Starting this month, a new executive director will take over the reins of the Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation (GVEDC).
- Andrew Hagy was presented to the board of directors at the November meeting by president of the board, Charlie Sheets. Hagy was hired after a lengthy search for a successor to previous executive director Stephen Weir, who resigned in February to accept a position in Charleston.
At the presentation, Hagy praised the GVEDC’s regional outlook, stating he believes the member counties – Greenbrier, Monroe and Pocahontas – are in a position to make the most of their “strength in numbers.” Hagy told the GVEDC board, “The opportunities are just unbelievable,” referring to the region’s infrastructure, tourism and agriculture industries and abundant natural resources, according to The Register-Herald.
Hagy has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility throughout his career, coursing over 25 years of experience in local and state economic development. As the head of The Hagy Group, a successful economic development consulting firm in the Richmond, VA, area, Hagy promoted economic development, commercial real estate and government relations. He previously served as national project manager for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and was economic development director for Spotsylvania County, Fredericksburg, VA.
Hagy presented his first director’s report at the January board meeting on Thursday, Jan. 19, at GVEDC offices at the Rahall Building in Maxwelton. Now that he has assumed leadership of the GVEDC, he said he plans to spend a lot of time in Charleston, saying, “You’ve got to be in their face constantly.”
A constant presence is required, he said, to keep state officials mindful of the needs of the Greenbrier Valley. Hagy is conversant with the ins and outs of state and federal government, having served as district representative for U.S. Sen. John Warner.
“I’ve got a good bag of goods… and I can apply it to this region,” he pledged.
Hagy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in public relations and mass communication from Virginia Commonwealth University; an Associate of Science in business from Southwest Virginia Community College; and is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute from the University of Oklahoma.
He currently resides in Glen Allen, VA.
As the designated economic development organization for Greenbrier, Monroe and Pocahontas counties, GVEDC provides new and existing businesses with a variety of services, including business financing, general and technical assistance, site selection, access to training and a highly skilled workforce. The GVEDC targets numerous industries, including alternative energy and fuels, food and agriculture related, logistics, warehousing and distribution, manufacturing, retail and technology, research and development.