon LeBlanc has been a founding visionary leader for the initiative, and Jason Staples a key leader in delivering tangible efforts to build awareness and commitment to diversity at West Virginia's flagship university.

Reverend Matthew Watts and Reverend Ron English, Charleston - West Virginia has had its share of ugly incidents and bad PR in the past year that forced us to ask many difficult questions to confront both our public image and our personal commitments. Luckily, we have two long-time civil rights and community champions working in Charleston who have helped build connections, share balanced insights via the media, and championed the urgent need for the Kanawha Valley and all of West Virginia to value its citizens from all ethnic, racial, and age backgrounds. Their accomplishments are too numerous to name, but their impact is felt across many realms such as mentoring youth, creating job opportunities and building diversity leadership.

Dr. Stephen Kopp, Huntington - Dr. Kopp is a champion of building creative communities in West Virginia through 21st century education, technology and research. Under his leadership, Marshall University has aggressively launched their implementation of "Bucks for Brains" and personally participated in the Create Huntington initiative. Dr. Kopp is a passionate, shining example of how leaders in our state can lead us into the new economy and greater prosperity.

As we mentioned earlier, there are many, many folks doing fantastic creative work throughout the states. But we thank the honorees above for their examples of leadership and creative problem-solving in our great state. Thank you to all of them for their leadership!

Wow....And Thank You

After last year's inaugural Create WV conference, we wondered if we could recreate the same magic that was sparked by so many people from so many different parts of the state with so many different backgrounds coming together to explore this "creative community" concept.

This year's 2nd Create WV conference was different and special in its own way. Snowshoe Mountain was beautiful (and cold at times!) and more spread out. The audience was much larger. But the end result was just as magical:  Hundreds of creative West Virginians banding together to learn about and discuss major challenges and exciting opportunities for their communities and our state.

We have so many to thank. The attendees, the volunteer organizers, the speakers, the sponsors. In coming days we'll be sharing the slide presentations and handouts, photos and videos and comments from the attendees.

For now, we leave with a quiet, yet excited, confidence that the future is very bright for our state because of our commitment to creatively shaping it together. If you attended the conference, we'd love to hear from you with a post on this site or an email to [email protected].

Let's go create!

Pre-Conference Thoughts: It's Been a Creative Year!

As we get set to launch the Create WV 2008 Conference today, we asked ourselves "Has there been any impact on West Virginia in the past 12 months? Do we see tangible progress towards building the New Economy?"

We asked in a survey "Is your community actively including key pillars of building creative communities for the new economy in your local growth and development plans?" And here's what you said:

• We're actively infusing new economy thinking into our plans - 33%
• We're just getting started, but we're committed - 38%
• Not sure - 5%
• Not yet - It's not well understood, but we're open to the possibility - 14%
• Not at all - It's not understood or accepted in our area - 10%

That's pretty good momentum. We also asked you to help us build a list of what's going on out there. And boy did we come away feeling excited! Here are just a FEW of the highlights from the last 12 months:

QUALITY OF PLACE

• Community Development Hub launched
• 40% increase in total arts funding in West Virginia
• Create Huntington and the Old Main Corridor Project
• WV Music Hall of Fame launched
• Chuck Mathena Center in Princeton opened
• Gary Bowling's House of Art opened in Bluefied
• Clay Center Community Arts Programs in Mingo, Logan, Kanawha, Lincoln, Clay
• 30th Anniversary of the Morgan Arts Council!
• American Mountain Theater opened in Elkins
• Pocahontas County Artisan Co-Op and Opera House
• Charleston's East End Wi-Fi program launch

DIVERSITY

• Diversity Leadership Academy and Communities United Against Hate forums in Charleston
• One WVU Campaign
• Five Inclusive Communities program members in WV: Morgantown, Parkersburg, Clarksburg, Huntington, Ranson
• "Communities in Schools" in Greenbrier County

TECHNOLOGY and R&D

• Bucks for Brains and Bucks for Jobs program passes
• NETL Tech Support Facility in Morgantown
• CWP Inc - Fossil fuels research partnership with WVU, Carnegie Mellon and Pitt
• Statewide broadband plan revealed
• Robert C. Byrd Science and Tech Center at Marshall
• Marshall Institute for Interdisciplinary Research launched
• MATRIC expansion in South Charleston
• Tech Connect WV reveals Blueprint for Tech-Based Economic Development
• State support for SBIR grants
• Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute
• WV Angel Investor Network

