Economic forum will go online; starts Sept. 2

The fifth annual Southwest Virginia Economic Forum will take place online in early September, after the COVID-19 virus upended the popular event last May.

The online forum will be open to all and will highlight the resiliency of the region during the pandemic. The theme of the online forum is “Place.”

“We are excited for the opportunity to connect online without boundaries for our fifth forum,” said Shannon Blevins, vice chancellor of economic development and strategic initiatives at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise. “While we will miss seeing everyone gather in person, we believe a virtual two-day event will open the forum to even more participants from other parts of Virginia and beyond. The pandemic has also given us a deeper appreciation for our region and all it has to offer, so celebrating Place as our theme seems appropriate.”

The forum kicks off Sept. 2 on the Forum Facebook page.

• Day one features Melody Warnick, a place attachment expert and author of “This Is Where You Belong: Finding Home Wherever You Are.” She will share inspiring stories and ideas for place leaders looking to nurture a sense of community, build a resilient economy and engage residents in an optimistic vision of the future.

GO Virginia Region One will present a two-part session, “Creating Change,” which will include an overview of GENEDGE, a re-tooling initiative for Virginia’s manufacturers that was funded by the commonwealth’s first statewide Competitive Economic Resilience & Recovery grant. GENEDGE chief Bill Donohue will share how advanced manufacturers across Virginia are reinventing themselves.

This presentation will also feature what happened when GO Virginia Region One collaborated with seven higher education institutions to mobilize Southwest Virginia talent in cross-disciplinary teams of students who helped small businesses develop and enhance their online presence. The panel discussion will feature three students from Bluefield College, Mountain Empire Community College and UVA Wise.

The Big Pivot: Creating the Future is also part of day one as forum organizers examine new ways to navigate crises and address what’s next for region’s future. Chef T of Ina+Forbes Restaurant and Stephen Curd of LaVelle will discuss how they will manage the future.

• Day two focuses on how a crisis creates strong towns and how strong leaders emerge. Panelists will include Brad Hall of American Electric Power; Becky Nave, Virginia Tourism Corporation; Joseph Puckett, Point Broadband; UVA Wise Chancellor Donna P. Henry; and Melanie Protti-Lawrence, co-owner of Lawrence Brothers Industries.

Also, Brandon Dennison of Coalfield Development and Big Stone Gap Town Manager Steve Lawson will discuss rising above the fear of change.

For more information, visit tinyurl.com/SWVAForum online @ Facebook/swvaeconomicforum.