U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) announced today that The Connected Technology Corridors Program has been awarded a $30,000 grant from the Hugh I. Shott Jr. Foundation for continued development of the regional tech initiative, which was launched by Rahall in December.

"The Shott Foundation is very pleased to support the CTC program developed by Congressman Rahall, which will bring new opportunities to the southern part of West Virginia," said R.W. "Buz" Wilkinson, president of the foundation.

Connected Technologies Corridors (CTC) materialized from Rahall's desire and efforts to harness the technological resources of southern West Virginia to optimize the potential for the region's economic future.

"Technology, as many know, is one of the three Ts that I see as keys to economic advancement in West Virginia," Rahall said. "Combined with work in the areas of transportation and tourism, technology successes will go a long way toward unlocking the economic promise of our region."

The Connected Technologies Corridors Program (CTC) is a collaborative effort of the Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation, 4-C Economic Development Authority, The Development Authority of Mercer County, the McDowell County Economic Development Authority, Webster County Economic Development Authority and the Wyoming County Economic Development Authority, Region 1 Planning and Development Council, and the Region 4 Planning and Development Council. The new technology organization is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of directors from each of these locally based economic and community development entities.

These entities, representing 11 county commissions and more than 50 municipalities, have come together for the purpose of broadband development and deployment, entrepreneurial startups, retention and expansion of technology based businesses, and regional marketing for the 11-county area of southeastern West Virginia and what it has to offer to the world.

"This funding comes at a most opportune time and it is a strong indication of the Shott Foundation's commitment to technology that was started by the Four Seasons regional council," said Norm Kirkham, executive director of the CTC. "I thank the Shott Foundation for their support and for taking the initiative to support this important program."

The Shott Foundation was established in 1984 by publisher Hugh Ike Shott, Jr., for the betterment of his hometown of Bluefield and the state of West Virginia. Shott spent more than 60 years with the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, the newspaper founded by his father in 1896.