An editorial from the Charleston Daily Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Workforce West Virginia this week released its annual list of the top 100 largest private employers in the state.
As Daily Mail Business Editor Jared Hunt pointed out Thursday, Wal-Mart tops the list, as it has every year since 1998, followed by West Virginia United Health System, Charleston Area Medical Center, Kroger, and Mylan Pharmaceuticals.
While there are few surprises in this year’s list, it’s annual release might cause some to wonder about the 91,000 businesses in state who didn’t make it into the top 100 rankings, and what the state can do to help the state’s total employment level grow.
A look at the businesses that employ the fewest would be interesting, although that list would likely consist of thousands of small, home-owned businesses who employ only their proprietor. Some may have dreams of big growth, while many are probably happy to be one-person service providers.
The key question for those who want to grow is: Are they getting the support they need from local, county and state governments, or do they face a continuing series of obstructions, unnecessary rules and non-competitive application fees…
