Concord College plans high-tech business incubator

ATHENS - While the idea of combining a business incubator and college campus isn't new nationally, it's still a fairly unique setup in West Virginia.

The High Tech Consortium in Fairmont is close to Fairmont State Caollege and West Virginia University, but they don't share the facility. A new project at Concord College, however, will make roommates out of high-tech education and economic development.

The college is currently looking to expand its White Hall by about 30,000 square feet and renovate parts of the existing building to house both technology-enhanced classrooms and a business incubator.

The "Southern West Virginia Technology Center" should cost about $7.5 million and has received unanimous support from groups like the Mercer County Economic Development Authority and the Concord College Foundation.

"The basic idea was that we have worked to attract talented faculty with experience in information technology and computer science, and now we have to connect that stream of talent to small business and sound economic development, " said Concord President Jerry Beasley. "Talent tends to attract talent. We not only want to help attract talent, we want to keep it."

The enhanced facility will include a virtual reality laboratory, a darkroom, a digital sound mini-lab, TV and radio studios, graphic design labs, a computer center and multi-media classrooms for students studying information technology, computer-assisted graphic arts and computer science, as well as any tract of study that can benefit from technology "programs that are increasingly dependent on high-speed Internet connection," Beasley said. Administrative and faculty offices may also be located in the center.

The center also will transfer hightech processes used at the college to local businesses. The idea is to enhance the competitiveness, productivity and profitability of southeastern West Virginia's economy through the incubator's e-commerce activities.

Like other incubators throughout the state, Concord's will enable individuals to start a business, receive technical support and then spin off into the economy, hopefully locally.

Based on other incubator experiences, Beasley said, these businesses should contribute more than $11 million in salaries and other economic factors in the region after three years of operation.

In addition, he added, the center's construction should generate around $40 million in the local economy.

He expects four to five small businesses will initially take advantage of the incubator, providing 30 people with betterpaying jobs with salaries of $40,000 or more. The average stay for each business should be about three years.

Students will now have the opportunity to learn in a place where the business process is already taking place.

And once they graduate, they are already close to support for starting their own small businesses, thereby providing immediate incentive to keep and establish their fresh knowledge in the area.

Concord already has $1.9 million for the project, which came through a Housing and Urban Development grant.

The school also is applying for $5 million of the $200 million to be handed out to different projects around the state by the Economic Development Grant Committee.

Beasley said the expansion is absolutely qualified for a grant, as "it will clearly enhance an area that is hard-pressed for producing good jobs ... It'll be a good investment." Other sources include college revenue and Concord College Foundation support.

Depending on availability of funds, the project could start in January 2002, and Beasley said the construction should last about 16 months.

The expansion project, Beasley said, is tied to two other projects concurrently taking place at Concord.

One is an entrepreneurial studies program, which will involve successful business people around the area mentoring 40 students over a four-year period.

The college is now looking for endowment to support the program, and with the Eminent Scholars Programs, which the state Legislature approved this past session, Beasley said private benefactors should be more willing to endorse it.

The other project is the "Board of Visitors," a collaboration with the state Development Office and The Greenbrier Resort.

Influential business people are to gather and advise Concord on its long-term development and how to locate more jobs in the surrounding region.

Beasley also hopes those involved will influence development and "make things happen."

Beasley calls all of this activity the "transitioning" of economic development in southeastern West Virginia.

"Traditionally, our economic development authorities build shell buildings and hope people come in, and clearly that has to continue. But I think there are other types of business we can attract," he said.

Concord, Beasley said, is at the center of growth in southeastern West Virginia.

The fact that full-time enrollment there increased from 2,100 to 2,816 over the past five years is a big reason Mercer County is one of the only counties in the state that has increased in population.

So, it's part of the college's duty to make sure that population has a solid job market, Beasley said.

"I've got to say, we're Johny-come-latelys to economic development," he said. "But our first job as an educational institution is to produce people who have ability, although I do believe we are called on to do more than that."