CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Commerce Secretary Keith Burdette is looking forward to using a new business recruitment video when he talks with business owners about coming to the Mountain State.
The video, titled ‘This is West Virginia’, was unveiled at the recent West Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s business summit. It includes testimonials from six businesses.
“This is a great group of folks with widely different experiences,” Burdette said. “I think it gives a pretty diverse picture of what’s going on in the state.”
Morgantown-based Pikewood Creative produced the 5:30 fast-paced video that focuses on the six businesses while mentioning dozens of others who have been in West Virginia for years.
The testimonials come from Huntington-based Rubberlite Inc., Mountain View Solar of Berkeley Springs, Schonstedt Instrument Company of Kearneysville, Charleston-based University Girls Apparel, Gestamp in South Charleston and Bombardier in Bridgeport.
Burdette said the state Development Office will use the video when it makes cold calls, show it at trade shows and take it with them on trade missions overseas.
Burdette said in many ways the video can be more effective than someone like him standing up and giving a speech.
“The secretary of commerce, that’s what he’s paid to do,” Burdette said. “But it’s another thing to have those six folks, in effect, stand up and say, ‘This has been our experience in the state.’ Most of them aren’t natives to West Virginia.”
The video details the state’s business climate, the state’s workforce and the advantages of working with the development office. It also spends time promoting the state’s quality of life focusing on outdoor activities, the low crime rate and the public education system.
Burdette said there’s always a positive response when he shows the video to West Virginians.
“We’ve made a lot of progress in the last 10 years and to hear businessmen and women tell us all about that progress without being prompted a lot is a good thing,” Sec. Burdette said.