Jefferson County Development Authority

Jefferson County Development Authority The Jefferson County Development Authority attracts and retains business in Jefferson County, WV. Va. Code § 7-12-2).

With a strategic Mid-Atlantic location just 60 miles from Washington, D.C. and ready access to major transportation routes, Jefferson County is ideally situated for business, manufacturing, and industry. As one of the fastest growing areas in the United States, Jefferson County is a major economic driver in a state that boasts the nation’s fourth lowest cost of doing business, low utility rates an

d a highly skilled and loyal workforce. While facilitating relocations and start-ups with tax incentives, low-interest loans and fast-track permitting, the Jefferson County Development Authority also aggressively supports and promotes existing businesses. Our organization provides the following services in our community:

- Encouraging and assisting new business through loans, investments and other business transactions in the locating of new business and industry within Jefferson County WV
- Rehabilitating and assisting existing businesses and industries in the country
- Stimulating and promoting the expansion of all kinds of business and industrial activity
- Advancing business and industrial development, maintaining the economic stability of the county, providing maximum opportunities for West Virginia employment and improving the standard of living for Jefferson County residents
- Cooperating and acting in conjunction with other organizations (federal, state or local) to promote and advance industrial, commercial, agricultural and recreational developments within the county
- Furnishing money and credit, land and industrial sites, technical assistance and other aid as may be deemed requisite to approved and deserving applicants for the promotion, development and conduct of all kinds of business activity within the county (W.

Jefferson County Development Authority and JumpStart Jefferson Announce Pitch Night WinnersCONTACT INFORMATION: Daryl Co...
05/22/2026

Jefferson County Development Authority and JumpStart Jefferson Announce Pitch Night Winners

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Daryl Cowles, director of the Office of Economic Development/ executive director Jefferson County Development Authority
Phone: (304) 728-3255
Email: [email protected]

May 21, 2026 - For immediate release

CHARLES TOWN, WV — The Jefferson County Development Authority and JumpStart Jefferson announced the winners of this year’s JumpStart Jefferson Pitch Night following an exciting evening of final presentations from six local businesses competing for funding to help grow and expand their businesses.

• 1st Place: Simply Smoothies — $7,500 reimbursable prize
• 2nd Place: Elite Apparel & Designs — $2,500 reimbursable prize
• 3rd Place: Home Cooking Solutions — $1,000 reimbursable prize
• People’s Pick Award: Elite Apparel & Designs — $500 prize

“JumpStart Jefferson continues to showcase the talent, determination, and innovation of our local entrepreneurs,” said Director Cowles. “We congratulate all of this year’s participants for the work they put into developing their business ideas, and we are proud to support their continued growth here in Jefferson County.”

All participants will also receive college credits provided by Blue Ridge Community and Technical College.

This year’s finalists were:
• Harpers Ferry School of Massage
• Home Cooking Solutions
• Simply Smoothies
• Spirited Grounds
• Tapas Mar
• Elite Apparel and Designs

JumpStart Jefferson is a small business pitch and entrepreneurship program designed to support local entrepreneurs through education, mentorship, and real-world business development opportunities. Participants completed classes in:
• Social Media Marketing with Moises Mendoza of SCStudios
• Accounting, Taxes, Budgeting, and Financial Planning with Daniel Sweeney of Decker & Company
• Business Plan Development with Tiffany Hine, formerly with Blue Ridge Community and Technical College
• Banking with Aaron Howell of Potomac Bank
• Legal Considerations for Small Businesses with Chris Cox of Bowles Rice
• Insurance with Jeremiah Rickard of WLR Insurance

Participants were also paired with mentors from the community, including Michael Boyd and Carol Goolsby with the West Virginia Small Business Development Center, Matt Knott with River Riders, and Cara Keys with Keys Valuation.

This year’s judges include Tyler Tummulo with Varsity Travel, West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner, and Steve Stolipher. Secretary Warner recently announced approval for the West Virginia Office of Entrepreneurship and the State’s annual entrepreneurship conference, continuing statewide efforts to support entrepreneurship and small business development.

Event sponsors include Potomac Bank and Varsity Travel.

Jefferson County and JumpStart Jefferson thank all participants, finalists, mentors, judges, sponsors, and community supporters who helped make this year’s program and Pitch Night a success.

05/14/2026

About Jefferson County Jefferson County is the easternmost county of West Virginia, bounded by the Potomac River and Maryland on the north; the Blue Ridge Mountains and Loudoun County, Virginia, on the east; Clarke County, Virginia, on the south; and Berkeley County on the west. It occupies 212.4 sq...

A special thank you to Matt Knott with River Riders for serving as a mentor for JumpStart Jefferson!JumpStart Jefferson ...
05/13/2026

A special thank you to Matt Knott with River Riders for serving as a mentor for JumpStart Jefferson!

JumpStart Jefferson is a small business pitch and entrepreneurship program offering small businesses classes in social media marketing, accounting, business plan development, legal, banking, and insurance, partnering them with mentors in the community, and giving them the opportunity to pitch their business for up to $7,500 in prize funding. Matt’s mentorship and business experience have played an important role in helping local entrepreneurs strengthen their ideas, navigate challenges, and prepare for long-term success.

We appreciate Matt’s investment in Jefferson County’s small business community and the continued success of JumpStart Jefferson.

