It’s summer time and we’re all trying to enjoy that time of year usually devoted to vacations and county fairs – in spite of all of the bad things that are happening around us. Rather than focus on the negative, I would like to take a moment and bring to your attention one of the positive things – and all the more so because it’s happening here in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.

On July 26, the Eastern Panhandle Business Association and the Business and Industry Council, which operates statewide, are jointly holding their Second Annual Policy and Progress Forum. BIC was founded in 1982 and, according to its website, “consists of more than 60 West Virginia trade associations and businesses and represents more than 395,000 West Virginia workers across 26 separate industry categories.” Its members call themselves “foot soldiers for change whose goal is to enhance the business climate in West Virginia.” Founded in 1991, the EPBA bills itself as working “for a stronger West Virginia by striving to improve the business climate” of West Virginia and the panhandle.

I am a member of the EPBA and have been for years. It has always been a strong voice in the Eastern Panhandle calling for change in West Virginia; standing for free market principles – those principles that have made other states so prosperous.

Last year’s inaugural forum was such a success that the EPBA membership subsequently more than doubled to over 100 members. The theme of this year’s forum is “Putting West Virginia back to work.”

EPBA chairman and local businessman Jim Ruland calls job creation “the antidote to what ails West Virginia.”

While alluding to the oft-cited rankings that put our state at the top of the bad economic lists and at the bottom of the good ones (West Virginia ranks last in work force participation – by a lot), Ruland stressed that there is a personal side to getting people working. “Having a good job is an important factor in feeling good about oneself,” he said. That would indeed go a long way toward curing many of our social ills.

Ruland said he believes “more progress has been made in the last two years than had been made in the previous 20” when it comes to needed reforms that benefit the state and local economy. “But we still need to keep working to remove the obstacles in our path to prosperity,” he says.

He noted that while progress has been made with regard to legal reform and in other areas, education is an area that needs particular attention. Said Ruland: “West Virginia remains dead last in work force participation. We need a well-trained, well-educated work force,” adding, “Blue Ridge Community and Technical College gets shortchanged because it’s not in Charleston.”

Among the guests slated to attend the forum are West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and U.S. Congressman Alex Mooney, who represents the Eastern Panhandle. Also confirmed is Senate President Bill Cole, who is the Republican candidate for governor. His Democratic challenger, Jim Justice, has been invited but as of this writing has not been confirmed. There will be other members of the Legislature as well.

According to BIC, the event will include an appearance by a senior manager at Procter and Gamble. However, that has not as yet been confirmed. Procter and Gamble ranks 34th on the Fortune 500 list for 2016 and has chosen Martinsburg as the site for its first new facility in the U.S. since 1971. According to West Virginia Metro News, the company began hiring for the new 1 million-square-foot, $500 million facility in October. It plans to have 300 employees by the fall of 2017 and 900 by 2019. It has also contributed funds to the Blue Ridge Community and Technical College to help train them. This is an example of the private sector stepping up to the plate instead of laying off the responsibility on government.

So, while we are bombarded nearly every day with negative news from around the nation and around the world, West Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle in partnership with BIC and the EPBA are working quietly for a more positive future. The Eastern Panhandle is proving to be a leader in our state with regard to economic development and growth and a path to prosperity. The Second Annual Progress and Policy Forum, hosted by the Eastern Panhandle Business Association in partnership with the West Virginia Business and Industry Council will take place from 1 to 4 p.m., July 26 at the Skyline Terrace Ballroom at the Hollywood Casino and Charles Town Races. It is free and open to the public, but if you plan to attend RSVP at www.epba.biz.