Meet the West Virginia Team

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On February 1, 2021, Governor Jim Justice selected Senator Mitch Carmichael to be the first Secretary of Economic Development in West Virginia. Senator Carmichael previously served our state as President of the West Virginia Senate & Lieutenant Governor. Mitch is an accomplished businessman in the field of information technology and broadband deployment. He was raised in Jackson County and attended public schools in Ripley, WV. Mitch is an Honors graduate from Marshall University with degrees in Finance and Economics. He is active in many community and charitable organizations including Epworth United Methodist Church. Mitch Carmichael was first elected to the Senate in the year 2012 and served until 2021. His talent and leadership skills were quickly realized by his colleagues and he was selected to be Senate Majority Leader. Subsequently, the Senate unanimously elected Mitch Carmichael to the position of Senate President-Lieutenant Governor and re-elected him in 2019. Mitch is the first Republican to serve consecutive terms as Senate President & Lieutenant Governor in the past 90 years of West Virginia history. Mitch previously served our state in the West Virginia House of Delegates, where he was elected to five consecutive terms. His voting record has garnered awards from various organizations including the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, West Virginia Manufacturers, Hospitals, State Medical Association, and many others. Mr. Carmichael is recognized statewide for his pro-growth economic policies and broadband expertise. Secretary Carmichael is ideally suited to convey the many benefits of West Virginia to current and potential employers throughout America and the world.

Randy has over 35 years of successful start-up, product commercialization, sales, and leadership experience in the materials and the renewables/decarbonization industry. He is passionate about building Cleantech companies from the earliest days to a fully functional corporation. Randy’s 25 year startup career began with four-year stint licensing technology at the Carnegie Mellon’s Tech Transfer office; this enabled him to spin five companies out of Carnegie Mellon University. He led 3 as co-founder and CEO with two exits and two as co-founder and board member. In the middle of founding these companies he spent 5 years as an EIR at Innovation Works (pre-seed investor) where he led 15 investment and was an observer on each of the boards. Randy cut his teeth in the materials industry by leading the development of a new materials business unit at BASF that changed an industry and generated $35M+ in total revenue in only four years. Earlier in his career he spent five years as a management consultant, helping to turn around underperforming divisions of Fortune 500 companies. He also has spent time on many boards of directors of both for profit and not for profit organizations.

David started his technology career by having to move away from West Virginia after receiving no job interviews in the state upon graduation from WVU. With extensive experience in small technology companies and startups, he was able to return home in 2005. Since that time David’s passion has been to change the odds for West Virginia technology graduates and to help future generations live and thrive here if they choose. Over the last few years, he helped establish several entrepreneurship and innovation centers, including two at the University of Charleston, as well as the WVU LaunchLab. He currently leads the LG NOVA Morgantown office and is working diligently to create a sustainable pipeline of high-tech jobs in the mountain state.