SOAR conference focuses on region’s economic future

Above, Forcht Group CEO Terry Forcht, left, with Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers, center, and David Witt attended Monday’s SOAR summit.

More than 1,000 Eastern Kentucky residents of all walks of life came together Monday in Pikeville for the first annual SOAR (Shaping Our Appalachian Region) Economic Summit.

Joining the residents at the East Kentucky Expo Center were local and state public officials including Congressman Hal Rogers, R-Ky. and Governor Steve Beshear, State Senate President Robert Stivers and State House of Representatives Speaker Greg Stumbo.

The goal was to craft an economic plan to solve some of the region’s chronic problems, such as high unemployment, poor performance in education and a higher proportion of families living in poverty.

As we all know, Kentucky’s Appalachian region has a unique set of strengths,” Beshear said. “But it’s also suffered — for generations — from an array of stubborn challenges related to and causing poverty, unemployment, poor health and lackluster educational attainment.”

Beshear said the challenges are harder because the coal industry that the region has relied on for so much of its economic output is losing steam.

Officials noted more than 6,000 coal related jobs have been lost in the region since 2011.

With the percentage of electricity generated by coal-fired plants continuing to decrease, officials say the future of the coal industry doesn’t look bright.

Rogers and Beshear, who worked together to organize the event, agreed the problems are well documented.

“We are not here to have another study,” Rogers said. “We are here to get to work on the plan.”

Following the morning general session and lunch, individual panels were held to focus on specific issues including: Job creation and retention, entrepreneurship and innovation, infrastructure, public and private investment, tourism, regional collaboration and identity, leadership development and youth engagement, lifelong learning, and health, biotechnology and human services.

“Your commitment to the region, input and ideas are going to make this effort successful,” SOAR officials stated, noting it is only through the drive and determination of the local residents that things will improve.