West Virginia's
Creative Communities Under Construction project is underway to promote the
Create West Virginia Conference set for October 20-22 at
Snowshoe Mountain Resort. The viral campaign is being spread by West Virginia bloggers. If you are creatively curious, attend the conference and check out the
Create WV Blog.
I'm promoting the conference because the future of West Virginia lies in creating a "new" intellectually-based economy using the creative skills of our people. Focusing our efforts on this type of economy creates a "wonderful" environment to live in where "wild" ideas can thrive. I want to attract similarly minded people to West Virginia who believe intelligence, creativity, technology, innovation, arts and culture are the foundation for our future.
The
viral campaign asked that we each highlight an element of the new economy in our hometown or county. Since others will cover
Charleston, I thought I would share information about my hometown,
New Martinsville, and
Wetzel County. New Martinsville is a community where a kid named
Greg Babe (
related story from Wheeling Intelligencer) can grow up "out Doolin" to become the first American to lead a German-based global chemical and pharmaceutical company, where a girl named
Sandra Block, who ran around the local newspaper with her mom, can grow up and write about Money for USA Today, where a kid named
Ralph Baxter can grow up to lead a global law firm, and where a boy named
Bill Stewart, who played high school football, can realize his dream of leading the Mountaineers.
Although New Martinsville, like many West Virginia communities, has struggled economically, one bright example of entrepreneurship is
Baristas Cafe & Pub on Main Street where you can drink locally and think globally. Baristas is a great place to hang out any time of the day or night and get a coffee, have some brick oven pizza or sip a Guiness.
How many baristas can claim a feature article in the
New York Times written by
Rebecca Skloot who sometimes escapes to the hills of Wetzel County to write (and
blog)? Skloot's article captures the early essence of Baristas' opening in New Martinsville, and although probably an over simplified view of my howetown, gives a glimpse at the comparison between the old and new economy existing in West Virginia.
Today they operate an environmentally friendly beekeeping business with over 700 bee hives and produce some of the
sweetest stuff that West Virginia offers. In 2002, they acquired the Mountain Craft Shop, a business founded in 1963 by folk toy master
Dick Schnacke. Thanks to the Conlons', the amazing vision, creativity and tradition of Mr. Schnacke continues -- employing local woodworking artisans and giving children around the globe (including my own) the experience of a whimmydittle or flipper dinger.
Below is a guest commentary by the President of
Bethany College,
Dr. Scott D. Miller, highlighting the new economy opportunities being developed at Bethany College in
Bethany, West Virginia.
I approached President Miller with this project because I thought it important to highlight what I think is the best kept educational and community experience in West Virginia -- the Bethany Community. My undergraduate years (1984-88) were spent at Bethany and provided me with
education and experience to become a successful health care and technology lawyer. President Miller's latest editorial in the West Virginia State Journal,
"It's Time to Get Serious About Global Awareness," is the type of innovative and progressive thinking that goes on at Bethany. The editorial is timely in light of the topics to be discussed at the Create WV Conference.
Below is guest commentary provided to me by Dr. Miller:
"West Virginia in the 21st Century: A World Without Borders - A Future Without Limits."At Bethany College, we are preparing students to participate in a new world defined far more by intellectual limitations than geographic boundaries. The majestic mountains and raging rivers that created West Virginia’s borders stood as barriers to progress in the past. But as our state moves forward into the 21st Century, technology has given us the opportunity to play a major role in a world without borders and a future without limits. 
I devoted my September Higher Education column in the State Journal to exploring how our state’s colleges and universities could best groom our students to compete in a marketplace where Beijing is a mere mouse click away from Buckhannon. The success of three alumni illustrates the unlimited potential that awaits individuals who are willing to embrace the concept of global awareness with innovation and creativity. Thomas Buergenthal is the only American Judge on the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands. Gregory Jordan, Chairman of our College’s Board of Trustees, is Global Managing Partner for Reed Smith, LLP, one of the largest law firms on the planet. George “Ken” Bado helps shape how we view the world – literally – he serves as Executive Vice President of Sales and Service for Autodesk, a company whose computer technology helps build the largest dam in the world in China, and provides special effects for most of the movies you view.We believe it’s important to be on the cutting edge of providing new and challenging opportunities for students to expand their academic horizons. John Osborne, our Director of Career Counseling and Placement, has a “been there, done that” style. After graduating from Bethany, he spent 16 years in a variety of senior management positions with Apple Computer and another decade in management at IBM. There’s no substitute for a counselor with personal experience when your son or daughter is trying to chart out the next 40 years of his life.We’ve put these ideas into practice outside our classrooms, as well, with the Camp Canyon youngsters who visit our campus each summer. Our unique staffing arrangement, which utilizes local college-level coaches and instructors along with American and international “skill-specific” professionals, gives us the flexibility to create multiple specialty camp experiences in a traditional “summer camp” setting.The 21st Century offers opportunities and challenges for West Virginia and West Virginians. It’s time for us to realize that borders are nothing more than lines on a map in this increasingly global economy.Dr. Scott D. MillerPresidentBethany College
Each year Create WV holds an annual conference. The first annual conference was held in 2007 and attracted approximately 250 attendees. Last year’s event held at Snowshoe Resort and attracted 395 attendees. This year’s Create West Virginia 2009 Conference is set for October 18-20 in 
