Profiles Magazine 2013 by Executive Ink

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Profiles is published annually by Executive Ink, LLC, PO Box 6277, Charleston, West Virginia, 25362. All rights reserved. All contents are copyrighted by Executive Ink, LLC; reproduction in whole or part without written permission from Executive Ink, LLC is expressly forbidden and punishable by law. Profiles is not responsible for unsolicited materials. All opinions expressed within Profiles belong to the feature’s author and are not necessarily the opinions of the publishers or Executive Ink, LLC employees. Profiles and Executive Ink, LLC reserve the right to refuse any idea, material or subject matter, especially those of racist, sexist, pornographic or religiously derogating intent. Throughout this issue, trademarked names are used. Rather than denoting a trademark symbol in every occurrence of a trademarked name, Profiles uses the names in an editorial fashion, with no infringement. All trademarked names are still fully protected, and anyone who uses them without permission will be prosecuted. About the Cover: The West Virginia State Capitol, taken in 2012 by Mary Almond, Fine Art Photographer (www.merrycat.com).

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2013 Profiles homefinders plus

AWARDS & MEMBERSHIPS

Homefinders Plus: New Business of the Year, Harrison County Chamber of Commerce, 1996 Member, Harrison County Chamber of Commerce Member, Marion County Chamber of Commerce

“When our clients walk away from the closing table, whether they are receiving or giving keys to a home, we want them to walk away with a sense of satisfaction with their entire home buying or selling experience.”

Contact Information: 104 State Street Bridgeport, WV 26330 (304) 842-7901 (304) 366-9333 www.homefindersplus.com

PROUD SPONSORS OF: Harrison County Student Achievement The First Tee of WV - North Central New Century Partner - Harrison County Chamber of Commerce The Clarksburg Mission Medbrook Children’s Charity

Member, National Association of Realtors Member, West Virginia Association of Realtors Jo Ellen Crowley: Member, Salvation Army National Advisory Board Former President and Secretary, Board of Realtors Supporter, The Clarksburg Mission Monica Gorrell: Member, FBI Citizens Academy Supporter, Medbrook Children’s Charity Supporter, The First Tee of WV — North Central Mary Lou Jones: Chairperson, Scholarship Committee, Harrison County Student Achievement Association Member, National Association of Professional Women Member, National Registry of Who’s Who Member, Human Resources Committee, United Hospital Center Board of Directors

or the past 20 years, a team of three focused West Virginia women have worked together to make their dream a reality. The owners of Homefinders Plus, Jo Ellen Crowley, Monica Gorrell and Mary Lou Jones, were all in the real estate business before they decided to venture off together to start their own company. They did not have any experience with starting a new business, but the team knew their dynamic would be unstoppable. “Mary Lou and I started working together in 1988, and JoEllen joined us in 1989,” says Gorrell. “Once we were together, we instantly recognized our styles were similar. This was the beginning of our future partnership.” The mission of this women-owned agency has always been to treat all clients as though they are special and strive to meet their unique needs. With this business mission, Homefinders Plus became Harrison County’s number one real estate company in sales, listings and service. “We have one common goal—to build the best real estate company through hard work, dedication and ethical behavior,” says Gorrell. Homefinders Plus has been meeting that goal since the beginning. In 1996, the recently established business received much positive feedback when their company was

named the New Business of the Year by the Harrison County Chamber of Commerce. Since then, Homefinders Plus has proved to be a force to be reckoned with in the real estate industry. In 2005, the company was presented with the opportunity to buy out another company and open an additional location in Fairmont. In both of their locations, the Homefinders Plus team is dedicated to the local communities and is involved with multiple events and organizations throughout the region. The owners agree that because of their community-oriented mindset, they have been able to expand their business. “Our success has come from the community in which we live, interact and serve. It’s all about giving back. Giving and being involved with local charities exemplifies our commitment to our community,” says Gorrell. The owners have also built an outstanding customer base through providing exceptional service by some of the best agents in the state. Homefinders Plus has gone from employing five real estate agents to more than 28 today. Each agent is aware that buying or selling a home is one of the biggest investments a person can make, which is the reason each is dedicated to helping individuals find the home of their dreams.

2013 Profiles homefinders plus

Jo Ellen Crowley, CRS, GRI, ABR

Monica Gorrell, CRS, GRI

Mary Lou Jones, CRS, GRI

E-mail: joellen@homefindersplus.com

E-mail: monica@homefindersplus.com

E-mail: marylou@homefindersplus.com

Title: Sales Manager and Owner

Title: Associate Broker and Owner

Title: Broker and Owner

Years of Experience: 24 Years

Years of Experience: 25 Years

Jo Ellen Crowley, one of three owners of Homefinders Plus, has learned to look on the bright side of life. Initially, the Clarksburg native entered the field of real estate for the flexibility it would provide while raising her two children as a single mother. While she quickly learned that the real estate business was a demanding job, she fell in love with her work, interacting with people of all ages and personalities. Crowley began working with Monica Gorrell and Mary Lou Jones—whom she has always viewed as invaluable mentors—at another real estate company, so when they decided to open their own company, she could not say no. Crowley graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Fairmont State University and has three designations: Accredited Buyer’s Representative, Certified Residential Specialist and Graduate, Realtor Institute. Crowley enjoys cooking, seeing plays and spending time at her cabin with friends, family and her two children, Janna and Thomas, who have always been supportive and understanding of her hectic career.

