Venue Location on Campus: William B. Robertson Library
Jim Spencer is Director of Bluefield, West Virginia’s Community & Economic Development and since 2019, he is Executive Director for the Bluefield WV Economic Development Authority (BEDA). Jim has set up Bluefield’s Commercialization Station, a mixed-use incubator focusing on manufacturing; he has developed “shovel-ready” pads on City-owned property at Exit 1 off Interstate 77, acquired two Opportunity Zone designations for Bluefield and the City of Princeton, WV. His other entrepreneurial programs and endeavors include “E2E” program and attracting Intuit’s “Prosperity Hub” which will bring 200 – 500 jobs to the City’s Historic Downtown. BEDA is working with Intuit to develop the MyBluefield Small Business Success Center which will provide training, resources and support for entrepreneurs, startups and existing businesses. Jim won the Small Communities, Business Solutions 2021 Advocate at the Third Annual Small Communities, BIG Solutions Conference, which showcased West Virginia successes and highlighted what is working across the state’s 21 most southern counties. He has taught for VA Tech in various programs for over 10 years and participated in the InBIA’s Rural Entrepreneurship Webinar Series in November 2020. Formerly, as Tazewell County’s Public Service Authority Administrator and County Administrator, Jim raised substantial revenues for water, sewer, broadband, landfill expansion, economic development, and building projects, which earned him praise and recognition by former Governors of Virginia.
For additional information, contact Sudhakar R JamkhandiDirector, International InitiativesProfessor of EnglishBluefield State University219 Rock StreetBluefield WV 24701P: 304-327-4036Email: sjamkhandi@bluefieldstate.edu
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