Create West Virginia

According to the Kauffman Foundation and other economic think tanks, building a powerful entrepreneurial engine is the only real way to build sustainable long-term job growth. And in this economy, who doesn't want that? 

At the Create WV 2010 Conference our theme is Create Your Own Opportunities. Whether you represent yourself, a community, a school or a community, embracing your ability to chart your future through innovation is a critical cultural shift for the future of West Virginia.

Please attend Create WV and attend some of these Business Innovation Track sessions!

• 10/18, 10:15 AM Capitalization – You and the Market:  What sets you, whether it’s a business or community, apart from everyone else? Gain the knowledge of what you need to do to capitalize the market. Speaker: Ed DeCosta Catalyst Associates

• 10/18, 11:30 AM Panel Discussion: WV – a State of Differentiation, featuring Rick Stellhammer – author West Virginia Curiosities, WVU Extension – The Power of 10, Cathy Schrader - Webster County EDA, Mandy Hart - AppaPhil . Share the uniqueness of WV's communities, developments throughout the state, how organizations / individuals are involved, and attracting outside resources for sustainability

• 10/18, 2:30 PM TOUR Wheeling Exposed - Taste the Wheeling life of an entrepreneur - Dominick Paul Cerrone. Experience the revitalization of a business district while hearing THEIR stories Tour Guides: Duane Thomas, Deana Keener. Locations: Good Mansion Wines and In Wheeling Magazine | Self-guided Tour: Centre Market

• 10/19, 10:15 AM GREAT Ideas and Innovative – Are they the SAME? Speaker: John Marinaro – Ohio Aerospace Insitute. Learn how ideas (great or NOT) must meet the feasibility TEST to spur innovation – some ideas are literally “out of this world”

• 10/19, 11:30 AM Innovation is happening HERE - Moderator: Duane Thomas. Innovation is being activated by a University in the Northern panhandle of WV; by hackers, engineers, artists, and tinkerers in Lexington KY, by Ohio voters in a technology-based economic development initiative; by a regional visioning initiative involving tens of thousands of people across 32 counties in MD, OH, PA, and WV; and by Ferguson Memorial Baptist Church.

• Panel: Ryan Wall - Wheeling Jesuit University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center; Todd Wiley - Collexion; TBD - Ohio Third Frontier; Power of 32; Michelle Foster - Kanawha Institute for Social Research & Action (KISRA)

 Register today and we'll see you in Wheeling!