Monica Gorrell is an associate broker and owner with Homefinders Plus and was one of the founding realtors responsible for starting the business in 1993. Gorrell decided to become a realtor in 1987 after the birth of her first son because she wanted to explore a flexible field that would also incorporate her other interests. A graduate of Fairmont State University, Gorrell received her West Virginia Real Estate License in 1988 and her West Virginia Broker’s License in 1993. Her designations include Certified Residential Specialist and Graduate, Realtor Institute. In addition to the desire to pursue a family-friendly career, Gorrell approaches real estate with a tenacity to provide service, saying “The greatest compliment I can ever receive is business from past clients and referrals from clients, friends and associates.” Gorrell has three sons: Harrison, Patrick and Luke, and she can often be found spending time on her boat with family and friends, traveling and being involved with her children’s activities.

Mary Lou Jones is from Hamlin, WV, and has lived in Harrison County since 1959. After attending college at Marshall University, Jones settled down and had three children. After her youngest left home, she decided to take a real estate class. She enjoyed it so much that she couldn’t believe someone would pay her to do the job, and she became a realtor in 1988. Her certifications include Certified Residential Specialist and Graduate, Realtor Institute. Jones worked in real estate before starting Homefinders Plus with Monica Gorrell and Jo Ellen Crowley in 1993. Jones is a true people person and enjoys working with clients to find their dream home, something she firmly believes everyone should be able to do. Active in her community, Jones is the former president of the Harrison County Association of Realtors and Friends of the West Virginia State Bar, and she was named the Honorary Italian Woman of the Year by the West Virginia Italian Heritage Committee in 2007. In her free time, Jones is an avid reader and also enjoys playing bridge, cooking and working on compiling a cookbook for her family that will include recipes passed down from generation to generation. She and her husband, Jerald, have three children and four grandchildren. 

2013 Profiles letter from the editor

Well recognized Well respected Well within reach Parkersburg Charleston

est Virginia was founded on the principles of hard work and determination. Combined with our entrepreneurial spirit, the Mountain State is overflowing with untold

success stories. As magazine publishers, our mission is to tell these stories. When the staff met for an editorial meeting last spring and our conversation turned to the state’s movers and shakers, we realized all of these success stories have to start somewhere—with someone, to be exact—and that these professionals are important stories in themselves.

Serving businesses & individuals for over 35 years.

www.suttlecpas.com Charleston 800.788.3844 Parkersburg 304.485.6584

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

The goal that came from this meeting was to create a platform from which these talented professionals in the Mountain State could shine. And so we bring to you for the first time our Profiles magazine, a resource guide and a business community who’s who rolled into one. This annual publication features 10 industry sectors from across the state: construction, education, energy and manufacturing, financial services, health care, legal services, professional services, public services, recreation and technology. Each section highlights experienced professionals from their industry, allowing you, our readers, to get to know them on a more in-depth level—from past work history and awards to personal stories—and help make these leaders more recognizable in their communities.

Profiles magazine will be distributed to our 25,000-member mail list, which consists of business owners, business leaders and politicians across the State of West Virginia. As an added bonus, Profiles will appear on a special tab on West Virginia Executive’s Web site (www. wvexecutive.com). As advocates of our great state, it’s important that we all keep sharing stories of success to inspire each other. We hope you will enjoy this premiere issue of Profiles and share it with your co-workers and friends. 

7 8 9 10

Larry G. Adkins, AIA Mark Estep, P.E. Kevin Mark King Doug Skaff, Jr.

Legal Services 32 34 35 36 37

Robert “Bobby” Warner Vickie L. Hylton Carte P. Goodwin Shawn R. Romano, Esq. Anthony J. Sparacino, Jr.

