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1BPuTnam Progress 2013:
sTorY BY BonnY rushBrook/ The PuTnam heraldF
oming off Interstate 64 at Teays Valley is a hungry traveler’s dream — billboard afterbillboard announcing every kind of fast food restaurant, from hamburgers and sub sand-wiches to tacos to fried chicken — and don’t forget pizza. There are at least six places ina one-mile radius dedicated to America’s favorite tomato and cheese pie.
However, if those travelers want to sit down and eat dinner at a good, casual dinner res-taurant where he or she gets served by a wait staff, they will find they have fewer choices.
Putnam Progress 2013:
CommerCe
www.herald-dispatch.com Friday, March 22, 2013
Hurricane City Manager Ben New-house said trying to convince casualdining restaurant chains to move intothe city of Hurricane or Teays Valleywas difficult because they believe ifthey have restaurants in Huntingtonand Charleston, they do not need toopen another one in this area, which isabout half way between the two cities.However, he notes that those chainshave long lines and long waiting timesfor tables.
“They’ve got huge waiting lines.We’ve written and spoken to 75 to 100restaurants, trying to get them to takean interest,” Newhouse said about hisefforts to get some of the bigger restau-rants to come to Hurricane.
Newhouse explained that when thebig chains are looking for an area inwhich to put a restaurant, they want toknowhowmany people livewithin a 15-mile radius, the average income of thearea and howmuch disposable incomethe residents have. In addition, theywant to know about taxes, fees, zon-
ing rules and regulations, controllingland, land prices and financing. He saidHurricane also has a problem becauseof the town’s shortage of buildings. Hesaid he had tried to get the Fat Patty’srestaurant to open in Hurricane, butit went to Teays Valley because of thelack of buildings to house a restaurant.Fat Patty’s moved into the old Shoney’sbuilding just off the Teays Valley exit.
“If we can’t have it in Hurricane, I amglad it’s inPutnamCounty,”hesaid.New-housebelieveswithapopulationof55,673,thecountycansupportmore restaurants.He added that 60,000 cars and truckstravel on the Interstate through PutnamCounty every day, which should add tothe support of more restaurants.
Despite the fact there are not manycasual dining restaurants in Teays Val-ley, one thing stands out about the onesthat are flourishing: They are eitherlocally owned or, if they are a franchise,the operators are local.
Along with Applebee’s, Bob Evans,RioGrande, El RanchoGrande, Taste of
Asia andBarnyardBarbeque, TeaysVal-ley claims some great eating places.
With a sign that towers over all of theother businesses on Route 34, Fat Pat-ty’s, located in the old Shoney’s buildingnearHampton Inn, came inwith a bangover the Labor Day weekend 2012, andhas not slowed down in its popularity.Owned by Huntington resident ClintArtrip, the restaurant features a vari-ety of burgers with fun names such asthe “Lava Patty,” with red-hot grilledjalapenos, the “Not SoCow” vegetarianpatty, the “Big Fat Patty,” which at 12ounces is labeled amonster burger, andeven the “VampireKiller,”which speaksfor itself. The restaurant also servesBBQ, sandwiches, salads and dinners.Fat Patty’s has been especially popularwith customers, filling the parking lotand the road leading onto it.
The Fireside Grille, which openedFeb. 21, 2011, is located at 4170 Route 34beside the Hampton Inn. It is owned
City manager makes case for morecasual dining options for residents
C
Please see DINING/2B
JOB: President/CEO of BarnesAgency. Advertis-ing, Marketing andPublic Relations inTeays ValleyHOW DID I
GET INTO MYCAREER: “Istarted in hospitaladministration andthen moved intohospital market-ing.”FIRST JOB:
“Loading andunloading 18-wheeler trailers forUPS. Tough job!”FAMILY: “My lovely wife, Susan. My won-
derful son, Trevor. My beautiful stepdaughter,Lauren. I am blessed to have them all in mylife. Oh, and our shelter cat, Grace. She is partof our family, too!”SPECIAL SKILLS: “Communication. I never
meet a stranger.”FAVORITE BOOK: The BibleFAVORITE MOVIE: “Gladiator”FAVORITE TV SHOW: “ ‘Mad Men.’ If only
my wife would let me keep scotch in my officelike Don Draper.”
keY PlaYer:Jeff Barnes
Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch
Vehicles travel down the busy State Route 34 off of Interstate 64’s Exit 39 in Teays Valley.
WHAT’S FORDINNER?
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In 2011, the PutnamCountyChamber of Commerce iden-tified a Visioning Process as
an importantobjective in itsannual plan-ning session. In2012, it becamea reality after
the Chamber Board of Direc-tors authorized the VisioningProcess in its budget and cre-ated a permanent ExecutiveCommittee position to ensurethe future success of this proj-ect.
The initial objectives wereto enable the Chamber tobecomemore involvedwithand relevant to its member-ship and to provide a continu-ous process tomake PutnamCounty a better place to live,work and play.
In conjunction withMar-shall University, PutnamCoun-ty residentswere surveyedonavariety of topics to determineissues important to the busi-ness community and thepublicin general. The results of thesurveywere expected, indicat-ing theneed for community andeducational projects, updatedinfrastructure, economicdevel-opment,workforce and retaildevelopment and health careissues.
Along with the survey, theChamber also conductedextensive talks with commu-nity leaders and our electedofficials to develop a frame-work fromwhich to begin atthe first Vision Summit inJanuary 2012. About 35 busi-ness and community leaderscame together in 2012 andwith the help of Chuck Stump,acting as moderator, devel-
oped our first projects for theVisioning Process.
This project is an ongoingeffort by the Chamber to con-tinually improve our countyby identifying issues central toimproving the business cli-mate and overall quality of lifefor PutnamCounty. By bring-ing a cross-section of busi-ness and community leaderstogether at one time, we canmaximize our ideas on futuregrowth and establish a processto accomplish the same.
“The Chamber Boardis thrilled to continue theVisioning process in 2013. Wehave created a forum that willallow leaders in every sec-tor and in every part of thecounty an opportunity to cometogether and create a singleplan tomove PutnamCounty
forward,” saidMandyCurry,Visioning Chair. “The Cham-ber is passionate about leadingthis initiative and believes it’simportant for businesses andresidents towork and live in athriving community that has asolid plan for future growth.”
One year after the initialsummit, on Friday, Feb. 15,2013, the group of commu-nity leaders reassembled atSleepy Hollow Golf Club togive updates on the successesof 2012 and to re-evaluatesome issues identified in2012.
It is always importantto refocus our efforts onthe initiatives that can beaccomplished and if needed,identify new areas that needthe attention of the Vision-ing Process. Projects on the
radar for 2013 include findingsolutions to the drug problemin the county, working withplanning and zoning, explor-ing the possibility of a newcommunity center to holdlarger events in the marketand an increased focus onrestaurants and retail growthin PutnamCounty.
To follow the progress madeby the Visioning Project checkout the Chamber’s monthlyPride and Progress Newsletterat www.putnamchamber.orgor contact the Putnam CountyChamber of Commerce.
Ashley Alford is the publicrelations representative forthe Putnam County Chamberof Commerce and can bereached at 304-757-6510 [email protected].
Putnam Herald2B The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 22, 2013 Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2776 www.putnamherald.com
byMarcW. Brown and Judi andRob Sydenstricker.
The restaurant featuresAmerican cuisine, burgers andsalads, along with such offer-ings as steak, walleye, salmonfilet, St. Louis Ribs, wood-firedgrilled chicken and shrimp.It has flat-screened TVs forwatching sports and featuresjazz pianist Bob Thompson andhis band periodically duringthe year.
Graziano’s Pizza, located at200 Great Teays Blvd., has beena mainstay in Teays Valley for adozen years. Owned by PhillipGraziano, the restaurant openedMarch 4, 2001.
