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Pikeville conference to discuss economic development in eastern Kentucky

Pikeville Fire Department

A three-day long conference to discuss economic growth in eastern Kentucky will take place in Pikeville later this week.

It’s being hosted by Shaping Our Appalachian Region, or SOAR, at multiple venues across the city. The SOAR Summit includes workshops and networking opportunities from eastern Kentucky businesses.

“We’ve got really talented people in eastern Kentucky,” SOAR Executive Director Colby Hall said. “You’ve got really smart people. You’ve got really determined people, the stories of how people have reinvented themselves over generations. And the loyalty – to me, that's eastern Kentucky's number one competitive advantage.”

Hall says they’re set to have the most amount of exhibits they’ve had in the event’s decade-long existence.

“There should be over 100 exhibits there to see all the types of cool stuff that's going on across the region, from entrepreneurs, from students, to service providers, to other for-profit businesses and things like that,” Hall said.

The event is scheduled Wednesday through Friday. More information is available here.

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Shepherd joined WEKU in June 2023 as a staff reporter. He most recently worked for West Virginia Public Broadcasting as General Assignment Reporter. In that role, he collected interviews and captured photos in the northern region of West Virginia. Shepherd holds a master’s degree in Digital Marketing Communication and a bachelor’s in music from West Virginia University.
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