MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia Economic Development Council will hold its annual fall conference beginning Monday at the Morgantown Marriott Waterfront Place.
WVU president Gordon Gee, Morgantown Mayor Bill Kawecki and Monongalia County Commissioner Tom Bloom will hold an opening forum.
Marshal University officials and WVU professor John Deskins will also hold presentations. A legislative update and information about the emerging cannabis market are also scheduled.
West Virginia Economic Development Council president Robbie Morris said a major focus of the conference is diversification within the state economy.
“We’ve seen a lot of growth in the auto industry. We have a lot of growth in aerospace. We’re seeing growth in chemicals,” he said. “But there’s other things especially technology-related we want to go after.”
Morris added the event will feature tours of WVU’s athletic facilities and areas of economic development areas around Morgantown.
“Morgantown is obviously a very bright spot in West Virginia, and our economy with so many different developments,” he said.
The two-day event will also offer ways to improve employee recruiting and understand the current workforce.
The WVU John Chambers College of Economics and Business and West Virginia Forward are the presenting organizations.