Education 12 13 14 15 16 17

David M. Fryson, Esq. Dr. Brian O. Hemphill Stephen J. Kopp, Ph.D. Carolyn Long Dr. L. Marshall Washington Dr. Edwin Welch

Energy & Manufacturing 19 Holly Kauffman 20 Joseph Eddy

Financial Services

Professional Services 39 40 41 42

Matthew Ballard Susan Lavenski Brooks F. McCabe, Jr. Judy Sheppard

2013 Profiles table of contents

Construction Trade

Public Services 45 46 47 48

Douglas Facemire Dr. Michelle Foster Loretta Jett-Haddad, MSM, BS Tiffany Lawrence

Recreation 50 Tim Mueller

22 Michele R. Davis, CPA 23 Harry Keith White 24 Robert K. Welty

Health Care 27 28 29 30

Michael D. Adelman, D.O., D.P.M., J.D. Traci L. Morris Tommy Mullins Senator Ron D. Stollings, MD, FACP

Technology 52 53 54 55 56

Jamila Jones-Fleet John B. Gaddis Steve Smith, BSEE, MCSE, MCT Kirsten Smith, BSEE Gary Sims, Jr.

Advertisers Inside Front Cover Dixon Hughes Goodman 1 West Virginia Economic Development Authority 2 Homefinders Plus Real Estate, Inc. 4 Suttle and Stalnaker PLLC 26 Thomas Health System Inside Back Cover Insurance Centers Inc. Back Cover WVHTC Foundation

Construction Trade

“Larry’s work performance displays his architectural skills, and his actions reflect a genuine personal commitment. His professional contributions are directly responsible for a ‘maybe plan’ becoming reality.”

Company: Adkins Design, Inc. Title: President Location: Charleston, WV Professional Focus: Architecture Years of Experience: 38 Years Contact Information: 1522 Clearview Heights Charleston, WV 25312 www.adkinsdesign.net

—P.E.R.

arry Adkins, AIA, is president and senior architect of Adkins Design, Inc., an architectural and interior design firm located in Charleston, WV. A magna cum laude graduate of the West Virginia Institute of Technology, he began his architectural career in 1975 and became registered in 1987. Adkins started his own company in 1996 after working for two large architectural/engineering firms in Charleston as a senior architect and architectural department manager. Adkins has been involved with various types of buildings and businesses, from his first projects in designing jewelry stores in California and Washington, D.C., to health care facilities in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. Applying his skills to the design and planning of various projects, he is devoted to providing basic structural soundness and practicality while preserving the beauty of the environment. He is affiliated with the American Institute of Architects West Virginia Chapter and the West Virginia Association of

Housing Agencies, where he serves as the chairman of their Vendor Committee, and he has assisted with their training program by conducting training for their membership in the areas of blueprint reading, landscaping and physical needs. Adkins has led his firm in becoming the leading West Virginia architectural firm serving public housing clients. The firm has designed numerous private sector architectural projects that include office buildings, various types of health care facilities, religious facilities, athletic fields and facilities, retail stores, accessible and non-accessible housing, townhouses and car dealerships. The firm’s projects have been recognized by the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials for the Charleston-Kanawha Housing Senior Citizens Mini Parks Program and has been the recipient of the NAHRO Agency Award of Merit, the Charleston Renaissance Corporation Development Project Special Recognition Award, the City of Charleston’s Mixed Use Development of the Year Mayor’s Citation award and the 2012 Best of Charleston Award for Miscellaneous Real Estate Services. Adkins has also been recognized by Strathmore’s Who’s Who Worldwide in the categories of Leadership Achievement, Lifetime Membership and Professional Achievements in Architecture. Prior to college, Adkins served in the U.S. Navy at Naval Air Station Oceana, VA, with Fighter Squadron VF101 where Navy pilots trained for aircraft carrier landings with the Phantom F4 jet. Adkins

2013 Profiles Construction Trade

Larry G. Adkins, AIA

has been active with community service and pro bono projects and has designed facilities for the local high school and fire station. He has also devoted time to the local teen athletic programs. Adkins is married with four adult children and seven grandchildren. 

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS

NAHRO Agency Award of Merit, 2010 Mixed Use Development of the Year Award Sustainable Development Award, 2010

Charleston Kanawha Housing — Administration Building.

Located on the 1500 block of West Washington Street, this facility is fully accessible and within the city’s bus line. The facility consolidates and centralizes services for nearly 12,000 clients.

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

2013 Profiles Construction Trade

Mark Estep, P.E. Company: ME Consulting Engineers, Inc. Title: President and Senior Engineer Location: Liberty, WV Professional Focus: Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Years of Experience: 23 Years Contact Information: 118 Winery Road Liberty, WV 25124 (304) 389-1077 mark@meconsultingengineers.com www.meconsultingengineers.com

ark Estep is president and senior engineer at ME Consulting Engineers, Inc. The firm provides mechanical, plumbing and electrical engineering design services for construction communities in West Virginia, as well as the five surrounding states. Diversity in his knowledge and work experience is one of Estep’s strengths. He received his bachelor’s degree in engineering from West Virginia Institute of Technology, as well as a technology degree in architectural design from Fairmont State College. His wholebuilding approach has brought a variety of projects and clients to the firm seeking a more in-depth experience for their design needs. ME Consulting has worked on projects for area hospitals and doctor groups