ManagerEvanMullins said allof their food is homemade withpepperoni rolls being one of themost popular. Dinners consist ofmanicotti, spaghetti, eggplantparmesan, chicken parmesanand 14-layer lasagna.
“It’s really thick, and the serv-ing is very generous. It will fittwo people easily,”Mullins said.Pizza is also one of their popularofferings.
BesideGraziano’s is theChinaChef, located at 200-5 GreatTeays Blvd., which has beenin operation for a few years.The restaurant is owned by twobrothers, Charlie and KevinLin.
The restaurant features bothlunch and dinner with about 12different offerings that include
sweet and sour chicken,moogoogai pan, pepper steak and Gen-eral Tso’s chicken. Appetizersinclude fried chickenwings, crabmeat rangoon, teriyaki chicken,and steamed or fried dumplings,among others. They are particu-larly known for their “all you caneat” buffet.
If you like the idea of a familyrestaurant, The Italian Grille& Deli is an excellent example.Owned byMike, Vicky and Eli-jah Rader and Byron Guerrant,the restaurant also hasmanagerJesse Rader and a grandmoth-er and aunt who work there.A trained chef, Elijah Raderattended the Johnson & WellsCulinary Institute.
“All other workers are friendswe have known. It is very close-knit,” Jesse Rader said. Therestaurant will hold about 100patrons.
The restaurant serves Ital-ian food, steaks, seafood, pizzaand subs. Most food is home-made such as lasagne,meatballsand alfredo sauce. Dessert isall homemade with the excep-tion of the canoli. The shellsare store bought, and the fam-ily makes the custard filling.Cakes are a specialty at this res-taurant. They include CoconutCream Cake, Lemon CrumbleandChocolate BrownieCake. Inaddition, they include TiramsuCake (coffee-flavored lady fin-gers) and traditional Italiandesserts such as Italian CreamCake.
Along with standard pizza,they make Barbequed Chicken
Pizza, Eggplant Pizza and onecalled The Italy.
If it is ice cream or yogurtyou like as a special treat, TeaysValley has a lot to offer. TCBYhas been a mainstay in the areafor several years. However, twonew ones have appeared on thescene in the past year and aredoing a thriving business.
Clairbells, located at 3999Teays Valley Road across fromPutnamCountyBank, opened inSeptember 2012 and is owned bySandi Elswick.
The yogurt shop offers 14flavors with seven machinesthat dispense the treat. If it isa healthy alternative you want,Clairbells uses live active cul-tures to make their yogurt.
In addition to yogurt, one cangetNathan’sHotdogs, barbecuesand chicken salad sandwiches.The chicken salad and cole-slaw for the other sandwichesare homemade every day. Youcan also get a grilled cheese onpotato bread grilled with realbutter. To wash that down, trya Yo-Shake, Claribells’ versionof a milkshake.
With warmer weather justaround the corner, Clairbellsoffers outside seating withmusic. InMay, Elswick is intro-ducing fresh waffle cones filledwith fruit such as strawberriesand blueberries. They also offeryogurt and Yo-Pies to go.
In addition to Clairbells, theValley gained another yogurtshop called The Orange Leaf.
If you are out shopping withthe little ones, TheOrange Leaf,
locatedat 100-1GreatTeaysBlvd.,is a funplace to visit. The shop ispainted in an orange, white andgreen theme with small roundtables and ultra-modern chairs.Two long orange couches pro-vide a place to relax. The yogurtis self-serve with 16 flavors. Allbut two flavors are gluten free.
Coming soon is aFro-Jo,whichis hot chocolate with a choice ofyogurt and toppings.
“It’s really good — oh mygosh,” said Lori Connelly, assis-tant manager.
Connelly said they stay busywith good crowds, especially onthe weekends.
If it is pork barbecue and freshbaked goods you like, try May-berry’s at 3554TeaysValleyRoadin Hurricane. Although the shophas been there for a few years, itwas recently purchased byLarryandBrendaHill,whoownedAuntBee’s bakery several years ago inHurricane.
If you enjoy 1950s decor withthe black-tiled floor and Coca-Cola theme, you will love May-berry’s. It is a family restaurantthat serves homestyle dinners,hamburgers, hot dogs, fishsandwiches and chicken saladsandwiches, among others. Inaddition, you can watch “TheAndy Griffith Show,” whichplays all day.
What might make it standout is Larry Hill’s barbecue andBrendaHill’s famous homemadepies. In addition, one can alwaysfind her coconut cream and gra-ham cracker pies, cupcakes andcookies every day.
Diningn Continued from 1B
AshleyALFORD
Putnam County Chamber of Commerce
VISIONING PROCESSThe U.S. Department of
Commerce has released newdata showing the impact ofexporting on our nationaleconomy, with West Virgin-ia as one of only 11 states toachieve double-digit exportgrowth last year from 2011.In reality, West Virginia didmuch more than double itsexports — the state experi-enced a 26 percent increase inoverall export growth, includ-ing a 61 percent increase inexports to South Korea, mak-ing it one of the best-perform-ing states in 2012.
Not only is this a remark-able moment in time for thestate of West Virginia, but forthe job-creating businessesand the workers who made itpossible.
The latest export dataproves that significant andserious business opportuni-ties exist beyond our bor-ders; in fact, 95 percent ofthe world’s consumers liveoutside of the U.S.
For manyWest Virginiacompanies, internationalmarketing has become acritical element to businesssustainability and growth.In 2012 alone, more than $11billion in merchandise wasexported from the state,equating to the preservationand creation of thousandsof jobs in minerals and ores,chemical production andtransportation equipment.
West Virginia is part of apositive trend of states fuel-ing our nation’s economicgrowth, and reinforcingAmerica’s position as a mag-net for quality jobs: Accord-ing to the latest data, U.S.jobs supported by exportsincreased to 9.8 million in2012.
Exporting success storiesare happening across thestate. Take Charleston’sIndustrial Bolting Tech-nologies Inc., which beganexploring the notion ofexporting their productsto China in 2009. Workingclosely with the U.S. Com-mercial Service inWestVirginia, the company hascompleted a number of salesin Korea and China in recentyears.
Company president MikeMcCown recently com-mented that when it comesto exporting, one successbegets additional success:“When you develop a repu-tation in foreign markets ofbeing a good company, deliv-ering on what you promise,word gets around to othercustomers.”
Industrial Bolting is nowfurther expanding its hori-zons, developing businessrelationships in South Africa,Australia and Europe. Thecompany recently reportedthat they expect a 30 percentincrease in their exporting-related business during thenext few years.
Stories like these tell us
that exports are making adifference inWest Virginia’seconomic recovery.
The once-familiar refrainthat America “importseverything and exports noth-ing” has now given way tothese success stories andmany more. And the trendis one that will continue dueto the entrepreneurial spiritof America’s businesses andworkers. But it’s clear thatthere are far more opportuni-ties than what West Virginiabusinesses have experiencedthus far.
It all starts with businessesand government workingtogether to take advantage ofa unique window of oppor-tunity.
Since 2010, the Interna-tional Trade Administrationhas helped more than 16,000U.S companies achieve a ver-ified export sale for a totalof $164 billion in exportssupported. This level of sup-port is only expected to growduring the coming years,as President Barack Obamareferenced in his most recentState of the Union, and thereare more resources availableto local businesses than everto explore the potential ofexports.
The U.S. Commercial Ser-vice inWest Virginia is pro-viding local businesses likeIndustrial Bolting with tradecounseling, market intel-ligence, business matchmak-ing, and commercial diploma-cy to connect with lucrativebusiness opportunities.
Rapidly emerging marketsacross the globe are creatingunprecedented demand forthe kind of state-of-the-artproducts being developedhere inWest Virginia. Nearly800 businesses across thestate are already seeing thatfirst hand.