Join us Wednesday at 6:00 PM in the Jefferson County Commission Meeting Room, 393 N. Lawrence Street, to see our entrepreneurs present their final business pitches!

A special thank you to Daniel Sweeney with Deck & Company for serving as an instructor for JumpStart Jefferson!JumpStart...
05/13/2026

A special thank you to Daniel Sweeney with Deck & Company for serving as an instructor for JumpStart Jefferson!

JumpStart Jefferson is a small business pitch and entrepreneurship program offering small businesses classes in social media marketing, accounting, business plan development, legal, banking, and insurance, partnering them with mentors in the community, and giving them the opportunity to pitch their business for up to $7,500 in prize funding. Daniel shared his expertise in accounting, taxes, budgeting, and financial planning, helping participants better understand the financial side of starting and operating a successful small business.

We appreciate Daniel’s investment in Jefferson County’s small business community and the continued success of JumpStart Jefferson.

Join us Wednesday at 6:00 PM in the Jefferson County Commission Meeting Room, 393 N. Lawrence Street, to see our entrepreneurs present their final business pitches!

A special thank you to Chris Cox with Bowles Rice for serving as an instructor for JumpStart Jefferson!JumpStart Jeffers...
05/12/2026

A special thank you to Chris Cox with Bowles Rice for serving as an instructor for JumpStart Jefferson!

JumpStart Jefferson is a small business pitch and entrepreneurship program offering small businesses classes in social media marketing, accounting, business plan development, legal, banking, and insurance, partnering them with mentors in the community, and giving them the opportunity to pitch their business for up to $7,500 in prize funding. Chris shared his expertise on legal considerations for small businesses, helping participants better understand business structure, contracts, liability, and other important legal topics involved in starting and operating a business.

We appreciate Chris’s investment in Jefferson County’s small business community and the continued success of JumpStart Jefferson.

Join us Wednesday at 6:00 PM in the Jefferson County Commission Meeting Room, 393 N. Lawrence Street, to see our entrepreneurs present their final business pitches!

A special thank you to Michael Boyd with the West Virginia Small Business Development Center for serving as a mentor for...
05/12/2026

A special thank you to Michael Boyd with the West Virginia Small Business Development Center for serving as a mentor for JumpStart Jefferson!

JumpStart Jefferson is a small business pitch and entrepreneurship program offering small businesses classes in social media marketing, accounting, business plan development, legal, banking, and insurance, partnering them with mentors in the community, and giving them the opportunity to pitch their business for up to $7,500 in prize funding. Michael’s mentorship has played an important role in helping local businesses develop and in the continued success of the program.

Join us Wednesday at 6:00 PM in the Jefferson County Commission Meeting Room, 393 N. Lawrence Street, to see our entrepreneurs present their final business pitches!

A special thank you to Aaron Howell with Potomac Bank for serving as an instructor for JumpStart Jefferson!JumpStart Jef...
05/12/2026

A special thank you to Aaron Howell with Potomac Bank for serving as an instructor for JumpStart Jefferson!

JumpStart Jefferson is a small business pitch and entrepreneurship program offering small businesses classes in social media marketing, accounting, business plan development, legal, banking, and insurance, partnering them with mentors in the community, and giving them the opportunity to pitch their business for up to $7,500 in prize funding. Aaron shared his expertise on banking and financial services, helping participants better understand the financial side of starting and growing a business.

We appreciate Aaron’s investment in Jefferson County’s small business community and the continued success of JumpStart Jefferson.

Join us Wednesday at 6:00 PM in the Jefferson County Commission Meeting Room, 393 N. Lawrence Street, to see our entrepreneurs present their final business pitches!

A special thank you to Tiffany Hine, formerly with Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, for serving as an instruc...
05/11/2026

A special thank you to Tiffany Hine, formerly with Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, for serving as an instructor for JumpStart Jefferson!

JumpStart Jefferson is a small business pitch and entrepreneurship program offering small businesses classes in social media marketing, accounting, business plan development, legal, banking, and insurance, partnering them with mentors in the community, and giving them the opportunity to pitch their business for up to $7,500 in prize funding. Tiffany helped participants develop and strengthen their business plans, providing valuable guidance that helped entrepreneurs better define their goals, strategy, and vision for growth.

We appreciate Tiffany’s investment in Jefferson County’s small business community and the continued success of JumpStart Jefferson.

Join us Wednesday at 6:00 PM in the Jefferson County Commission Meeting Room, 393 N. Lawrence Street, to see our entrepreneurs present their final business pitches!

A special thank you to Moises Mendoza with SCStudios for serving as the social media marketing instructor for JumpStart ...
05/11/2026

A special thank you to Moises Mendoza with SCStudios for serving as the social media marketing instructor for JumpStart Jefferson!

JumpStart Jefferson is a small business pitch and entrepreneurship program offering small businesses classes in social media marketing, accounting, business plan development, legal, banking, and insurance, partnering them with mentors in the community, and giving them the opportunity to pitch their business for up to $7,500 in prize funding. Moises shared his expertise in marketing, branding, and digital engagement to help local entrepreneurs better tell their stories and grow their businesses.

We appreciate his investment in Jefferson County’s small business community and the success of JumpStart Jefferson.

Join us Wednesday at 6:00 PM in the Jefferson County Commission Meeting Room, 393 N. Lawrence Street, to see our entrepreneurs present their final business pitches!

Address

393 N Lawrence Street
Charles Town, WV
25414

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+13047283255

Website

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