WV Secretary of State’s Virtual Assistant Earns International Recognition

Charleston, W.Va. – At the 48th annual International Association of Commercial Administrators (IACA) Conference in Manchester, New Hampshire—the WV Secretary of State's S.O.LO. (SOLO) Virtual Assistant earned the 2025 Merit Award. IACA is the industry leader in establishing and fostering best practices for business registry professionals. Each year, IACA recognizes jurisdictions who have successfully implemented an innovative change.

SOLO, an acronym for "Single Online Location," is an AI-powered chatbot designed by the WV Secretary of State's office to provide round-the-clock access to information on forming a business, filing an Annual Report, and other business-related services. SOLO, which is powered by IBM Watson Assistant and Discovery Technology, is an initiative of the WV Secretary of State’s Business Division that is revolutionizing the office’s customer service capabilities.

The WVSOS office was represented at the conference by Business Division Director Sarah Carey, Customer Service Coordinator and Business Specialist Andrew Melone and Director of Licensing Leah Powell.

Secretary of State Kris Warner said, "I'm very proud that the WV Secretary of State’s SOLO business initiative was recognized on an international stage. It's wonderful that the hard work of our staff and the initiatives developed here in West Virginia are being used as an example for other jurisdictions."

SOLO was launched in April 2023, and now assists more than 600 users each month. This virtual assistant was designed to lead to shorter wait times for customer service calls and making more time for staff to assist with complex inquires. The AI technology utilized by SOLO continues to evolve as new questions and answers are inputted regularly. The award-winning platform can be accessed on any computer or smart device.

​

SOLO is one of the many tools available to assist business owners and entrepreneurs. At the WV One Stop Business Center in Charleston, business partners include the WV State Tax Division, the WV Small Business Development Center and the WV Grant Resource Center. These experts work with customers by providing guidance, business coaching, and resources for financial opportunities.

Access SOLO easily in the bottom-right corner of the WV Secretary of State's homepage.