The Mid-Atlantic Aerospace Complex, the Harrison-Marion Regional Airport's marketing and development arm, named a new set of executives during its annual election that was held Wednesday.

West Virginia employees are known for their good work ethic - but finding enough skilled workers seems to be a major problem. The aerospace industry is no different, and suffers from a shortage of qualified workers.

Jim Skidmore never thought he'd be a part of a rebirth.

But as he looks around the Mid-Atlantic Aerospace Complex at Benedum Airport, Skidmore knows things are changing in North Central West Virginia.

Bridgeport's airport complex is home to some of the world's most well known aviation and aerospace companies. It's in a central hub on the East Coast. It features a new industrial park that will grow to at least 200 acres and the longest runway in the state. It is supported by training programs that feed quality employees to businesses.

Jim Skidmore remembers the snickers. He remembers the laughter. He remembers the pessimism.

For Skidmore, it's all still fresh in his mind. s

Even though the initial skepticism came about more than a decade ago when he was brought on board as the executive of the newly developed center of aerospace activity, he can easily recall the doubt about what was being proposed.

Rep. Alan B. Mollohan, D-W.Va., has secured $950,000 in federal funds to help bring new activity to the Mid-Atlantic Aerospace Complex at Harrison County's Benedum Airport.

A recent event at Benedum Airport in Bridgeport joined the historical ranks of such famous flights as those of Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart on Saturday, May 20. On that date, by coincidence, a record-breaking number of passengers - the largest ever - departed the airport in a Boeing 727 jetliner. The occasion occurred 73 years after Lindberg's flight and 68 years after Earhart's.

Historically, West Virginia has been known as a state whose residents seek employment outside its borders. In a concerted effort to keep those workers here - within West Virginia, working in the rapidly growing aviation industry - the Mid-Atlantic Aerospace Complex (MAAC) developed a training program that produced its first graduating class Wednesday night.

Daleen Berry, a Fairmont State College honors student, has been awarded the first annual Mid-Atlantic Aerospace Complex (MAAC) summer internship for the year 2000. In addition to the $5,000.00 stipend, Berry will also receive college credit for her work.

A Bridgeport manufacturing firm has received nearly $2.3 million in defense contracts. Congressman Alan B. Mollohan announced Monday the contracts have been awarded to FMW Composite Systems Inc.

FMW operates a 50,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at the Mid-Atlantic Aerospace Complex at Benedum Airport.

In the movie, "Field of Dreams," Kevin Costner was told, "Build it and they will come."

While it worked for him on the silver screen, that tactic doesn't work very often in the business world.

And thanks in part to a new spending bill, officials at Benedum Airport will not have to just hope clients hear about the nearly-completed runway expansion.

The burgeoning aerospace industry at Benedum Airport was given another boost Thursday when the governor announced a pre-employment training program that will teach residents the skills necessary to work at one of the five aerospace companies located there.