Press Release

W.Va. Chamber, W.Va. High Tech Consortium Foundation
To Launch Small Business Technology Initiative

Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation Provides Seed Grant

February 15, 2005

CHARLESTON -- The West Virginia Chamber of Commerce and the West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation have teamed to create a statewide program to encourage small business people to use broadband and Web-based technologies to improve business performance, expand market opportunities and enhance competitiveness.  The new program, called the West Virginia Small Business Technology Education and Competitiveness Initiative, will be designed to:

1. generate greater demand for and use of broadband connectivity options among West Virginia businesses, particularly in smaller and rural communities;
2. expand awareness, adoption and use of new Web-based technologies and business-solution technological applications that are available to improve West Virginia’s small business competitiveness, performance capabilities and market reach; and
3. foster and facilitate close communication and collaboration among the many different government, business, non-profit and economic development organizations whose purpose is to enable business growth and expansion.

A series of seminars will be held over the next 18 months as a way to introduce small business owners and managers to the wide variety of technologies and business applications that could be used by them in their businesses.

“Most small business people do not have the time nor the capabilities to keep up with the latest business technologies and applications, nor know where to turn when they recognize they have a technological need,” said Steve Roberts, President of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce. “This new program will help expand their awareness of many of these beneficial and cost-effective technologies, as well as try to link them directly to best-in-class solutions or vendors.”

The initiative also will develop seminars and presentations as a way to educate state and local economic development officials and professionals in West Virginia so they have a solid understanding/education in and an ability to articulate fundamental aspects and benefits of business solutions technology and broadband options for small businesses.

The program will be a collaborative effort and will involve establishing partnerships other business development and technology organizations, particularly local chambers of commerce, the state Small Business Development Centers, local economic development authorities, colleges and universities and other community development organizations.

The initiative also will link with governmental entities/programs (such as the Appalachian Regional Commission, the U.S. SBA, etc.) and philanthropic groups for additional funding and resources.

The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation has provided a $100,000 grant to help establish and fund this statewide program.  The initiative is an outgrowth of an ongoing task force that is examining broadband use and access in West Virginia.  That task force comprises 55 stakeholders.

“Small business is the lifeblood of our state’s economy, and this program is designed to help get that blood pumping faster and better,” Roberts added.  The ultimate goal, Roberts noted, is to expand these businesses and to increase overall employment.  “If each small business were to create one new job, that would result in more than 40,000 additional jobs in our state.”