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS Member, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Member, American Society of Plumbing Engineers Member, National Council of Examiners for Engineers & Surveyors United States Green Building Council Member, American Institute of Architects — West Virginia Chapter

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

that have included diagnostic centers, endoscopy suites, magnetic resonance imaging facilities and medical office space. Estep stays up to date on the everchanging medical building code to ensure his clients are in compliance, an example of Estep’s dedication to his clients and their satisfaction. Commercial and retail projects are also a large part of Estep’s work. Working on large office spaces allows Estep to integrate new and existing equipment to create a harmonious work environment. Estep’s attention to detail ensures that his other commercial clients are satisfied. From small 3,000-square-foot retail shops to 150,000-square-foot, mixeduse facilities, Estep works diligently to make certain the end-user feels safe and comfortable in their new facility. Estep focuses on municipal and public projects alike, which include office spaces and library and museum expansions and renovations. Estep’s extensive experience also includes work on designing parking garages.

From one- and two-family dwellings to 50-unit apartment complexes, Estep brings his varied education to the table. He caters to the owner’s main concern— comfort—while still being concerned with code compliance and occupant safety. A native West Virginian, Estep is married and has three children. 

Kevin Mark King Company: Harper Engineering, PLLC Title: Partner and Engineer Location: St. Albans, WV Professional Focus: Electrical Engineering Years of Experience: 9 Years Contact Information: 52 B Street St. Albans, WV 25177 (304) 722-3602 mark@harperengwv.com

—Jeff Brewer, Maintenance Director, Wyoming County Schools

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS Who’s Who in American Junior Colleges, Wytheville Community College Dr. John V. Neff Humanities Award, Wytheville Community College Phi Theta Kappa, Wytheville Community College Graduate, Magna Cum Laude, Wytheville Community College Who’s Who in American Junior Colleges, Bluefield State College Graduate, Cum Laude, Bluefield State College Eta Kappa Nu, West Virginia University Institute of Technology Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, West Virginia University Institute of Technology

evin Mark King is a partner at Harper Engineering, PLLC and has more than 20 years of experience in the electrical industry. King started out as an electrician in 1991, working for Yates Construction. While at Yates, he worked on the Columbia Forest Products facility in Craigsville, WV. After the facility was up and running, King went to work for Columbia Forest Products in their maintenance department. When he left Columbia Forest Products in 2000 to pursue an electrical engineering degree, he was master electrician. King went to West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery, WV, and graduated in the fall of 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. While there, he served as vice president of Atlantic Enterprises, Inc., an electrical contracting company located in Rainelle, WV. King has been practicing engineering since 2004 when he started with CMA Engineering in Cross Lanes, WV. In 2008, he began work for Augusta Engineering and worked for various engineering firms in the Charleston area. In the summer of 2010, he joined Harper Engineering, where his role has been primarily electrical design and contract administration. He was made a partner in the firm in January 2011.

2013 Profiles Construction Trade

“I have worked with Mark King for years on school renovation projects. Due to his strong work ethic, promptness in dealing with issues and willingness to incorporate client input, I would recommend him for any electrical design work.”

King holds professional engineer licenses in West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania. He is also registered with The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying and is a LEED Green Associate and a member of the National Fire Protection Association. King has been involved in various projects over his career, ranging from small pump stations and school renovations to new schools, call centers and gas compressor stations. He enjoys his work with Harper Engineering because every project is unique and presents challenges, which he enjoys solving. King’s parents were born in Fayette County, WV. His father grew up in Landisburg, WV, and his mother grew up in Rainelle, WV. His wife, Alisa, is a registered nurse and works at Thomas Memorial Hospital in South Charleston. The couple has a 7-year-old daughter, Rachel, who attends school at Teays Valley Christian School. King and his family attend church regularly at Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Hurricane, WV, and are active in the children’s ministry. 

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

2013 Profiles Construction Trade

Doug Skaff, Jr. In 2005, Doug Skaff received a National Sales Builder Award while with Owens Corning, and in 2007 and 2008, while with Saint Gobain Corporation, he received awards for running the most outstanding branches in North America.

oug Skaff, Jr. is the managing partner of Building & Remodeling Warehouse (BRW), which he owns with his father, Doug Skaff, Sr., and longtime colleague Jeff Goins. Since its inception on October 1, 2010, the small, locally owned building material distribution center has grown into a team of experts providing services that include products, installation, consulting and resources for all customers’ new construction and remodeling needs. Skaff has been recognized for his new, inviting showroom, which is not commonly found among most wholesale building material stores. Skaff felt it was important to raise the comfort level of homeowners by providing a bricks-and-mortar store where they could go to meet contractors face-to-face and get recommendations from store employees, allowing the contractors and homeowners to work in conjunction to find the best products and solutions for their building needs. BRW offers an installation package with certified preferred contractors from around the region who provide free estimates and guarantee their work. As managing partner, Skaff believes customer satisfaction is important but customer loyalty is