EDUCATION AND TALENT

• 21st Century Learning Initiative by WV Dept of Education
• Center for Educational Technology at Wheeling Jesuit
• STEM initiative at Marshall University
• Come Home to WV campaign by WV Dept of Commerce
• Globaloria program - learning via online gaming

We know there are more, so please take the 5-10 minute survey to let us know what is going on in your community! There is nothing better to build momentum in our state than to share the progress that is happening in every county.

MATRIC Continues its Innovative Ways

MATRIC - the Mid-Atlantic Technology, Research and Innovation Center - has already put dozens of ex-chemical industry Ph.D.'s to work in South Charleston. Yesterday the non-profit group, which was launched in 2004, announced a new round of investments and new jobs. From the Charleston Gazette:

The Mid-Atlantic Technology, Research and Innovation Center in South Charleston will add 150 new high-tech jobs in the next 18 months and is receiving $2 million in federal funds to start a Homeland Security data integration center, the center announced on Wednesday.

"While a lot of people are afraid for their jobs, we are creating jobs," MATRIC chief executive officer Keith Pauley said prior to the group's annual celebration on Wednesday.

MATRIC will partner with Butler International Inc. to form the International Design Center, which will create 150 new engineering and research and development jobs. Butler is a tech outsourcing company headquartered in Florida.

This is what it's all about - leveraging innovation to create jobs, not just wait for them to come.

WVU is also on the move with the opening of the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute. You can also hear - if you listen closely - the phrase "new economy" cross the lips of various politicians running for election or re-election this season.

As hundreds of folks head to Snowshoe Mountain next week (including Keith Pauley, CEO of MATRIC and a featured speaker), we can celebrate the progress our state is making across many pillars for "building creative communities for the new economy."

Ten Principles for Community and Economic Development

By Steve Weathers
President and CEO of the Regional Growth Partnership, Toledo, OH
[email protected]

Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a forum with economic-development leaders from around the globe. And, while there was a wealth of information shared among the leaders, what I found most interesting and valuable were some principles discussed for economic and community development.

I think these “Ten Principles for Economic and Community Development,” if implemented in our region [Toledo, OH], would serve us well in fully developing the economic potential of our region.

Create a vision for the future by incorporating community values and beliefs. Break out of routine thinking. Listen to different community voices. Encourage our youth to participate in their future. Preserve historic and artistic ideas. Imagine an economy without borders. And lastly, focus on what could be, not what is.

Develop a strategic plan by encouraging citizen participation and collaboration.  Connect community vision to a strategic plan. Determine what success looks like.  Produce SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time based).  Support the strategic plan with appropriate infrastructure and work force. And most importantly, communicate progress and successes.

Build a sustainable economy for the next generation by seeing a balance between work force, economic and environmental needs. Encourage “buy local” programs. Invest in infrastructure that supports community vitality. Support health care initiatives. Support funding for community libraries. Plan for a skilled work force that will help grow, retain and attract business.

Seek out private, public and academic partnerships by communicating between the private sector, academic sectors, the community at large and the public sectors. Focus on mutual visions and common goals. Involve all parties with similar vested interests. Understand the distinctive roles in a partnership. Work with community leaders to nurture neighborhoods. Collaborate on work force and economic development projects. And most importantly, seek partnership goals, not personal gain.

Invest in education and skills training by participating on local workforce investment boards and supporting academic achievement for a global marketplace. Align relationships with state work force and economic development officials. Work with business and labor to close the training gap. Ensure that investments respond to local and regional work force needs.

Promote respect by acknowledging all ideas and contributions, and critiquing ideas, not people. Give credit where it is due. Learn to compromise. Understand cultural differences. Embrace different learning and communication styles. Realize that integrity and fairness establish creditability. Distinguish facts from beliefs and opinions. And most importantly, listen attentively to others.

Demonstrate a high standard of ethical behavior by setting and maintaining a high level of expectations for all colleagues, partners and collaborators. Recognize the differences between policy and administration. Stay informed on relevant issues. Follow through on commitments. Make decisions based on what is best for the many. Avoid conflicts of interest. 

