Frank Vitale, founder and president of Forge, will take helm of West Virginia’s first accredited Angel Investment Network
MORGANTOWN — Forge, a strategic planning and consulting firm in Morgantown, is pleased to announce that its President and CEO, Frank Vitale, has been tapped to be the president of Country Roads Angel Network (CRAN), an organization that assists West Virginia entrepreneurs with mentoring and early-stage investments.
“I have been a member of CRAN since its inception in 2019 and strongly believe in its mission,” said Vitale, who previously was a CRAN Board member. “As president, I hope to grow both the number of entrepreneurs using the network and investors who are looking to invest in and support local businesses.
“I see this position as a natural complement to the work I have been committed to doing at Forge, where I will remain as president and CEO,” Vitale added.
CRAN supports entrepreneurs with start-up endeavors throughout West Virginia. It was developed by executives with links to West Virginia who understood the importance of seed money and angel funding for local entrepreneurs to take their businesses from idea or prototype to market. In the past four years, CRAN’s member investors have provided needed capital to a variety of businesses focused on everything from agribusiness and medical devices to telecom and eco/sustainability endeavors.
Vitale said CRAN offers investors a unique way to get involved in supporting local businesses. Each application for assistance is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Once the idea is vetted, individual investors can decide if they want to participate in investing in the company, and if so, how much they would like to commit.
“It is very exciting to be a part of an organization like CRAN because it truly has a force multiplier effect: each investment we make not only helps the entrepreneur, but it helps our local communities grow and diversify their economies,” Vitale said. “For too long West Virginia has believed that innovation can only happen somewhere else. But CRAN is helping to show the state that great opportunities can be found right here at home.”
Vitale said his new position with CRAN will not replace his current role at Forge.
“I started Forge in 2017 because I have a passion for helping entrepreneurs achieve their business goals,” he said. “Forge will continue to provide the same dedicated, high-level services to businesses, non-profits and government agencies as it always has.”
Forge is a service-disabled veteran owned business certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration, NaVOBA, and Disability:IN. It provides management and leadership planning services to businesses, organizations, and non-profits. Its services include government and community relations, strategic planning, business development, and organizational growth planning. Forge is based in Morgantown.
Written by Beth Ryan, Communications Director Forge Business Solutions.