Speakers Included All of the State’s Congressional Representation and Governor
The West Virginia Coal Association held its 38th Annual Mining Symposium last week. The event continues to grow larger each year, with more than 1,100 people each of the three days of the conference. Dozens of vendor companies were also on hand to show off their latest products.
“We are just astonished at the growth of this event,” said Bill Raney, association president. “When this started it wasn’t much more than a few company representatives and a vendor or two with a table-top display. The Symposium today has truly become a key event on the industry’s calendar.
The list of people addressing the event this year included all five of the state’s Congressional delegation: Senators Rockefeller and Manchin, as well as Congressional Representatives Rahall, Capito and McKinley. Governor Earl Ray Tomblin also spoke at the event. Each of the speakers talked about the importance of coal to the state and the nation and how important it is to get that message through in Washington.
The event also drew significant coverage by state media, with all the major television, print and radio media in attendance. A live television link provided coverage of the event to local television stations across the state.