Josh Young represents the chemical and plastics industries before legislative and regulatory agencies nationwide. He joined the American Chemistry Council (ACC) in 2004 and currently serves as Senior Government Affairs Director at its Washington, D.C. headquarters. In this role, he works with legislative and regulatory officials, local chemistry councils, environmental federations, and industry groups at the local, state, and federal levels. He also serves as Executive Director of the Chemical Industry Council of Delaware.

Mr. Young represents ACC through participation in several public-policy organizations, including the American Legislative Exchange Council, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Council of State Governments, Republican Legislative Leaders, Democratic Legislative Leaders, and Women in Government.

He previously served on the Board of Directors of the State Government Affairs Council—a premier national association for multistate government-affairs professionals, offering networking and professional-development opportunities. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Product Management Alliance, a national coalition of trade organizations serving as a voice for manufacturers on issues such as recovery, take-back programs, and other extended producer-responsibility models.

Mr. Young earned a Master of Arts in English from Washington & Lee University. He previously served as a legislative liaison for U.S. Senator Paul Coverdell in Washington, D.C. He is married to the former Kelly Jordan of Raleigh, North Carolina, and they reside in Arlington, Virginia, with their son, Jordan.

Robert W. “Bob” Milvet is a seasoned executive with more than two decades of leadership experience across finance, manufacturing, healthcare administration, IT systems integration, and complex regulatory environments. A CPA with a BSBA in Accounting from West Virginia University, Bob currently serves as Head of Finance, IT, and Government Relations at Mountaintop Beverage in Morgantown, where he has helped scale the company from start-up to nearly $100 million in annual revenue. He has led ERP implementations, built high-performing teams, and driven financial and operational excellence.

Before joining Mountaintop Beverage, Bob held multiple leadership roles in the healthcare sector, where he led a major financial turnaround, oversaw new facility construction projects, and guided a hospital through the COVID-19 pandemic with agility and strategic foresight. His tenure at Mon Health System and WVU included consistent operational improvements, strategic growth initiatives, and innovative care delivery models.

Bob is widely recognized for his collaborative leadership, strategic vision, and commitment to organizational and community health. He was named a Top 25 Industry Leader Under 40 by Becker’s Hospital Review in 2012 and Rural Health Leader of the Year in 2021 by the West Virginia Center for Rural Health Development. He has served on numerous boards, including the Mon & Preston County United Way Campaign (Chair), Milan Puskar Health Right, the Critical Illness and Trauma Foundation in Bozeman, MT, and the West Virginia Hospital Association. He currently serves on the Cortland Association, Inc. board in Thomas, WV, and the West Virginia Manufacturers Association board. 

Bob and his wife, Whitney, have five children, ages 9 to 16. When not working or cheering on their kids’ sporting events, they enjoy mountain biking, skiing, hiking, fishing, traveling, and managing livestock on their homestead in Preston County.

Marvin Woodie earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from West Virginia University and began his career with Conn-Weld Industries in 1986. Over the years, he served as a project engineer with involvement in product development and later advanced to Vice President of Field Operations, where he played an instrumental role in expanding Conn-Weld’s global presence. He now serves as President of Conn-Weld Industries, LLC.

Marvin is deeply committed to education, community, and manufacturing in West Virginia. He serves on numerous boards, including Bluefield State University’s Mechanical Engineering Department Board of Accreditation, Bluefield State University’s Foundation Board, The Wade Center, WVU’s Visiting Committee for the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, The Graham High School Foundation, the West Virginia Manufacturers Association Board, the Bluefield Baseball Board, and the Central Appalachian Highway Economic Development Authority.

John Deskins is the Director of the Bureau of Business & Economic Research and an Associate Professor of Economics at West Virginia University. In this role, he provides rigorous economic analysis and macroeconomic forecasting to business leaders and policymakers across West Virginia.

Deskins’ academic work centers on economic development, small-business economics, and public policy. His research has been published in numerous professional economics outlets, and he has secured more than $2 million in funded research. 

He has testified before both the U.S. Congress and the West Virginia Legislature, and has delivered more than 300 presentations. His insights have been featured in major national media, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.