Bridgeport, W.Va. – On Wednesday, September 24, WV Secretary of State Kris Warner will address more than 250 community leaders and economic development professionals at the WV Economic Development Council (WVEDC) Annual Conference being held at the Bridgeport Conference Center at Charles Pointe in Bridgeport.

Secretary Warner will speak to the Conference on Wednesday morning starting at 8:45 a.m.

In his capacity as WV Secretary of State (WVSOS), Secretary Warner serves as the state's business registration official. More than 143,000 businesses, partnerships, and nonprofits are registered to do business in WV. The WVSOS Business Division has 3 locations: the WV One Stop Business Center in Charleston, and business hubs in Clarksburg and Martinsburg.

Prior to being elected WV Secretary of State in 2024, Secretary Warner served from 2021 to 2024 as the Executive Director of the WV Economic Development Authority. From 2017 to 2020, he was appointed by then-President Donald Trump to serve as the State Director of the WV Office of the USDA - Rural Development. Over that eight-year period, Secretary Warner managed the investment of more than $2 billion in federal and state funding into business development and infrastructure needs throughout West Virginia.

Secretary Warner is a sixth-generation West Virginian born and raised in Kanawha County. Prior to his service to the federal and state government, Secretary Warner enjoyed a successful 30-year career as an entrepreneur and real estate developer.

CLICK HERE to see the WVEDC Fall Conference Agenda.