West Virginia Development Office

The office routes deployment through two legally distinct vehicles: the West Virginia Economic Development Authority provides low-interest loans and tax-exempt bond financing for large industrial projects, while the West Virginia Jobs Investment Trust makes direct equity investments in early-stage companies. This structure allows the state to participate across debt and equity simultaneously on a single project.

The office manages a portfolio of developed industrial and commercial sites. Key properties include the Heartland Intermodal Gateway in Prichard, which offers rail-to-truck container transfer; the West Virginia Regional Technology Park in South Charleston; the Northgate Business Park in Charleston; and the I-77 Business Park in Jackson County.

Governor Jim Justice oversees the Department of Economic Development as the state's chief executive. Secretary Mitch Carmichael runs day-to-day operations. Major financing commitments through WVEDA and WVJIT require board or state-level approval, giving the governor's office substantial influence over large-scale economic development transactions.

Yes, routinely. Both WVEDA and WVJIT are structured to partner with private lenders, developers, and venture investors. The state typically takes a subordinated or minority position. Private co-investors on past projects have included regional banks, national industrial developers, and corporate strategic partners expanding operations into West Virginia.

The Development Office is a regular participant in the SelectUSA program, the federal government's foreign direct investment attraction initiative. The office also maintains membership in the Southern Economic Development Council, using both platforms to source international companies seeking a US manufacturing or logistics foothold.

Most state economic development agencies focus on grants and tax credits. West Virginia's office additionally owns industrial real estate outright and operates a public venture capital fund. This means the state can negotiate as a landlord, lender, and equity investor in the same transaction — a hybrid posture that shortens deal timelines and gives the state direct financial exposure to project outcomes.

Public record and site inventory indicate heavy weighting toward manufacturing, logistics, energy, and industrial technology. The Heartland Intermodal Gateway signals a concentrated push into transportation and distribution infrastructure. The technology park in South Charleston and the Jobs Investment Trust's venture mandates expand the focus into early-stage tech, particularly firms that can leverage the region's industrial base.