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

Company: Building & Remodeling Warehouse Title: Managing Partner Location: Nitro, WV Years of Experience: 10 Years Contact Information: 300 First Avenue, S. Nitro, WV 25143 (304) 727-5035 d.skaff@mybrw.com www.mybrw.com

everything. He continues to strive in cultivating relationships based on honesty, hard work and open communication. Skaff’s extensive 10 years in the industry, as well as his experience as an area sales manager, human resource specialist and branch manager, has given him an understanding of how to match the right products with the right location to achieve the best results. His travels have included working in 42 of the 50 states, which has diversified his knowledge and developed his expertise in building materials, a vital element in his work at BRW. As a member of the West Virginia State Legislature, it is not uncommon to see Skaff talking with customers about legislation in addition to siding and windows. Skaff has succeeded by building relationships with each person or customer he comes in contact with. He believes customers choose where to buy products based on which business they can trust while providing the best solutions. He received a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in industrial labor relations and human resources management from West Virginia University. He also received an honorary doctorate in public service from West Virginia State University. Skaff currently resides in South Charleston and is actively involved in his family’s development company. 

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS

Young Guns Class of 2013, West Virginia Executive Magazine Best Performing Distribution Branches, 2008-2009 Owens Corning National Sales Builder Award, 2005 Honorary Doctorate Degree for Public Service, West Virginia State University Board of Directors, West Virginia University Alumni Association Member, State Board, Home Builders Association

Education

2013 Profiles Education

David M. Fryson, Esq. Company: West Virginia University

West Virginia University is committed to the principles of diversity and inclusiveness. The university is striving to expand the scope of its diversity initiatives in all aspects of the institutional experience.

Title: Chief Diversity Officer Location: Morgantown, WV Years of Experience: 20+ Years Contact Information: West Virginia University Morgantown, WV 26506 (304) 293-5496 diversity@mail.wvu.edu http://diversity.wvu.edu

PROGRAM MILESTONES The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at West Virginia University (WVU) reflects a commitment to promoting equality, civility and respect. WVU values the unique perspectives and experiences that each new Mountaineer brings to campus. In fall 2012, WVU saw a 9.4 percent increase in African-American students. In 2008, The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education ranked WVU eighth on its list of flagship universities that successfully enroll low-income students. According to The Education Trust, WVU made the most progress of any of the nation’s flagship universities in providing access for low-income and underrepresented minority students between 2004-2005 and 2007-2008.

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

avid M. Fryson, Esq., has committed his life to the principles of diversity and inclusiveness. Named chief diversity officer at West Virginia University (WVU) in 2012, he has stated, “I am honored to have the opportunity to work to expand the scope of our diversity initiatives. As a native of West Virginia, I am particularly excited that President Clements is allowing me this opportunity to assist him in the implementation of the 2020 Strategic Plan that lists diversity as one of the core values for our future.” Fryson was deputy general counsel in WVU’s Office of Legal Affairs and General Counsel before his appointment as chief diversity officer and practiced law for more than 20 years in federal, state and private practice settings. In addition to operating his own law firm, he served as an associate attorney for the Preiser Law Firm and the Law Offices of McQueen and Brown; was a staff attorney for the chief judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Ohio and served as a senior attorney for the West Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission. He also served as city attorney for two West Virginia municipalities. In 2001, Fryson was appointed to a oneyear term as the national vice president of OIC of America, a training program

founded by legendary West Virginia native and civil rights icon, the late Rev. Dr. Leon Sullivan. Earlier in his career, Fryson was an industrial representative for the West Virginia Governor’s Office of Economic and Community Development. He has been admitted to practice law before the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He is a member of the West Virginia State Bar and the National Association of College and University Attorneys, and he is a former member of the National Bar Association and the West Virginia Trial Lawyers Association. Fryson has been very active in community endeavors. He is a commentator and columnist on African-American politics and history and is an ordained pastor. He also served on the board of governors for the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, as vice president of the Charleston NAACP and as commissioner for the Kanawha County Deputy Sheriff’s Civil Service Commission. A 1979 graduate of West Virginia State University, he received a bachelor’s degree in education. He earned a juris doctorate degree from the WVU College of Law in 1988, where he was president of the Black Law Students Association and served on the Moot Court Board. 