As we applaud this latestachievement of West Virgin-ia’s economic recovery, wemust also commit to ensuringthat its momentum continues.Continuing the creation ofopportunities and support forU.S. companies to export theirgoods and services makesgood economic sense — andAmerican workers deservenothing less.
Francisco J. Sanchezis the Under Secretary ofCommerce for InternationalTrade. He leads the Interna-tional Trade Administration,a federal agency with com-mercial offices across theUnited States and the globethat promotes U.S. busi-nesses and global competi-tiveness.
W.Va.’s globalrole in drivingeconomic growth
Francisco J.SANCHEZ
JOB: Executive director,Unlimited Future; owner,Top Hat Ballroom; boardpresident, The Wild Ramp.FAMILY: Husband, Paul
Sr., manager at Richwood;daughters, Dr. Lydia Pat-ton, professor of philosophyat Viginia Tech; PhoebeRandolph, AIA, architect atEd Tucker and mother ofBen (3) and Noah (1); son-in-law, Justin Randolph,contractor.HOW DID YOU GET
INTO YOUR CAREER: “Icame from an entrepreneur-ial family. I have alwaysbeen passionate aboutsmall business and helping small business to grow. Mybrother, Rich Stoll, started Richwood with a telephone and adesk in my parents’ basement in 1975. As soon as I heardabout Unlimited Future, I was interested!”FIRST JOB: Stocking groceries in a country store in Neg-
ley, OhioWHAT DRIVES YOUR PASSION FOR YOUR CAREER:
“The possibility of success for small businesses. It’s so muchfun to meet the interesting people and hear their stories.From farmers at The Wild Ramp to the clients of the incuba-tor at Unlimited Future and other small business owners inthe Tri-State, I have the best job in the world.”SPECIAL SKILLS NEEDED IN YOUR JOB: Flexibility,
ability to take risks, financial expertise, marketing expertise,general business knowledge.FAVORITE BOOK: “The Hobbit” by J.R.R. TolkienFAVORITE MOVIE: “Princess Bride”FAVORITE TV SHOW: “Downton Abbey” on PBS
KEY PLAYER:GAiL PAttON
Photos courtesy of the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of Commerce members and county business leaders discuss ways to improve the quality of life and the businessclimate in Putnam County during the Chamber’s 2013 Vision Summit on Feb. 15 at Sleepy Hollow Golf Club in Hurricane.
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ABOVE: Shoppers pass through the Huntington Mall on March 11 in Barboursville. BELOW: Sidney and Lisa Darby of Russell, Ky., pass through the Huntington Mall on March 11 inBarboursville.
In 2012, those new tenantsincluded Bare Minerals, a spe-cialty health and beauty store;Children’s Place, which sellsinfant, children’s and pre-teenapparel; and a new VerizonWireless store.
Five stores at the mall, whilekeeping their prime real estate,underwent extensive upgradesthis year: Steak Escape, DebShop, L it tman Jewelers ,Gadgets & More and CandyCraze.
At the opposite end of theTri-State, the Ashland TownCenter acquired its fair shareof new retail occupants dur-ing the 2012 calendar year,said Jaime Bloss, marketingdirector for the center. Atthe end of February, the mallboasted a 97 percent occu-pancy rate.
Those new stores includeDazzle Me, a specialty storethat offers a handpickedselection of purses, handbagsand accessories, and ThingsRemembered , a nat iona lchain that offers specialtyitems to commemorate spe-cial life moments, relocatedfrom a kiosk in the mall to anin-line location.
Also swirling into the cen-ter this year was Orange Leaf,a well known frozen yogurtchain, which Bloss said hasbecome a great fit at the mallsince moving in next to thePanera Bread location at themall.
Three months into 2013,Bloss sa id mal l manage-ment’s sights already are seton developing business withMaurice’s setting to relocateto a larger space in the mall.The Buckle will move intoMaurice’s former space.
She said she is excited tohave these new businessesoccupying the mall, saying
the mall’s location in the Tri-State plays a huge factor inits success.
“I believe the growth ofthe center is attributableto the convenient location,increasing retailer interestin the Ashland Town Centerand the mall programs thatwe offer to the community,”Bloss said. “The communityplays a major role in the suc-cess of the town center.”
Both Bloss and Johnstonsaid it is important for eachmall to be involved as part-ners in their communities,and each mall offers pro-grams that extend beyondthe spectrum of retail fortheir customers.
The Huntington Mall andCabell Huntington Hospi-tal were partners for health-focused events before thehospital sponsored the con-struction of the Healthy KidsPlay Place, which has beenthe catalyst for the Get WellWednesday program.
The mall often is the sitefor hea lth screenings forpeople of all ages, from kidsgetting ready to start kinder-garten to seniors seeking aroutine checkup.
Col lege fa i rs , weddingand prom expos and eventhe opening of an art instal-lation have become routine
events on the mall’s calendar,and Johnston said there areteams in place to ensure themall continues to reach out tocustomers.
“(Marketing director) Mar-gi MacDuff and her marketingstaff are constantly stagingevents to inform and enter-tain our visitors so that theywill have a positive expe-rience and thus making itmore likely that they willvisit us again sooner ratherthan later and more oftenduring the year,” Johnstonsaid.
Keeping mall patrons com-ing in at the Ashland TownCenter are two key programsthat benefit both mall guestsand nonprofit groups, Blosssaid.
The mall’s License to ShopProgram is in full swing, andcoupon books are available forpurchase by the general publicor through special fundraisingprograms for charitable orga-nizations and schools, Blosssaid. Even if the books, whichcost $5, are purchased at themall’s guest service center,the proceeds benefit a localcharity.
The town center also contin-ues to host its annual MagicalNight of Giving the Sundaybefore Thanksgiving. Duringthe after-hours holiday shop-
ping and entertainment event,mall patrons can be part ofgenerating funds for dozensof community organizationsand nonprofits in the Tri-State.During the 2012 event, mallshoppers raised $25,000 forlocal Girl Scout troops, schoolsand churches.
The Ashland Town Centeralso has its own play area,sponsored by Our Lady ofBellefonte Hospital, wherekids can work off their ener-gy while their parents take abreak from shopping.
When they aren’t shoppingor taking a break from it, shop-pers at both malls can find
easy access to customer ser-vice in the form of the custom-ary mall maps, service centersand mall safety personnel.
At the Huntington Mall, thesecurity team’s role becameeven more visible this yearwith the creation of a secu-rity desk adjacent to the foodcourt, Johnston said.
“Our security team, ledby Jamie Yates, continues tomake their presence knownby being visible and helpful asthey are, as I like to call them,our ambassadors,” Johnstonsaid.
The mall security at theAshland Town Center also is
a valuable resource for cus-tomers, Bloss said.
“We offer public safety 24hours a day to assist our cus-tomers, employees and retail-ers,’ Bloss said. “They patrolinside and outside the mall. Ifa customer needs assistance,they can go to Guest Services,and they will contact publicsafety for them.”
For more information aboutthe Huntington Mall, call 304-733-0429 or visit www.hunting-tonmall.com.
For more information aboutthe Ashland Town Center, call606-324-1100 or visit www.ash-landtowncenter.com.
Putnam Herald The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 22, 2013 3BQuestions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2776 www.putnamherald.com
hile it is important to Joe Johnston to make surethere are as many people as possible coming intothe Huntington Mall, it also is just as important tohim to be sure those people make the most out ofthe time they spend there.More than a year after the mall completed a
facelift to mark its 30th anniversary, it remains as vibrantas ever with an assorted mix of stores, restaurants and com-munity activities for those who are ready to utilize them, saidJohnston, who is the property manager at the mall.
