By A.J. Kaufman, Managing Editor
The University of Virginia’s College at Wise hosted its annual Southwest Virginia Economic Forum just before Memorial Day weekend. The 11th forum, themed “Rooted & Rising,” explored how Southwest Virginia can honor its foundations while pursuing bold economic growth.
Held at the David J. Prior Convocation Center, the event brought together stakeholders committed to the economic well-being of Southwest Virginia and the broader Appalachian Highlands. The May 21 forum created space for networking and conversations that support communities across Central Appalachia.
The day concluded with the second Regional Housing Symposium. The two-hour event featured six speeches by policymakers and community leaders focused on engaging local communities to address housing challenges and meet regional needs.
More than 200 people attended the symposium, nearly double last year’s turnout. Kristen Dahlman, Virginia Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade, opened the symposium, which was sponsored by the Regional Workforce Housing Alliance of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. The alliance launched two years ago to focus attention on workforce housing availability across the Appalachian Highlands.
Other presenters included Sean Gilbert, president of the National Association of Housing & Redevelopment Officials; Hamilton Lombard, estimates program manager at the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service; Jordan Stidham, executive director of Open Door Community; Lydeana Martin, community and economic development director for Floyd County; and Mayana Rice, director of Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners.
Gilbert in particular spoke of Southwest’s resiliency and the momentum behind regional collaboration.
“Housing drives healthcare recruitment, educational opportunities and creates regional competitiveness. And increasingly across America, housing determines whether communities grow or they slowly decline,” he explained. “Southwest Virginia does not need to become Northern Virginia to succeed. I don’t even think it should try. This region’s success and strength is in its authenticity, its people and its culture, our mountains, heritage, our resilience and in its sense of community.”
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger made her first appearance in Wise earlier in the day. After Del. Terry Kilgore of Scott County introduced her, much of the governor’s short speech focused on offering stability, predictability and reliability.
During media availability, considering her predecessor visited Southwest Virginia more than three dozen times, Business Journal of Tri-Cities Editor A.J. Kaufman asked the governor if we can expect to see more of her and what kind of economic development and business-related initiatives the region might look forward to during her term.
“You can absolutely expect to see more of me,” she replied, noting she was most recently in Abingdon for a regional readiness summit and was heading there later in the day. “And related to overall economic development is the steadiness of cohesiveness. And certainly, there’s a lot of cohesion, but from the perspective of the readiness of public safety side, we went through practice scenarios of different types of larger-scale emergencies and what are the holes that, frankly, from a state perspective, we need to be aware of and where can we help ensure that there is state and local or regional partnership when it’s necessary.”
Spanberger said she will spend time focused on the security of the health system within Southwest Virginia.
“But part of the challenge that exists, certainly with the strain on rural hospitals and rural healthcare infrastructure — whether it’s from a public safety readiness standpoint or an economic development standpoint — in addition to wanting to make sure that people have access to housing, businesses looking to invest want to make sure that their employees might have access to the healthcare that’s necessary,” she explained. “I’ve been delighted to visit multiple times since I was sworn in, and I look forward to being back many times more.”
Later in the day, the governor announced a “Rural Health Transformation” grant, which consisted of $127,500 awarded to Virginia Highlands Community College to
expand healthcare workforce training opportunities.
Read more about the entire Southwest Virginia Economic Forum in the July Business Journal of Tri-Cities.