Company: West Virginia State University

“As an economic engine, State has produced worldrenowned scientists, ground-breaking research, a flourishing business incubator and alumni prepared for the local and global jobs of the future.”

r. Brian O. Hemphill joined West Virginia State University (State) in July 2012 as the university’s 10th president. His emphasis since arriving on campus has been threefold: to establish a commitment to excellence, to create a culture of accountability and to be student-centered in every process at State. With the support of the students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the university, he is already bringing to life his powerful vision for the university to become the most student-centered research and teaching land-grant university in the State of West Virginia and beyond. “My vision for State in five years is that we will have grown our student

Title: President Location: Institute, WV Professional Focus: Student Experience, University Growth and Research Development Years of Experience: 1 Year Contact Information: PO Box 1000 Institute, WV 25112 bhemphill@wvstateu.edu www.wvstateu.edu

population to the levels we enjoyed previously, and then continue to grow even past that mark,” he says. “We will have made gains in our graduation rates and will be putting more Yellow Jackets into careers in West Virginia.” Hemphill believes providing students with a holistic learning experience and offering a broad range of services, staff and systems ensures a quality experience from recruitment to graduation—two areas of special emphasis at State. From the first days of his presidency, Hemphill has promoted the development of initiatives to expand recruitment and retention programs and has established a framework to increase academic and social support outside of the classroom.

2013 Profiles Education

Dr. Brian O. Hemphill

He has kicked off a robust marketing and branding campaign and has appointed a Degree Completion Taskforce. He has challenged the university community to grow its research infrastructure and to expand its academic programs based on the economic development needs of West Virginia. “I’ve found the Kanawha Valley to be a progressive, innovative region, and I’m happy to say that State is an important contributor to the valley and to the State of West Virginia,” he says. “As an economic engine, State has produced worldrenowned scientists, ground-breaking research, a flourishing business incubator and alumni prepared for the local and global jobs of the future.” Hemphill is an active force in reengaging State’s alumni and is leading the charge that is increasing philanthropic giving to the university. Through a financial restructuring, as well as state and competitive grant funding, Hemphill is working with the university community to fortify the campus’s physical and technological infrastructures. Construction is underway on multiple facilities, including a renovated convocation center, a new athletic facility and a new residence hall. Hemphill came to State following an eight-year tenure as vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management and associate professor at Northern Illinois University. He is married to Dr. Marisela Rosas Hemphill and has four children: Jada, 17; Jordan, 14 and twins Cruz and Catalina, born in October 2012. 

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

2013 Profiles Education

Stephen J. Kopp, Ph.D. “Today, amazing opportunity awaits Marshall University. I absolutely believe that as a university community, we have the power to redefine the landscape of public higher education.”

r. Stephen J. Kopp is embarking on his 9th year as president of Marshall University. During his tenure, Marshall has experienced unprecedented growth and development. Kopp joined Marshall following leadership positions with Midwestern University, Central Michigan University and Ohio University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Notre Dame and a doctorate in physiology and biophysics from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He served as a postdoctoral fellow at the St. Louis University Medical Center and a research fellow and NIH fellow in the department of biochemistry at the University of Illinois at Chicago prior to joining the faculty of Midwestern University. Kopp became president of Marshall in 2005, and since then, the school’s academic profile has grown dramatically with new high-demand majors and degree programs, including pharmacy, physical therapy and public health. The engineering degree program has been re-established,

Company: Marshall University

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

Title: President Location: Huntington, WV Professional Focus: Higher Education Years of Experience: 35 Years Contact Information: One John Marshall Drive Huntington, WV 25755 president@marshall.edu www.marshall.edu/president

has become fully accredited and is one of the school’s fastest-growing majors. Under his leadership, $200 million in new buildings and building renovations have been completed and more than $100 million in new development is under way, including an applied engineering complex, a downtown Huntington visual arts center, a new soccer stadium, an indoor practice facility and a sports medicine translational research center. External funding for research has doubled and Marshall has become a leading university for advanced, highperformance computing and Internet2® connectivity. This evolution has positioned the university to compete globally. In addition to offering the nation’s leading graduate forensic science program, the university has launched an undergraduate digital forensics program to respond to the needs of state and federal intelligence and law enforcement communities. Additionally, The Rahall Transportation Institute at Marshall has advanced to become one of the top university transportation centers in the country. Marshall is also continuing to diversify its enrollment. Its new international student recruitment initiative, INTO Marshall University, is expected to bring an unprecedented number of international students to the university and Huntington in the coming years. Kopp lives in Huntington with his wife of 41 years, Jane, who also works to make a difference within the community of Huntington. In 2010, the couple was named the Herald-Dispatch’s Citizens of

the Year. She is a tutor with the Tri-State Literacy Council and serves on its board of directors. The couple has two grown children, two grandchildren, a golden retriever named Abby and a rescue dog named Sadie. 

