Roundtabe Hosts

Photo credit: Andrew Yianne

Sarah Forbes

Sarah Forbes, is a Randolph County wife and mother. She has worked with other scientists and engineers around the globe and has previously published work on clean energy technology deployment. Her experience includes invited lectures at technical conferences and universities, interaction with the media and testimony before US Congress.

Dan Foster (Credit: Chip Ellis)

Dr. Dan Foster is a retired surgeon and former state senator who is now an administrative physician at CAMC and president of the board of directors of West Virginians for Affordable Health Care.

Ankur Kumar (Credit: Andrew Yianne)

Ankur Kumar is a full-time industrial engineering student at West Virginia University, an event coordinator, a free-lance web designer, and avid outdoor recreationist. He recently co-launched SendParachute.com, a web/mobile app designed to connect citizens to legislators. He is a native of Charleston.

Marty Pugh

Martha Groves Pugh, a native of Richwood, West Virginia, and counsel in the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP based in Washington, D.C., will co-facilitate the event with Create WV board leadership. Pugh has extensive experience with new market tax credits in both the context of transactions and legislative efforts related to new market tax credits.

Logan Spears

Logan Spears is the founder of Syntropy, a business software company in Morgantown, West Virginia. He has worked extensively in the oil and gas industry. He is currently co-instructing a course on mobile app development at WVU.

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What is an Innovation Economy, and what’s in it for YOU?

Innovation economics is an economic theory that emphasizes entrepreneurship and innovation in every facet of our lives, businesses and communities.

Create West Virginia has been championing innovation and entrepreneurship since 2006…and hundreds of people around the Mountain State are leading by example. We need more innovation economy thinking and doing across the board. Innovation is what drives the new economy! What is the Innovation Economy? Please allow us to explain.

We’ve provided an ” Innovation Guide ” to the candidates and the public that will contain useful data, trends, case studies and other examples of innovation-driven economic growth, development, and best practices.

We believe that you recognize that West Virginia is in the middle of a large shift, and that the time has never been riper to think about a new plan for our future.

Let’s keep the momentum toward innovation!

All four candidates were invited to submit their answers to the roundtable questions in writing. Click on their images to read their written responses.

Mr. Cole and Mr. Justice declined. They each submitted letters, which are available by clicking on their image.

The questions were designed to help listeners assess each candidate’s knowledge, attitudes, and abilities required for economic transformation.

Booth Goodwin

Bill Cole

Jeff Kessler

Jim Justice

The Recorded Session

This video is provided courtesy of South Charleston High School media studies students. They ran the cameras and managed the production as best they could in spite of some pretty limiting conditions in the venue. Apologies for fluctuations in quality throughout. Please refer to written questions submitted by Booth Goodwin and Jeff Kessler by clicking on their images above. The video runs for the entire two-hour session, with both candidates on stage at the end fielding questions from the audience.