Value history, arts and culture by supporting a variety of public art. Promote history, arts and cultural projects in schools. Advocate keeping arts and culture part of the K-12 system. Sustain the operating strength of local museums. Make civic holidays meaningful opportunities to celebrate and support arts and culture in the community. Most importantly, recognize the economic impact the arts and culture community has on the region.

Prepare for a global environment by insisting on a world-class technology and communications infrastructure. Provide export education and training for the business community. Understand global dynamics that affect local businesses. Support technical assistance to businesses. Promote an understanding of other cultures. Maintain employee training and research.

Develop future leaders by recognizing the values of the next generation. Promote leadership training programs. Communicate and celebrate the region's accomplishments.  Develop criteria to evaluate leadership potential. Recruit diversity. Grow volunteers into larger roles. Recognize the regional leaders for all they do for the region.

Steve Weathers is president and CEO of the Regional Growth Partnership in Toledo, OH.

Snowshoe Mountain to Host, Learn From Create WV

(Snowshoe, W.Va.) – As Snowshoe Mountain Resort prepares to host the Create WV Conference, October 20-22, the resort is looking forward to welcoming hundreds of attendees to the mountaintop. But the exposure and visitation is not the only thing exciting Snowshoe’s top executives; the mountain’s leaders are also planning on attending many of the Conference’s sessions, positioning Snowshoe as an active part of West Virginia’s future.

“This conference is important for West Virginia’s future and for the future of Snowshoe Mountain,” explained Bill Rock, president and chief operating officer of the resort. “Our customer base can go anywhere for their vacation, but there is something special about West Virginia and the natural beauty and excitement that visitors find here. What we never forget at Snowshoe is that we have to pair that organic experience with exceptional costumer service and amenities. That’s what brings people back time and time again, and what has made Snowshoe the state’s top tourism destination.”

The Create West Virginia Conference, which is expected to bring 300 visitors to the mountain, will provide training to leaders of all types, including planners, educators, elected officials, community developers, entrepreneurs, artists and business owners. With an overall focus on helping West Virginia communities prepare for growth in the new “Idea Economy”, the conference has an exciting agenda of workshops, keynote presentations, panel discussions and break-out sessions. Attendees will be able to choose from several specific learning tracks or content areas, including place, education, tolerance, technology, and business.

“I think that this approach to economic and community development is a dynamic one, and one that can truly help West Virginia and its citizens enjoy a brighter future,” continued Rock. “I’ve encouraged several representatives from our management team to participate in the conference, and I hope that our resort leaders can also become leaders in the state.

“We believe that this type of discussion will help attract new, creative talent both to the resort and to the state, as well as allow the young people in this state to stay home and find the creative, lucrative jobs that they desire. I’m thrilled that many of our local elected officials and community leaders will be attending, and I look forward to the positive ideas and actions that come out of this type of gathering.”

Create WV Chairman Jeff James affirmed Bill Rock’s observations, “I really believe that as we help shape a larger and more vibrant creative community outside the boundaries of the resort, we are really helping Snowshoe to attract and retain high caliber talent. That will certainly provide a competitive advantage for them.”

To register for the conference, interested parties should go to the event registration Web site at www.CreateWVEvents.com or call (304) 342-6970. For more information about Snowshoe, please go to (www.SnowshoeMtn.com). Finally, for more information about the Create WV initiative, a project of Vision Shared, please visit (www.CreateWV.com).

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Create Huntington Wants to Bridge Gaps, Welcome Diversity

The Huntington Herald-Dispatch has tuned into the grass roots movement Create Huntington and the peoples' efforts to forge an exciting future for West Virginia's "other" major college town:

Marshall President Stephen Kopp and Huntington Mayor David Felinton established a steering committee for the Create Huntington project, which asks, what’s your vision for the city of Huntington?

As part of the steering committee’s search for a livable, progressive, creative community, they learned that the city has a rich cultural history. Prospects for the city seem favorable for attracting the creative class, who can choose where they work and live thanks to communications technology. Specifically, the group wants to connect the dots from missing components to ideas that will increase the city’s uniqueness and livability.

