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- Wood County Development Executive Director Lindsey Piersol addresses the annual meeting of the Wood County Development Authority and the Parkersburg-Wood County Area Development Corporation Wednesday at the Parkersburg Country Club where she told those in attendance of three possible development projects that could be coming together soon. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
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- C. Paige Webster of Webster Global Site Selectors was the keynote speaker for the annual meeting of the Wood County Development Authority and the Parkersburg-Wood County Area Development Corporation Wednesday at the Parkersburg Country Club. He spoke about what companies are looking for in selecting sites to develop. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
Wood County Development Executive Director Lindsey Piersol addresses the annual meeting of the Wood County Development Authority and the Parkersburg-Wood County Area Development Corporation Wednesday at the Parkersburg Country Club where she told those in attendance of three possible development projects that could be coming together soon. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
VIENNA — This year has been one of building for what is to come, said the executive director of Wood County Development at a meeting highlighting development in the area.
The annual meeting of the Wood County Development Authority and the Parkersburg-Wood County Area Development Corporation was held Wednesday at the Parkersburg Country Club. Wood County Development Executive Director Lindsey Piersol talked about what is happening in the area relating to economic development.
“Economic development is the cornerstone on which the prosperity and wellbeing of a community, a state and a nation are built,” she said. “It is about creating opportunities, improving living standards and securing a brighter future for all.”
She had hopes that she would have been able to announce one to three projects that are close to happening in the area, but was not able to yet.
“I think at next year’s annual meeting there will be a lot more to talk about,” Piersol said.
C. Paige Webster of Webster Global Site Selectors was the keynote speaker for the annual meeting of the Wood County Development Authority and the Parkersburg-Wood County Area Development Corporation Wednesday at the Parkersburg Country Club. He spoke about what companies are looking for in selecting sites to develop. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
Over the past year the development office has 57 leads and prospects and completed over 142 project follow-ups, Piersol said.
Access to education, infrastructure, employment and housing are all factors that help economic development. Work is being done to secure money to help infrastructure at different sites.
“Education is the bedrock of economic development,” she said.
She talked about West Virginia University at Parkersburg and the Ross Foundation purchasing the former Ohio Valley College campus (200 acres) to create the WVU-P Technology Center.
The site will focus on degrees in computer science, computer information technology, bachelor of applied technology and cybersecurity and networking as well as growth in mechanical engineering. The college hopes to place 25 technology based incubators at the facility. Piersol said she and college officials have had interest from three companies, from outside the area, to do something at that facility.
“We are really excited to see that campus repurposed into something good that will bring growth and development to the community,” Piersol said.
The new Discovery World Museum in downtown Parkersburg has had over 37,000 guests come in since opening in April.
“They are growing and we are excited to see what else they will bring to the community,” Piersol said.
She talked about job growth at Mister Bee Potato Chips and Fontaine Modification locally.
Small businesses are the backbone of the local economy.
“For every dollar spent in the community, 80 cents stays within a local business,” Piersol said.
C. Paige Webster of Webster Global Site Selectors was the keynote speaker and spoke about what goes into site selection for a company to choose an area to locate.
Site selectors analyze the needs of the company and research cities, counties and states to find the best locations as well as the best incentives available.
“We are not just site selectors, we are site eliminators,” Webster said. “If you don’t have all the boxes checked that is where you get eliminated.”
Things they consider include labor costs, transportation costs, real estate costs, utility costs and quality of life. Quality of life is subjective as people would think their area is the best, but others might not see it.
In addition to education, the number of available daycare centers are also important as employees will need somewhere where they can drop their kids off when they go to work.
“If they come in for a site visit you are probably in the top four,” Webster said, adding a community may be competing with another community in another state.
Selectors will look at an entire area and what is available, not only for the company’s needs but also the needs of employees and their families. If they don’t have something on the list the company is looking for they can be eliminated.
“I’m trying to connect the dots between the community and the projects in my portfolio that would work in that community,” Webster said.
Brett Dunlap can be reached at [email protected]