Even as the economy remains unsteady, Johnston said theoccupancy rate at the mall is higher than average, but he saidthe mall is not immune to the oscillation of business thatcomes with the operation of such a facility.
“The state of our mall is evident considering our higherthan normal occupancy rate,” said Johnston. “The nature ofour business is one of attrition. Every year, we have storesthat close, and new tenants are always being added.”
STORY BY LACIE PIERSON / ThE hERALd-dISPATChF
Malls focus on retail and community development
PHOTOS BY
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The tonnage being movedthrough the port has shifted,since there isn’t as much coalbeing moved to power plants,but more rocks, chemicals andother products are being usedas backfilling, Whiteley said.
Some of the aggregatesmov-ing through the port, such asrocks and limestones, are tied toconstruction areas. In the Pitts-burgh area, there is an increasein steel pipe and sand beingmoved via waterways due toMarcellus Shale gas drilling,said Patrick Donovan, directorof Maritime and IntermodalTransportation at Rahall Trans-portation Institute.
Since coal is the primaryproduct traveling through theport, it plays a large part in theamount of funding receivedfrom the U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers for upkeep. Althoughthe cost of upkeep is less forwaterways compared to road-ways or railways, the funding isbased off the amount of tonnagetraveling through it, rather thanthe product’s value.
“If the cargo transported onthe inlandwaterways each yearhad to be moved by anothermode, it would take an addi-tional 6.3 million rail cars or25.2 million trucks to carry theload. On average, a gallon offuel allows one ton of cargo tobe shipped 59 miles by truck,202 miles by rail and 514 milesby barge,” according to theU.S. Army Corps of EngineersInland Waterway NavigationBrochure.
Intermodal facilitiesThe intermodal facility
located at The Point in SouthPoint, Ohio, is beneficial to theriver industry, since it has directaccess to the Ohio River, alongwith railroads and roadways,Whiteley said.
According toThe Point’s offi-cial website, “This (intermodalfacility) is the first point wherethe Heartland Corridor inter-sects with the Ohio River. ThePoint Industrial Park’s uniquelocationnear Interstate 64High-way, State Route 23, theNorfolkSouthern (National HeartlandCorridor), and as a Port on theOhio River in the Port of Hun-tington (Busiest Inland Port inthe Nation), the Point offers amajor enhancement in the flowof goods into and out of theMidwest Region of the UnitedStates.”
The Port of Huntington isexpected to also become inte-grated with the regular sup-ply chain of Norfolk Southern’sHeartland Corridor, once theHeartland Intermodal Gatewayat Prichard is completed. Theintermodal facility is scheduledto be completed in 2014.
This integration would allowthe containers from double-stacked trains on the corridorto be transferred to trucks anddelivered to water vessels trav-eling through the port, increas-ing the amount of cargo travel-
ing bywaterway and decreasingthe amountmoving via railway.This will not only lower thecost of transportation andupkeep for roads and rail-roads, it could also help lowerproduct costs.
“That’s going to changewhat kind of products wesee moving out of the marketplace,” said Donovan, also thedirector of the National Mari-time Enhancement Institute atMarshall University.
The Rahall TransportationInstitute has been conductingself-funded research on whatthey refer to as the next-gen-eration inland vessel or theNext-Gen, Donovan said. Thisvessel features new technolo-gies and is more up-to-datewith current needs.
“The current system that isout there today is a 20th Cen-tury supply chain,” Donovansaid about the current bargesand tow boats used. “It is veryefficient in moving the com-modities we’ve talked aboutover the years.”
However, once the inter-modal facility is completedin Prichard, the expected useof containerization and newproducts will require vesselssuited for the 21st Centurysupply chain. These Next-Genvessels are designed to workas a shuttle, with the ability tobe used for short sea or inlandnavigation.
“It’s faster andmore fuel effi-cient. It can burn more naturalgas. It can be a dual-fuel ves-sel,” Donovan said. “Then itbecomes a dedicated mode oftransportation. We are veryexcited about this opportunityas we move forward.”
The tonnage from using con-tainers on vessels is not as highas some people may think. Theuse of a next-generation vesselwould require funding to bebased off the value of productsbeing moved, rather than thetonnage.
“When we shift and startlooking at this 21st Centurysupply chain, stuff moving in20-foot and 40-foot containerswon’t weigh as much. The val-ue may be more, but tonnage isdown,” Donovan said.
Based on the current con-cept the Corps use for fund-ing, the use of containers onvessels do not work since thetonnage is not high. Funding isimportant to the efficiency ofcontainerization, which wouldattract more users.
RTI has conducted researchon other container ports thatare similar to the HeartlandIntermodal Gateway, includinga port located in Virginia. Oneof the problems at that facility
was that itwas notworkingwithlocal people.
“The Heartland in Prichardis critical,” Donovan said. “Itbrings new potential users.”
Within a 125-mile radius ofPrichard, RTI has come upwithat least 52 businesses that couldpotentially become exporters attheHeartland Intermodal Gate-way. These possible businessesare important to the develop-ment and usage of containeriza-tion locally.
“We’re now developingstrategies with the state portauthorities to see what busi-nesses they need to work withlocally,” Donovan said. “Soonce the port is open, we’reahead of the game.”
By conducting the researchand locating potential busi-nesses now, once Prichardis completed, officials in themaritime industry will beprepared to begin the shiftto possible containeriza-tion, which would eventuallyrequire the U.S. Army Corpsof Engineers to change theway funding is decided.
“Once we have that f irst(new vessel moving throughthe port), then it becomes areality and there’s a senseof urgency,” Donovan saidabout getting the proper portfunding. “Until then, it’s aresearch question.”
Donovan said they are cur-rently researching and havingdiscussions about potentialareas that could be used as aport to move containers ontovessels once the intermodalfacility is complete.
“It’s those intermodal dis-tribution centers that aregoing to be critical in wherethis container on vessel portneeds to be. It’s more aboutwhat starts happening in themarket place,” Donovan said.“It’s more about what’s goingon in the region and whatdo their supply chains looklike.”
Globally, the largest prod-uct being moved via contain-ers are automobile parts .With access to Port of Vir-ginia and an exit ramp for adouble-stack train, the localarea could possibly gain aninvestment opportunity, bypotentia l ly moving theseautomobile parts once con-tainerization becomes a real-ity.
“It changes our profile ofwho we are in the region,”Donovan said. “We’ve trulybecome a freight hub.”
RTI has also been work-ing with U.S. Sen. Jay Rocke-feller’s office, U.S. MaritimeAdministration, Public PortAuthority and other maritimeoff icials to bring a marinehighway event to West Vir-ginia. The marine highwayevent is expected to be held inApril at the Marshall Univer-sity Foundation Hall.
“There is a federal interestin what we’re doing,” Dono-
van said.This event will allow public
officials and private businessowners from West Virginia,Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana andPennsylvania to come up withideas on the use of contain-erization on the Ohio Riverduring a workshop that willbe conducted at the event. Thepurpose is to begin draftingideas before containerizationbecomes viable in the area.
Not only does the increased
use of river transportation keepproduct costs lower due to thelower transportation costs, italso opens the opportunity formore jobs. The creation of dis-tribution centers exporting viacontainers would also increasethe number of jobs in the areadrastically.
“If a distribution center of amagnitude of 1 million squarefeet comes in, to support that,you’d need about 50 acres,”Don-ovan said. “Within that 1million
square feet, you’re going to seeabout 450 jobs.”
Donovan estimated these jobsof paying between $18 to $26 perhour plus benefits. In additionto the distribution centers, therewould be jobs for the driversthat move the containers, shorthaul and long haul.
“You can see realistically1,500 to 2,000 jobs in this dis-tribution idea,” Donovan said.“And then you can get the mul-tiplier effect.”
