Alliance Offers Complimentary Business Retention and Expansion Visits









January 18, 2018

Alliance Offers Complimentary Business Retention and Expansion Visits

Contact:
Victoria Russo, Business Retention Specialists
304-340-4253 ; vrusso@charlestonareaalliance.org


The Charleston Area Alliance recently enhanced its business retention and expansion program to empower businesses already based in the Charleston area. 

“Enhancing our business retention and expansion program is a proven way for us to identify and address concerns and issues of our existing business base and to also identify opportunities to stimulate local job growth,” said Matt Ballard, the Alliance’s president and CEO. 
“While we always recruit new businesses to our market, recruitment is challenging, has a long time horizon and is expensive. Helping a local business grow to the point that they need to hire more employees, is the quickest way you can impact your economy.”  

Victoria Russo, the Alliance’s new business retention specialist, is spearheading the retention and expansion program. With a background in industrial sales and manufacturing technology, Russo is working to support new entrepreneurial development and business formation in the Kanawha Valley. 
She is also providing technical assistance and support to manufacturers and other companies impacted by the downturn of the coal industry.

The program is funded by Advantage Valley, the Charleston-to-Huntington metro region’s economic development marketing organization, from a grant secured from the Robert C. Byrd Institute Appalachian Hatchery Project as supported through the Appalachian Regional Commission’s POWER initiative and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation.

Companies and entrepreneurs do not have to be members of the Alliance to receive business assistance. 

If your company is interested in a business retention or expansion visit or if you have a suggestion for a company who may benefit from a sit-down session, please contact Victoria Russo at 304-340-4253 or vrusso@charlestonareaalliance.org. 

Business retention specialists are also housed in the Putnam County Economic Development Authority and the Huntington Area Development Council.