Caperton Furnitureworks owner Gat Caperton, left answers a question posed by CRAN board member Scott Widmeyer, center, as Shepherd University President Mary Hendrix listens, in the Bavarian Inn on April 30. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — “I’m going to brag about our students a bit,” said Shepherd University President Mary Hendrix, as she spoke on a panel during the Country Roads Angel Network annual meeting in the Bavarian Inn on April 30.

Hendrix went on to describe numerous ways in which business and an entrepreneurial spirit is being fostered in students at Shepherd.

“Our business students start working as interns for many different businesses. By the time they’re finished with their degree programs, the businesses often wish to hire them,” Hendrix said. “Another example of success is with our arts and humanities students. If anyone here has the opportunity to walk from East Campus to West Campus, you go through a tunnel, which has the most beautiful mural paintings on its walls. Our art students did that, with the art faculty. It was so successful, that they are now working in town, painting murals on the buildings there.”

“The Intersection of Higher Education and Business” panel, which was moderated by CRAN board member Scott Widmeyer, also featured Caperton Furnitureworks CEO Gat Caperton.

“Capital creates change. Without great capital, you can’t get great employees and truly be successful,” Caperton, who lives in Berkeley Springs, said. “Shepherd’s really a great producer of great human capital in this area. If you can raise capital, you have good human capital and you create alignment, then you have a fighting chance in this global world.”

Caperton, who is the son of former West Virginia governor Gaston Caperton, said he believes the best way for a business to thrive in West Virginia, is for it to be deeply involved with its community.

“A business like ours is only as strong as the community from which it hails –that community is both its local community and its industry community,” Caperton said. “When I first bought this business, I spent time in the factory every day, but I was not involved with the community or the industry. As I got comfortable with the business itself, I really realized the importance of community involvement. The investment that you put into your community, comes back to you in many ways.”

Caperton also addressed the complaint of many business owners, regarding the failure of their businesses due to hiring issues in the state.

“We have an incredible work force. People love to say how bad workers are these days, that 25-year-olds are terrible. We’ve had the exact opposite situation,” Caperton said. “The best way to get a crappy employee is to have a crappy job. There’s really no crummy jobs in our operation. If you start with that, then it is very easy to attract and keep good people.”