Putnam Herald4B The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 22, 2013 Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2776 www.putnamherald.com
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ALONG THE OHIO RIVER
With coal transport decreasing to power plants,more rocks, other products moving on the river
A tow boat transports coal on the Ohio River in Huntington.Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch
T he Port of Huntington Tri-State is the largest inland port inthe United States, based on the weight of cargo transportedthrough the port and miles traveled, having more than 60million tons of cargo moving through the port annually.
“Huntington is right now the No. 1 inland port in America,” saidCapt. John Whiteley, the executive director of the Inland WaterwaysAcademy at Mountwest Community and Technical College. “We’reNo. 7 overall in America, bigger than Baltimore and Philadelphia.”
Stretching 199 miles throughout the Big Sandy, Ohio and Kanawharivers, the waterway is used mostly to transport coal locally and glob-ally. Coal makes up 60 percent of the cargo moved through the port.
“River transportation is probably the most efficient, the most envi-ronmentally friendly mode of transportation,” Whiteley said.
One 15-barge tow on the Ohio River is equivalent to 2-1⁄4 trains or875 tractor trailers. Each barge carries roughly 1,800 tons of cargo,Whiteley said.
Story byWHITNEYJOHNSON
The Herald-Dispatch
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Herman, a Huntington native,said she and her mother, ClaireNudd, thought it would be fun toopen a vintage shop in Hunting-ton to share that experience withresidents in the city.
Now, their shop, Finds andDesigns at Heritage Station, isone of several locally ownedbusinesses that have becomepart of what HuntingtonMayorSteve Williams has called “themost vibrant downtown in theregion” after years of noticeabledevelopment.
“The City of Huntington’sdowntown area has had a com-plete renaissance,” Williamssaid. “Just a few years ago, 3rdAvenue between 8th and 10thstreets had three businesses.Today, this same area has over35 businesses.”
Williams attributed thegrowth to the efforts of localproperty owners investingconsiderable sums of moneyto restore historic buildingsin addition to Pullman Squareattracting new businesses.
He noted downtown fix-tures the Big Sandy SuperstoreArena and the Keith-AlbeePerforming Arts Center, or,as he called it, “the jewel inthe crown of downtown,” asbeing vital in drawing visitorsto Huntington.
The average visitor to thearena visits four local busi-nesses when they attendevents there, Williams said.
Of course, while bringingthese business downtown isvery well and good, the goodvibes and profits won’t lastfor long without the patron-age of the city’s residents, saidMark Bugher, president andchief executive officer of theHuntington Regional Chamberof Commerce.
It is the nature of any down-town business environment toebb and flow from year to year,but he said looking at the biggerpicture is what will serve Hun-tington residents, consumersand business owners in continu-ing to create and sustain amorestable, and lively, downtownarea.
“What’s needed is supportfor the businesses that oper-ate downtown,” Bugher said.“Many residents still have anold viewof the city center as notbeing the bustling city districtthey once knew.However, comedowntown almost any evening,and youwill see people out, andparking at a premium.”
Shopping habits are continu-ally changing, Bugher said, andright now, commerce isn’t aboutcrowded streets and sidewalks
during the day. Now, he saidunique niche shopping, enter-tainment, dining and servicebusiness are traits of successfuldowntowns today.
The thrill of a unique shop-ping experience is not lost onKevin Brady, director of theGreater Huntington Parks andRecreation District, who saidhe completed all of his holidayshopping in downtown Hun-tington — specifically at Heri-tage Station, which is ownedand operated by the district.
Shops including Herman’sFinds and Designs, Bottle &Wedge, BrandYourself, JamesonCigars, TheRedCaboose, Com-monGround and,most recently,The Wild Ramp each provideshopping experiences that can’tbe found anywhere else in thearea, he said.
The business layout of Heri-tage Station, located betweenthe 21⁄2 Alley and VeteransMemorial Boulevard on 11thStreet, was shifty duringBrady’sfirst few months as directorin 2010 and 2011, but he saidthe area includes the aforemen-tioned shops along with placeslike River and Rail Bakery, Sip!Wine Bar, Let’s Eat Café andBrown Dog Yoga Studio
The $50,000 the district annu-ally accumulates fromHeritageStation is reinvested into thecenter tomarket the facility andevents including the SummerParty on the Patio Series andTheDiamondTeethMaryBlues& Art Festival.
“Our shops provide interest-ing and eclectic gifts and itemsfor local people and visitors toHuntington alike,” Brady said.“Heritage Station is a historicmonument to the true heritageof our community dating backto 1887. It is filled with a vari-ety of small businesses that areoperated by your friends andneighbors.”
Brady said he was pleasedwith how the entire downtownarea is coming together, but hesaid there always is room forimprovement.
“The continuation of thedowntown revitalization iscritical to the community,” hesaid. “With continued revital-ization and renewed interest inthe downtown area, people willbegin to realize they can do it alldowntown.”
A littlemore than twomonthsinto his termasmayor,Williamssaid city officials already aresetting goals to further ensureand improve development indowntown.
He said a partnership withMarshall University already
is proving to be beneficial asthe former Stone and Thomasbuilding is being renovated intoa new visual arts center for theuniversity. The use of that build-ing by the university is a movethat Bugher said will have amajor effect on downtown.
The future of that partner-ship between the city and theuniversity may best be sym-bolized through the develop-ment of the OldMain Corridor,which spans along 4th Avenuebetween Hal Greer Boulevardand 10th Street.
Williams said he hopes to cre-ate a “vibrant, active corridor”full of pedestrian traffic. Thegoal is to make empty store-fronts along 4th Avenue theexception, and he wants to seeeclectic shops and businessesthat can serve the populationof students and faculty at Mar-shall while still being a path todowntown.
“TheOldMainCorridormustbecome an enticing neighborto the students of Marshall,” hesaid. “The campus is clean andpristine. When students walkacross Hal Greer Boulevard,they are greetedwith grime andempty space.Wemustmake theOldMain Corridor shine.”
Some of Williams’ ideasinclude adding public art to thelandscape to invite pedestri-an traffic and brightening thelighting to both enhance thestreetscape and create a saferenvironment. He also said thecontinued presence of hangingfloral arrangements through-out the downtown area createsan inviting and relaxed atmo-sphere.
Of course, there are a fewchallenges that Williams saidcity officials and developerswillface in making that happen.
“We must be brave and cou-rageous enough to be innova-tive,”Williams said. “The pres-ence of financial capital willalways be a sticking point. Aswe becomemore successful anddemonstrate our unique skill setthat enables us to accomplishthose goals that we set, we willbecome a destination point notjust for visitors and tourism butfor investors as well.”
For an investor like Herman,whose vintage shop originallywas located along 4th Avenuein theOldMainCorridor beforemoving to its current location,making downtown as userfriendly as possible is a prior-ity because it is those “users”who have the most influenceover the success of a local busi-ness.
“Residents inHuntington can
make the biggest difference inencouraging business down-town,” Herman said. “Instead
of shopping for gifts at themall,visit the small, locally ownedshops downtown. You’ll proba-
bly find somethingmoreunique,and you’ll be stimulating thelocal economy in the process.”
Putnam Herald The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 22, 2013 5BQuestions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2776 www.putnamherald.com
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Continued revitalization dependson developers and residents alike
HUNTINGTON — It was 2010 when Lauren Herman decided downtown Huntington was missing an important niche, and she was just the person to fill it.
“While visiting friends in various college towns such as Athens, Columbus and Richmond, I really enjoyed visiting all of the small, local shops scat-tered around the college campuses,” said Herman, who was a Marshall student at the time. “My favorites, of course, were the little vintage clothing andfurniture stores, and it kind of bummed me out that Huntington didn’t really have anything like that.”
Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch
Finds and Designs located in downtown Huntington.
