SWVA
201 2017
ECONOMIC FORUM DISCOVER CONNECT IGNITE
Eisenberg 20 UVa-Wise Magazine
UVA-WISE MISSION TO BOOST ECONOMY Economic developers, educators, business owners and others gathered on May 10 at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise to look at ways to improve Southwest Virginia’s economy by working together and sharing ideas to boost the region and its people. UVa-Wise Chancellor Donna P. Henry welcomed those attending the second SWVA Economic Forum to the David J. Prior Convocation Center. Stephen Moret, president and chief executive officer of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Steve Smith, president and chief executive officer of K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc. and a member of the Go Virginia Board, and state lawmakers Delegate Terry Kilgore and Delegate Israel O’Quinn were among the speakers at the event. “Many of us are partnering in ways we’ve never partnered before and engaging in creative, innovative and new initiatives that we never imagined even five years ago when I arrived in Wise,” Henry said. She listed many projects that had been accomplished since the first forum was held at the College a year ago. Several industrial announcements for new facilities and expansions of existing ones were on the list. DP Facilities and Frontier Secure/Sykes in Wise, TeleTech in Scott County, announcement of Branch Botanicals in Wythe County, expansion of Universal Companies in Washington