In one of West Virginia’s most promising areas for the value-added wood products industry, three rural counties have joined together for growth. The three-county area of Pocahontas County (population 8,000), Monroe County (population 10,000), and Greenbrier County (population 35,000) have combined forces to form Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corp.

To promote development, the regional group has created a public-private partnership. Current corporate residents and government entities are working together to enhance the communities. The initiated program, named “Progress 2000+” includes five aspects: new business attraction; business retention and encouraging expansion; work force development; community investor relations; and maximizing the quality of life, housing and tourism.

The innovative program has given the West Virginia Counties a “roadmap” that is already leading to an area-wide excitement in the economic promise. In the last two years alone, Greenbrier Valley EDC has created three new industrial parks, one in each of the member counties. Additionally, the group has worked to secure the necessary grants and loans to make the parks ready for industry that comes calling. Two 30,000-square-foot multi-tenant industrial buildings are either under construction or in the planning stages at two of the industrial parks.

Because it offers world-class hardwoods, Greenbrier Valley offers a cost-saving advantage for companies that depend on this valuable raw material. In addition, the area offers a superb quality of life thanks to the presence of four-season recreation. Home to the famed Greenbrier Resort, the area also offers skiing at Snowshoe Resort spring and summer recreation along the Greenbrier River and several Civil War historical sites.

With all of its natural attributes, perhaps the biggest benefit to a Greenbrier Valley location is the work force that companies will find in this rural area.

“In talking with Structural Systems (a wood-products company that located at the Western Greenbrier Industrial Park in Greenbrier County), work force was their number one consideration in choosing this area. They were already recruiting our workers to come to their Maryland plant. The company really liked the West Virginia work ethic and that was a primary reason why it located its second plant here,” said Dick Nevi, executive director of Greenbrier Valley EDC.

Along with value-added wood products, Greenbrier Valley also has its eye on other high-growth industry. Plans are in place to look at developing the I-64 corridor specifically for technology intensive companies.