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1DPUTNAM Progress 2013:
Putnam Progress 2013:Putnam Progress 2013:Transportationwww.herald-dispatch.com Friday, March 22, 2013
By RACHEL BAILEYFor The Herald-Dispatch
A few years ago, Putnam County residentswere faced with a choice: Expand all of thesection ofU.S. 35 that runs through the countyto four lanes,making it a toll road, or leave theexpansion incomplete.
“No one wants to pay to get where theyneed to go,” as West Virginia Departmentof Transportation spokeswoman Carrie Blypoints out.
“The Department of Highways had put in
several areas where you could go around thetolls. There were many options where youcould get off and get around the tolls,” shesays. “We listened to the community, and theydidn’t want a toll road.”
Putnam County government voted thetoll road down, and the expansion of 35 wasstunted, meaning a section of the road, fromBeech Hill to the Buffalo Bridge, would haveto remain two lanes.
Without the funds to expand the entiretyof the road, the DOT turned its focus instead
to maintenance and upgrades to the existingtwo-lane portion of U.S. 35.
The expansion to four lanes of much of thehighway meant more people on the roads,about 12,000 at its busiest point.
“We wanted to make it as safe as we couldwith the funding we had,” Bly said.
Officials divided up the remaining, unex-panded portion of the road into two parts— Beech Hill to Plantation Road, and Planta-tion Road to Buffalo Bridge. Improvementsinclude widened shoulders, the installation
of pilingwalls and resurfacing. In some cases,utilities like power poles or undergroundwires had to be moved to make room for theshoulders, which doubled in size from twofeet to four feet.
The first section, started in 2011, coveredabout 14 miles and stretched from Beech Hillto Plantation Road. The second section, cur-rently under construction, stretched fromPlantation Road to Buffalo Bridge, about 3.5miles.
“We have about 2.4 miles to go,” said Bly,though she did not indicate when she thoughtthe project would be completed.
After nearly a year of construction on theproject, Putnam commuters will surely beglad to see the upgrades completed.
U.S. 35 projects nearing completion
Billy Summers/The Putnam Herald
Motorcyclists from around the area travel down new U.S. 35 on Aug. 7, 2010, in support of Hogs for Dogs, a fundraiser for the new Putnam County Animal Relief Center.
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Putnam Herald2D The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 22, 2013 Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2776 www.putnamherald.com
KEEPING AN EYE ON A CHANGING INDUSTRY
Tri-State Airport continuesto improve, juggle projects
STORY BY JEAN TARBETT HARDIMAN / THE HERAlD-DISpATcHF
t’s no time for rest at Tri-State Airport.Facing changes to the industry and the ongoing task of creating the safest, most
comfortable traveling experience for customers, the airport is always busy jugglinga number of projects at one time.
And that’s certainly been true over the past year as well.Since Delta terminated its flight out of Tri-StateAirport in May 2012, there’s been an ongoing
effort to find an airline to replace it.
But it’s been difficult, said Jerry Brienza, executive director of Tri-State Airport.“Over the past couple of years, airports have had to focus much of their resources on airline retention in
lieu of securing new airlines,” he said. “The industry is changing, and small airports are losing more andmore battles for air service. Airlines are reducing frequency and dropping lower performing markets.
IThey are also grounding or sell-
ing less efficient aircraft, whichreduces the capacity (seats)available to passengers.
“In short, there are less flights,less aircraft and fewer seatsin the skies today, and smallairports are taking the biggesthit.”
When it comes down to it,there are only three majordomestic air carriers left, he said:United, Delta and American.
“Being that Delta is sellingmost of its regional air carrierjets and halted f lights out ofHTS last year, leaving USAir(American Airlines) as the onlymajor air carrier left here, wehave only United Airlines as ourother major option.”
Tri-State Airport has beencourting United for years, butUnited has been going throughsome major network changessince it merged with Continentala few years ago, he said. It hasbeen conservative about open-ing up new markets, but Brienzasaid Tri-State is “very optimisticthat they will someday see thebenefit of adding air service atHTS,” he said.
In the meantime, the recentmerger of USAir and AmericanAirlines should affect the USAirroute between Huntington andCharlotte right now, Brienzasaid.
“Those airports that have ser-vice from both USAir and Ameri-can will most likely be affectedinitially, as they may seek to con-solidate office and ticket counterspace, which would immediatelyimpact the airports’ revenues,”he said.
As airport officials keep theireyes on changes in the industry,they’re also making plenty ofphysical changes here in Hun-tington — including everythingfrom security and terminal
upgrades to taxiway improve-ments.
Last year, the airport and theTransportation Security Admin-istration (TSA) teamed up toimprove the bottleneck at thesecurity checkpoint by relocatingit into the more expansive partof the terminal. By doing so, theTSA was able to install state-of-the-art equipment that otherwisewould not have fit.
“This new equipment makessecurity screening much moreefficient and less intrusive to thecustomer,” Brienza said.
The airport started a $1 millionterminal renovation project latelast year. Upgrades can be seenin carpeting, walls, ticket coun-ters and seating. Also undergoingimprovements are the heatingand cooling systems, the firealert system and other fire codeupgrades.
Tri-State Airport also part-nered with Better Foods Inc. toremodel its restaurant, whichwas damaged in a kitchen firein March 2012. Tudor’s BiscuitWorld and Gino’s Pub/Restau-rant are now open to travelersand the community.
“They also opened up a giftshop that focuses on local mer-chandise and foods,” Brienza said.“We are really focusing on theneeds of our customers and hopethat this will also become a placeto visit, both dining and shop-ping, for local area residents.”
Last year, the airport alsocompleted improvements toits runway by rehabilitating itspavement, installing new run-way lights and markings andimproving some navigational aidcabling issues, Brienza said.
“2013 projects include rehabili-tating Taxiway G and possibly aportion of Taxiway A, as well asimproving some drainage issuesthat are causing, or could cause,
slips on or around the airportproperty,” he said.
“The Tri-state Airport Authori-ty, the administration and all of itsstaff are dedicated to improvingour infrastructure, our processesand our procedures to ensure thatour guests will be as comfort-able as possible,” Brienza said.“We know people have choiceswhether or not to fly, or fromwhich airport to fly from, butwe appreciate all of the supportour residents have given us, andwe will continually try to maketheir HTS experience a pleasur-able one.”
Photos by Toril Lavender/For The Herald-Dispatch
Jim Jenkins, left, and Brent Taft check in a customer’s luggage at Allegiant Air at Tri-State Airport.
ABOVE, BELOW: Travelers head through security at Tri-State Airport.
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Putnam Herald The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 22, 2013 3DQuestions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2776 www.putnamherald.com
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As we navigate and explorealternative ways to movefreight and position the regionto be more competitive in the21st century, it is time to expe-dite the planning for newwaysto move freight and remaineconomically competitive.
The Rahall TransportationInstitute (RTI) is poised onceagain with its recent study onthe Economic Viability andEnvironmental Benefits of theNext Generation (NextGen)Inland Navigation Vessel toprovide necessary leadership.
Past RTI research outlinedthe feasibility for what wesee today as doubled-stackedcontainer trains operating inour region along with the newmanufacturing, warehousingand distribution opportunitiescoming with the 2014 openingof the Heartland IntermodalGateway Terminal at Prichard.
A new class of energy-efficient, environmentallyadvanced and low operatingcost vessels is poised to moveriver, coastal and short-seacontainers in a manner moresuited for the demands of the21st century.
Work-Cat Engineering(WCE) along with RTI,unveiled a new aluminumcatamaran cargo vessel on Jan.4, 2013, in the Journal of Com-merce, the leading informationand marketing services pro-vider for domestic and inter-national containerized cargocommunity since 1827. FormerHorizon Lines CEO ChuckRaymond expects to sign con-tracts and start production onthe aluminum hull catamaranvessel this year.
