Crystal Mersh was making her rounds yesterday in the Charleston area with news agencies to announce the her new business venture that will create 500-600 jobs in the mountain state, perhaps even in our region. Her WCHS News Video can be seen HERE.
As Chairwoman for American Medicines Company, Crystal made the announcement while she spoke at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Women’s Leadership Summit at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulfur Springs. The company will make medicines that will help with heart disease, blood pressure and diabetes.
The location of the plant has yet to be decided but there are several counties vying for the opportunity of economic growth in their community. Hiring for the facility will include laboratory analysts, chemists, microbiologists leaders, managers, executives, and more.
In a social media statement on The 1982 Foundation Crystal wrote the following regarding the Leadership Summit she spoke at:
My dear friends…it might have been the promise of 500 jobs for WV that brought 500 women leaders in WV to their feet for a standing ovation, but it was the heart and desire of a county to transform their circumstances to improve the lives of the children and generations to come that brought them to tears. I could not have been more proud to have the honor to share your story! THEY LOVE WHAT WE YOU DOING AND I HEARD REPEATEDLY THAT THIS HAS TO BE THE MODEL FOR WV RURAL COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION! MY FRIENDS THEY WERE IMPRESSED WITH YOUR WORK AND PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO CALHOUN TO LEAD. WE ARE OFFICIALLY OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST. I know WCHS is running a segment….if someone sees it please post it. #CalhounProud #Calhounstronger
It seems wherever Crystal goes there is a flurry of excitement about new possibilities. With the exception of the desk of the Calhoun County Commission. The excitement waned there very quickly and continues to draw statewide attention with comments from State leadership about the contentious conversations between Commissioner Kevin Helmick and Crystal Mersh as well as his social media conversations with Calhoun residents who support The 1982 Foundation’s desire to develop the Wayne Underwood Field into a more usable facility, having received little attention from the County’s ownership.
The next Calhoun County Commission Meeting will be April 19, 2022 at 9 a.m. where once again the topic is up for debate.