There is great momentum, passion and leadership in Huntington - the recipe for meaningful change. You'll learn more about what's going on in Huntington in the Resources & Tactics track at the Create WV Conference Oct 20-22 on Showshoe Mountain.

Need a Good Real Estate Investment? Follow an Artist

We were happy to find yet another validating article that reinforces one of the strategies we've championed via Create WV. BusinessWeek outlines why artists are a driving force in redevelopment:

The reason is that artists are happy to move where real estate investors aren't prepared to go—crime-ridden inner cities with trashed-out apartments, inside rat-infested buildings that seem destined for the wrecking ball.

Artists aren't looking for the next hot neighborhood, just large, affordable spaces where they can grind, hammer, saw, and generally make a racket in the name of creativity. But they often set the stage for redevelopment, and home buyers who follow their lead can sometimes get in while real estate prices are affordable.

Can this model work in rural, small town West Virginia? It can, and it has. Artists were core drivers in the success of Berkeley Springs and Lewisburg. Small cities such as Cumberland, MD, have used "arts and cultural district" designations to spark artist relocation programs, which in turn have sparked growth in their formerly dying downtown area.

Artists are artists due to many non-financial motivations, but one can't help but think if they positioned themselves as real estate tastemakers they could earn quite a bit as economic development consultants. At the very least, this growing awareness should generate more appreciation, inclusion and support for artists in your community and throughout West Virginia.

Is A Vision Shared Becoming a Vision Realized?

Many folks aren't aware that Create WV is an initiative lead by the Creative Communities volunteer team of Vision Shared, a non-profit organization launched in 2001. Depending on who you ask, the Vision Shared effort has either been a hugely valuable forum for connecting the private and public sectors to solve difficult problems in West Virginia, or a disappointing attempt that has not yet fulfilled its potential.

Often, those who express frustration have either a) not been actively involved in a volunteer team, b) been a part of a volunteer team which struggled to gain traction and make an impact, or c) have not received enough communication on results delivered by various teams.

The point of Vision Shared, in my opinion, is to provide a venue in which motivated leaders and team members can rally around an issue and make a difference. Sometimes weaknesses in leadership or lack of consistent team member commitment can lead to less than inspiring results, but in many cases Vision Shared teams have delivered truly relevant and impactful contributions towards our state's development.

One of the key criteria for developing a creative community - or in this case, a creative state - is a spirit of inclusiveness. Vision Shared's initial charter shared a passage from Democracy At Risk and asked that it be reflected on in future years:

In the past, leaders were special people who did special things. The rest were followers who simply went along with what the leader said, and did. The approach seemed to work: if the industrial age was characterized by anything, it was by hierarchical organizations with leaders who were top executives, and everyone else was down below.

But today we share a planet that is shrinking. The rules of engagement that applied for most of what has been called ‘the American century’ no longer work. In the next century, new ways of thinking about leadership will be required, spurred by technology and globalization.

Organizations will have to be flattened. Leaders and followers are linked and must be involved in the leadership process. Teamwork and collaboration will work better than command and control.

The new model of leadership is collaborative, requiring widespread participation and collective decision-making. It accepts the inevitability of conflict, but encourages consensus. It searches for win-win solutions.

This is not to say the new model diminishes the contribution of individuals. Rather it argues that any individual, located any place in the system, can play a leadership role.

The new model of leadership insists on the participation that is at the heart of the democratic enterprise. The new model confirms that to collaborate is to prepare for civic engagement.

Has Vision Shared, in partnership with state government, other non-profit groups, and many others, been effective in sparking meaningful long-term change in West Virginia? You can judge for yourself by reviewing the latest report from Market Street, the consulting firm who helped shape Vision Shared back in 2001, delivered in August 2008 at the WV Chamber of Commerce's Annual Business Summit.

You can also read the latest Vision Shared newsletter to learn what other teams are busy working on.

Vision Shared, Create WV, and other volunteer opportunities are only as effective as we - the volunteers - make them. So we encourage you to review existing teams (or suggest one) and consider getting involved! If it's frustrating at first, find a way to improve it. If you need help, ask for it. If you need resources, chances are someone is willing to make a good attempt at finding what you need.