Raymond refers to it as a“marine pickup truck” thatcan be built quickly using a“cookie-cutter” design at a costmuch lower than the slower,single-hull steel ships in opera-tion today. WCE is startingvessel production with a 400-foot vessel and a 295-foot ves-sel with capacity of up to 315and 107 forty-foot equivalentcontainers respectively.
“The NextGen vessels satis-fy several of the United StatesDepartment of Transportation
strategic goals,” said RTI’sChief Operating Officer FrankBetz. “In the areas of economiccompetitiveness, sustainabilityand safety, the liquid naturalgas (LNG) powered vessel isthe benchmark in energy sav-ings, toxic emissions reduc-tion and safety. Moreover,our system of highways andrailroads is reaching capacity.The inland waterway systemhas excess capacity and shouldbe developed to help providea cost-effective supplement tobuilding more road and rail-road infrastructure. The devel-opment of a marine highwaysystem for cargo shipmentswould contribute greatly tomitigate the increasing con-straints of the current cargotransportation systemwhilesatisfying another USDOTstrategic goal: the state-of-good-repair of the currenthighway system.”
Other benefits of enhanc-ing the current cargo trans-portation system to includewaterway transportation areenhancing fuel efficiency,as well as reduced highwayspills, accidents and noise. Arecent transportation instituteestimate found that trafficcongestion costs Americans$200 billion dollars, 4.2 billionhours in traffic and 2.9 bil-lion gallons of fuel each yearcompounded with traffic pro-jected to quadruple nationwidebetween 2009 and 2040. Theissue of increased traffic andstagnant growth in lane-milesis expected to continue in thecoming years.
Waterborne shipping willhelp alleviate these difficultiesin heavily congested areas byemploying a transportationmode that is under-utilized.
None of these benefitswould be realized withoutwater shipment operating in
an affordable and dependableway. Operational efficiencyat ports is a critical part ofcoastal shipping in terms ofboth time and cost. The origi-nal diversion from shippingto truck occurred, becausewaterway shipping was seen asslow, unreliable and expensive.By nature, high water resis-tance makes speed increasesfor vessels more costly thanfor trucks or rail. Technologyimprovements made byWCEon designs of the engine, hulland propulsion systemwillhelp reduce water resistance,make the vessels faster andmore fuel efficient to buoy thesuccess of waterway shipping.
The reality of our nation’sfiscal and economic challeng-es to compete globally in the21st century is causing bothpublic and private transporta-tion professionals to consideralternative options for movingfreight. Current users of theinland navigation system fullyunderstand the value that amarine highway system wouldprovide for transporting theirrespective commodities. Yet,a comprehensive approachis needed to implement anddemonstrate the benefits ofthe 21st century supply chainto our nations inland water-ways. Alternative solutionssuch as the NextGen catama-ran cargo vessels are poisedto provide economic viabilityand environmental benefits ofthe next generation of cargoshipments.
Our region once again isa pioneer in developing notonly new strategic transpor-tation corridors such as theHeartland Corridor but newmaritime vessels that couldinitiate more transportationopportunities nationally andinternationally.
Robert H. Plymale is CEOand director of the RahallTransportation Institute. Plym-ale leads a team of business,academic and research profes-sionals working to enhancesafety and economic develop-ment opportunities throughtransportation.
It’s time for a new wave foreconomic competitiveness
Robert H.PLYMALE
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Putnam Herald4D The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 22, 2013 Questions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2776 www.putnamherald.com
By JEAN TARBETT HARDIMANThe [email protected]
Coming off a strong 2012, local autodealers are optimistic for theirindustry for the rest of this year.
“National car sales are trendingslightly upward for 2013,” said ChrisMiller of Dutch Miller Auto Group.“All national forecasting models
predict a better year for the car industry in 2013for everyone. Our sales at Dutch Miller Kia for2013 are up by about 30 percent, which is huge.Banks, feeling more stability than in years past,are easing up on credit restrictions, whichmeans more loans are available for consumersand more people are able to buy cars.”
Other dealers are optimistic as well.Joel Goldy of the Moses Automotive Group,
who has recently launched Goldy ChryslerDodge Jeep Ram located in KineticPark, saidhis dealership sold 22 vehicles in its first twoweeks and is looking forward to providingthose brands in Huntington.
In January, Chrysler group posted 34 con-secutive months of year-over-year sales gainsnationally, he said.
“All the new products coupled with a newbuilding, we have very high expectations forChrysler Dodge Jeep and Ram brands thisyear,” he said.
There’s a lot of new technology out there toexcited about, Goldy said.
“Consumers will notice more all-new mod-els,” he said. “The model refresh will bringmore LED headlights, diesel in cars as well aslight duty trucks, better solutions for connect-ing your phone to the vehicle, easier-to-usenavigation and stereo controls, 8- and 9-speedtransmissions for better fuel economy.
“The Ram truck now has an air suspensionwith 4 inches of travel,” he said. “It has a but-ton on the key fob that will lower the truck tomake entry easier. Plus, you can raise the truckfor off-road use.”
The building for Goldy Auto is still underconstruction, but vehicles are for sale on thelot, he said.
“I ordered more inventory because wethought the building would be further along,but it is a bit behind schedule, so we have morecars and trucks than we can fit on our lot,” hesaid. “In May, we should have the dealershipcompletely open with service and sales fullyoperational. Currently, service is being per-
formed at Moses Nissan in Huntington.”It’s looking like 2013 will be an amazing year
for consumers, Miller said.“With interest rates being kept artificially
low for consumers by the Fed, this meansone thing for consumers: cheaper payments,”he said. “Basically, you can borrow the sameamount of money as years past for a smallerpayment. Combine that with higher than usualresale values of trade-ins and good manufac-turer incentives — rebates — and, man, is it agood time to buy a car.”
Dutch Miller Kia was one of 25 dealers inthe country out of 2,600 selected by Kia as aPresidents Club AwardWinner, an award givento the top dealers in the country in combinedsales volume, sales customer satisfaction andservice customer satisfaction.
The one variable that could change the ratio-nale of the consumer is the 2.3 percent payrolltax increase signed into law, Miller said.
“While not significant enough to changedemand trends, this tax will impact purchasedecisions,” he said. “Some consumers willconsider less expensive new car models andfurther shop for value and savings: consideringsafety, fuel efficiency, maintenance, insurancecosts and warranty in the overall decision tooffset higher taxes. Other new car buyers mayshift to the used car market because of per-ceived affordability.”
There’s an interesting phenomenon going onright now with used cars, Bill Cole said.
“Because people did hold back from replac-ing their car perhaps a little longer than theywould, the used care business is a little bittougher right now,” said the owner of BillCole Auto Malls in Ashland and in Bluefield.“There’s really a pressure on finding enoughquality used cars, and that is because, insteadof trading with 50,000 miles, people have beentrading with 100,000 or 150,000 miles. That’snot as easy to turn around.”
But with today’s low interest rates, he remainsoptimistic.
The industry has come back dramatically inrecent years, Cole said.
“Things are going well,” he said. “We seethe car business nationally is enjoying somehigh. It’s not record sales, but near record sales(industrywide).”
Struggles in the coal business locally mean,“We’re not celebrating as much as the nation,but having said that, our business is solid,”Cole said.
Meanwhile, his Ashland dealership wrappedup a construction project within the past year.
“We finished up a state-of-the-art Hondafacility that we’re proud of,” he said. “Whilethe building has been completed almost a year,the construction has been ongoing (with thedemolition of the old building). In the past sev-eral months, we’ve finished all that so we canbe about the business of selling and servicingcars. ... So we’re looking for a good year.”
