Charleston’s Young Professionals Organize
The Charleston Area Alliance Board of Directors want these headlines to appear in local newspapers in 2010: “College graduates flock to Charleston region” and “Average age in West Virginia reaches 36.”
The Alliance, a local economic and community development group, charged the group’s Business Development Committee at its 2006 strategic planning retreat to find ways to attract and keep young professionals in the region.
Jack Rossi, Chairman of the Alliance Board said, “We must keep and support our young professionals who build our intellectual capital, a critical piece of a healthy economy.”
The Alliance has formed a young professionals team to develop strategies and the first topic targeted was affordable downtown housing. A forum was organized with the West Virginia Housing Development Fund who were so impressed with the ideas suggested that they asked Alliance Executive Vice President Matt Ballard to appoint a liaison to the Fund’s housing committee. Charles Roskovensky, an attorney with the West Virginia Legislature, recently assumed that role.
Roskovensky says, “Young professionals are looking for affordable housing opportunities downtown – revitalized warehouses remodeled into flats, renovated homes on the East End, and locations in and nearby the city that allow them to take advantage of evening and weekend activities.”
“The recent announcement of a housing project on Charleston’s East End planned for CAMC residents and medical students is an exciting beginning,” said Sally Smith, an attorney with Bowles Rice who chairs the Business Development Committee for the Alliance.
Housing is not the only issue on the minds of Charleston’s young professionals. Erin Molchany, Executive Director of Pittsburgh’s Urban Magnet Project (PUMP), joined the Charleston group during FestivALL to share other ideas at an Alliance meeting on June 23. The event was catered by Meticulous, owned by Charleston young professionals Ehren and Wendy Johnson. “Charleston is a great city and FestivALL is exactly the kind of activity that generates interest in this age group,” Molchany noted. “Reducing the brain drain of under-40 professionals is a critical goal for economic development in cities like Charleston and Pittsburgh.”
Jessica Faulkenberry, Vice President at BB&T, is coordinating projects with Huntington’s young professionals group to ensure a regional effort.
Other young professionals interested in participating can contact Charleston Area Alliance Vice President Matt Ballard at 340-4253 or on the Alliance blog at http://charleston-west-virginia-economic-dev.blogspot.com.
The Charleston Area Alliance Board of Directors want these headlines to appear in local newspapers in 2010: “College graduates flock to Charleston region” and “Average age in West Virginia reaches 36.”
The Alliance, a local economic and community development group, charged the group’s Business Development Committee at its 2006 strategic planning retreat to find ways to attract and keep young professionals in the region.
Jack Rossi, Chairman of the Alliance Board said, “We must keep and support our young professionals who build our intellectual capital, a critical piece of a healthy economy.”
The Alliance has formed a young professionals team to develop strategies and the first topic targeted was affordable downtown housing. A forum was organized with the West Virginia Housing Development Fund who were so impressed with the ideas suggested that they asked Alliance Executive Vice President Matt Ballard to appoint a liaison to the Fund’s housing committee. Charles Roskovensky, an attorney with the West Virginia Legislature, recently assumed that role.
Roskovensky says, “Young professionals are looking for affordable housing opportunities downtown – revitalized warehouses remodeled into flats, renovated homes on the East End, and locations in and nearby the city that allow them to take advantage of evening and weekend activities.”
“The recent announcement of a housing project on Charleston’s East End planned for CAMC residents and medical students is an exciting beginning,” said Sally Smith, an attorney with Bowles Rice who chairs the Business Development Committee for the Alliance.
Housing is not the only issue on the minds of Charleston’s young professionals. Erin Molchany, Executive Director of Pittsburgh’s Urban Magnet Project (PUMP), joined the Charleston group during FestivALL to share other ideas at an Alliance meeting on June 23. The event was catered by Meticulous, owned by Charleston young professionals Ehren and Wendy Johnson. “Charleston is a great city and FestivALL is exactly the kind of activity that generates interest in this age group,” Molchany noted. “Reducing the brain drain of under-40 professionals is a critical goal for economic development in cities like Charleston and Pittsburgh.”
Jessica Faulkenberry, Vice President at BB&T, is coordinating projects with Huntington’s young professionals group to ensure a regional effort.
Other young professionals interested in participating can contact Charleston Area Alliance Vice President Matt Ballard at 340-4253 or on the Alliance blog at http://charleston-west-virginia-economic-dev.blogspot.com.
posted by Charleston West Virginia Economic Development
@ 11:47 AM
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