Company: West Virginia University Institute of Technology Title: Campus Executive Officer

CEO Carolyn Long’s strategic vision for the revitalization of WVU Tech includes a fresh version of the three R’s: Recruit, Retain and Rebuild.

ccepting challenges isn’t new to Carolyn Long, the campus executive officer at West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech). In fact, her career is built on using her collaborative, down-to-earth leadership style to transform and nurture educational organizations in the state. Long has dedicated her life’s work to teaching and furthering education in the Mountain State. As the principal at Little Birch Elementary, she proved obstacles aren’t insurmountable. Despite having one of the highest numbers of students on free or reduced lunch in the state, the school consistently had some of the highest test scores. “My dear friend Carolyn is committed to West Virginia and its people,” says Senator Joe Manchin. “Whether as an elementary school principal, a county superintendent or a member of the WVU Board of Governors, she has spent her career shaping education in our state.” Today, Long is focusing on revitalizing WVU Tech, which is known for its longstanding tradition of quality STEM education. Pulling from her experience in public education, her strategic vision includes a fresh version of the three R’s: Recruit, Retain and Rebuild. WVU Tech is expanding its recruitment efforts to attract quality students,

Location: Montgomery, WV Professional Focus: Higher Education Contact Information: 405 Fayette Pike Montgomery, WV 25136 (304) 442.3246 tech-administration@mail.wvu.edu www.wvutech.edu

faculty and staff. Efforts include Wi-Fi upgrades in the classrooms and residence halls and a new Student Success Center, as well as a $3 million renovation to Old Main, the creation of an outdoor recreation area and a welcome wall at the campus’ entrance. “Making a difference in students’ lives has been Carolyn’s leadership compass, and her passion for education comes through in all she does,” says WVU President Jim Clements. “She has an amazing ability to combine her administrative and people skills to move an organization forward. I have been incredibly lucky to work with her. She truly is one of the best.” After receiving her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Fairmont

2013 Profiles Education

Carolyn Long

State College, Long was hired as a fifth grade teacher at Big Chimney Elementary School in Charleston, WV. In 1975, she accepted a position as a Title I Teacher at Little Birch Elementary, where she taught for six years. She returned to graduate school and was awarded a master’s degree in educational administration in 1986. After graduation, she returned to Little Birch as the principal. She later became the superintendent of Braxton County Schools, where she received more than $12 million in grants and led efforts of the county board of education in passing a $17 million bond to bring existing elementary schools up to state code and complete renovations at Braxton County High School. She was named West Virginia Superintendent of the Year in 2007. In 2005, Long accepted a position on the WVU Board of Governors and served as the chairperson from 2008-2011. 

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

2013 Profiles Education

Dr. L. Marshall Washington

“Dr. Washington is a visionary and a leader who is passionate about our mission, vision and values. The board is confident he will guide us into a new era of growth and development.”

Company: New River Community and Technical College Title: President Location: Beckley, WV Professional Focus: Higher Education Years of Experience: 22 Years Contact Information: 221 George Street, Suite 2 Beckley, WV 25801 www.newriver.edu

—Leslie Baker, Chair, New River Community and Technical College Board of Governors

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS Bachelor’s Degree, Elementary Education, Ohio Wesleyan University Master’s Degree, Education, Winona State University, Minnesota Doctorate Degree, Educational Studies with Specialization in Educational Leadership and Higher Education, University of Nebraska — Lincoln Graduate, Lakin Institute for Mentored Leadership Presidents’ Roundtable, 2012 Graduate, Executive Leadership Institute, League for Innovation in the Community College, 2009 TRIO Achiever Award, MidAmerica Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel, 2009 Demonstrating Excellence through Equality in Higher Education Award, Adult Education Enhancement Initiative, Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, 2009 Graduate of Future Leaders Institute – Advanced, American Association for Community Colleges, 2008

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

lthough he just began his duties as the third president of New River Community and Technical College on March 25 of this year, Dr. L. Marshall Washington has already logged thousands of miles in his quest for constructive ideas and innovative partnerships to help New River reach new heights. A native of Ohio, he came to New River from Harrisburg Area Community College in Pennsylvania, where he served as vice president of the Lancaster Campus. He has enjoyed getting to know the diverse communities that make up New River’s service area—nine counties in south central and southeastern West Virginia that comprise an area as big as Connecticut and Rhode Island combined. Washington has been impressed by the commitment to higher education among the community leaders, educators and employers he has met during his first few months on the job. He is passionate about the way education transforms the lives of individuals across the economic spectrum. He is particularly proud of the role community and technical colleges play in creating new opportunities for displaced coal workers, homemakers who wish to enter the work force after raising a family,

individuals who have lost white collar jobs and others who need skills in order to enter the work force or get a better job. Washington understands the many challenges he will face in leading the college during a period of cutbacks in state and federal funding. He is optimistic that partnerships with agencies, organizations and other colleges and universities will enable New River to broker resources within the region to broaden educational opportunities despite budget constraints. Washington points to the One Room University that New River has established in Marlinton in partnership with the Pocahontas County Commission and City National Bank as an example of the creative approaches that can make it possible for students in very remote areas to attend college classes. He firmly believes that without the commitment and involvement of local citizens, it would have never succeeded. He is now exploring how New River can take that model and use it in other communities. Partnerships will also play a key role as New River develops additional work force training programs. Washington says the outstanding industry partnerships that allowed New River to launch its successful line service mechanic program in less than a year exemplifies the kind of industry involvement that will ensure their work force programs are truly meeting the needs of employers. And if they are not, he wants to hear about it. Washington, who has family connections in West Virginia, is married and has three children. 