AUTOINDUSTRYOPTIMISMCar sales trendingupward for 2013,local experts say
PHOTOS BYMARk WeBB / THe HeRAlD-DISPATCH
Joel Goldy isthe owner ofGoldy Auto atKinetic Park inHuntington.Goldy said hisGoldy ChryslerDodge JeepRam dealershipsold 22 vehi-cles in its firsttwo weeks
C M Y K 50 inch
Putnam Herald The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 22, 2013 5DQuestions? Call the newsroom at 304-526-2776 www.putnamherald.com
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260406
Commerce &TransportationPublishes:Friday, March 22DEADLINE:Friday, March 15
Homes & CareersPublishes:Friday, March 29DEADLINE:Friday, March 22
JOB: Executive director ofWest Virginia Public Port Author-ity, Department of Transporta-tion.FAMILY: Wife of 30 years,
Robbin; son, Stephen; anddaughter, Cheyenne.HOW DID YOU GET INTO
YOUR CAREER: “I have alwayshad a desire to be part of makinga difference. As corny as that maysound, I find my drive in workingfor people rather than an issue.Having dedicated my life to gov-ernment for 30-plus years, I feelso gracious to have the opportu-nity to work here in West Virginiawhere ‘doing the right thing forpeople’ remains the theme ingovernment.“I was fortunate to get this
opportunity here in West Vir-ginia after a wonderful career
in Florida. I began in the field ofcriminal justice focusing on com-plex analysis of criminal activity.Following several years of identify-ing strategies to protect Floridainfrastructure, the focus becamethe safety, economic and futureneeds. I was assigned to lead thecommercial movement of com-modities originating from Florida’sseaports and surface entry pointsand how they traverse by way ofsurface water, air and rail.“Because of Florida’s loca-
tion with many seaports, bothindustrial and agriculturally, thisbecame significant following theevents of Sept. 11, 2001. Afterembarking on a government-sponsored trip to the MiddleEast, my career allowed me tofocus on transportation move-ment into major points of entry
into the United States and howthey move and what it plays to astate’s economy. I remained in thisposition until 2011. I was very for-tunate that Gov. Earl Ray Tomblinand Department of TransportationSecretary Paul Mattox to allowme to be a part of West Virginia’steam, and now I am lucky to workwith dedicated professionals in thepublic and private sector as wecontinue to move the state forward.“West Virginia is vital to this
very effort. We are a very valu-able player given the fact thatwe have the largest water port inmovement of tonnage (the OhioRiver). Because of our state’slocation, we are positioned withinthe middle of our major ports inVirginia and the largest dry inlandport in Chicago.”SPECIAL SKILLS: “Due
to there being many issuesto assure each project isapproached and completed
timely, within budget and in con-cert with what the people wantand deserve, I would say thata good skill to have is the abil-ity to listen. Being a good jug-gler doesn’t hurt, either. Havingthe ability to push forward andnot accepting failure. If failureoccurs, accept it as part of thelearning process. Get up, dustoff and get back to work. Myeducation in public administra-tion didn’t hurt, either.”FAVORITE BOOK: “The Art of
War” by Sun TzuFAVORITE MOVIE: “Taken”
(At the time, my teenage daugh-ter wanted to go on a family tripoverseas. I was not able to go.I showed her the movie. Shechanged her mind.)FAVORITE TV SHOW: “Well,
I watch a lot of public television.I am partial to ‘Rick Steve’sEurope’ series. It’s calming, andhe has the second best job.”
KEY PLAYER: JAMES D. YORK
CSX Transportation:Here to stay in Huntington
Like many CSX employeeswho grew up in West Virgin-ia, I know firsthand the valuethat the CSX and Huntingtonpartnership brings to ourregion — from the jobs CSXcreates along our tracks andwith local businesses, to thegoods we carry to and fromWest Virginia — as well asthe tremendous potential forthe future.
The railroad that wouldeventually become CSX wasborn in the 1870s here inHuntington, where CollisP. Huntington establishedthe western terminus ofhis Chesapeake and OhioRailway. Huntington was apioneer of the industry, oneof the “Big Four” figures inthe 19th Century respon-sible for building the UnitedStates’ first transcontinentalrailroad. Not only did hebring rails to the region andlend his name to the city,he championed many of theindustries that still supportour local economy — rail-roads, coal and agriculture.
Today, CSX is just asintegrated into the fabric ofmodern-day Huntington asit was during its founding.Huntington is home to CSX’sdivisional headquarters anddispatching center, as well asa CSX rail yard and the Hun-tington Locomotive Shop. Itis also home to more than 550CSX employees, includingmyself.
Each year, our companyhandles more than 1.5 millioncarloads of coal, agriculturalgoods, textiles and many oth-er freight goods in the WestVirginia area. We invested$74 million in its 2,200 milesof track in West Virginia dur-ing 2011 alone. This invest-ment is only growing, as CSXplans to increase capacityalong its Ohio River Subdivi-sion to accommodate addi-tional business from shale gasrelated industries. Across ournetwork, CSX plans to investabout $2.3 billion this year.
In the midst of this invest-ment, the business environ-ment is changing. Whilecoal consumption in theUnited States is decreasingas natural gas and alternativeenergies gain prominence,our commitment to West Vir-ginia and all our customersremains steadfast, and we seemany opportunities for newand different partnerships.We are poised to capitalizeon these changes to continueshipping needed goods to andfrom the Huntington area.
But CSX’s support of theHuntington area goes beyondjust creating the infrastruc-ture to enable West Vir-ginia businesses to succeedand grow. Our company isactively involved in civicpartnerships throughout theregion to help strengthen thecommunity and its citizens.We enjoy a longstandingrelationship with the RahallTransportation Institute,having contributed morethan $150,000 to help fundresearch into transportationtechnologies, resources andprocesses to improve theeconomic competitiveness ofthe Appalachian Region andthe nation.
We also donate to a vari-ety of local charitable andcivic initiatives that supportour company’s core values.For example, CSX has a longrelationship with St. Mary’sMedical Center supportingits Transportation InjuryPrevention and Safety Pro-gram, which works to edu-cate families and childrenabout transportation safety,as well as the H.E.A.R.T.Program that educates youngchildren on the importanceof proper nutrition and
healthy living. CSX alsosupports Cabell HuntingtonHospital, donating more than$50,000 to the Children’sHospital.
CSX’s has a 150-year his-tory of service to America’smilitary, and nearly onein five CSX employees hasserved in the armed forces.To show our appreciationto our citizen soldiers, CSXrecently donated $25,000 tothe West Virginia NationalGuard Foundation to supporttheir efforts to help membersof the Guard and their fami-lies in times of need.
We look forward to con-tinuing our enduring part-nership with Huntington andWest Virginia, as we worktogether to adapt and con-tinue supporting our region’sbusinesses and people. Weencourage our neighbors tojoin us on Saturday, April 27,at a CSX-hosted volunteercleanup day to help rehabili-tate the Vinson Little Leaguefield on Park Avenue. Moreinformation is available atwww.BeyondOurRails.org/events.
As a lifelong resident ofWest Virginia and a 15-yearemployee of CSX, I’m proudto be part of the CSX - Hun-tington partnership and thevalue it brings to our busi-nesses, citizens and children.I look forward to carrying onthis tradition long into thefuture.
J. Randolph Cheetham isCSX’s regional vice presidentfor State Government andCommunity Affairs. He isbased in Huntington.
J. RandolphCHEETHAM
Today, CSX is just asintegrated into thefabric of modern-dayHuntington as it wasduring its founding.
Engines arerebuilt onthe standardline at theCSX Locomo-tive Shop onMarch 8 inHuntington.Huntingtonis home toCSX’s divi-sional head-quarters anddispatchingcenter, aswell as aCSX railyard and theHuntingtonLocomotiveShop. It isalso hometo more than550 CSXemployees
Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch
C M Y K 50 inch82
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6D The Putnam Herald — Friday, March 22, 2013