Company: University of Charleston

UC President Ed Welch worked in the White House for 10 years under presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon before beginning his career in higher education.

Title: President Location: Charleston, WV Professional Focus: Higher Education Years of Experience: 41 Years Contact Information: 2300 MacCorkle Avenue Charleston, WV 25302 (304) 357-4713 www.ucwv.edu

2013 Profiles Education

Dr. Edwin Welch

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS

Beckley • Martinsburg • Online

“

Dream big, plan small.” Those were the words spoken by University of Charleston (UC) President Ed Welch to graduates at the inaugural UC-Beckley Commencement on May 11, 2013. Those four words have defined the unprecedented success of UC during the last 24 years under Welch’s guidance, including the school’s most recent expansion into Beckley, Martinsburg and online learning. In the wake of the tragic news that Mountain State University (MSU) would lose its accreditation, many colleges and universities reached out with interest in taking over particular academic programs, but only Welch approached MSU with a plan to offer a continued higher education presence in Beckley. The proposal would be bold for any institution in West Virginia, let alone a small private school of 1,400. In just a matter of 153 days, and through meticulous planning, UC officially opened UC-Beckley, UC-Martinsburg and UC-Net. Results were immediate as the university posted the school’s second-largest full-time enrollment in its 125-year history and helped more than 500 students continue their college careers. UC’s expansion is just the latest example of Welch’s mantra in action. Since 1989, his leadership has resulted

in unparalleled fundraising; expansion of full-time student enrollment; redefining the institution’s mission; transforming its academic programs; adding graduate programs in pharmacy, physician’s assistant and business; constructing seven of the 11 buildings on campus and acquiring national recognition for UC’s leadership in outcomes-based learning and student assessment. He also led the creation of a central administrative computing corporation, known as ICE, that serves eight colleges and universities across four states. Along with heading UC, Welch holds leadership roles through various boards, including the BB&T Corporate Board of Directors, Association of Governing Board’s Council of Presidents, West Virginia Financial Education Foundation Board and BB&T-West Virginia’s Advisory Board. He currently holds the position of chairman of the Quality Committee for the Charleston Area Medical Center Health Systems. Welch served in the Executive Office of the President at The White House from 1961 until 1971 in the administrations of Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon. Welch began his teaching career at West Virginia Wesleyan College and, prior to coming to

Charles L. Foreman Award for Innovation in Private Higher Education, Foundation for Independent Higher Education

YMCA Spirit of the Valley Award

Who’s Who in West Virginia Business, The State Journal Distinguished West Virginian Award Charleston, he served for eight years as the provost at Wartburg College in Iowa. The Maryland native earned degrees from McDaniel College, Boston University School of Theology and Boston University Graduate School. He studied international relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science and higher education administration at the Harvard Institute for Educational Management. His doctorate is in social ethics, and he is an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church. 

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

2013 Profiles Energy & Manufacturing 18

Energy & Manufacturing

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS Women in Business Award, Pittsburgh Business Times, 2012 Who’s Who in Energy, Pittsburgh Business Times, 2011 Voted to Position of Senior Member, Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers

Company: FirstEnergy Corp. Title: President — West Virginia Operations Location: Fairmont, WV Professional Focus: Utility Operations Years of Experience: 29 Years Contact Information: 5001 NASA Boulevard Fairmont, WV 26554 www.firstenergycorp.com

t takes a team effort at Mon Power and Potomac Edison to provide safe, reliable electric service for more than 500,000 combined customers in West Virginia. Holly Kauffman, FirstEnergy’s president of West Virginia Operations, leads a dedicated team of employees to ensure the lights burn bright in homes and businesses. Kauffman was promoted to the post last fall after her job as vice president of operations for the sister utility Jersey Central Power & Light. FirstEnergy, which owns Mon Power and Potomac Edison, has more than 1,700 employees in West Virginia. Kauffman began her career with Allegheny Energy in 1984, which merged with FirstEnergy Corporation in 2011. She now manages the complex task of maintaining the company’s electric system for day-to-day operations, as well as preparing it to meet tomorrow’s demands. “Whether it be installing new equipment at substations, replacing cables or trimming trees, our ultimate goal is to continue to enhance the reliability of our system to benefit our customers,” Kauffman says. Mon Power and Potomac Edison plan to spend more than $68 million in 2013 to improve service reliability for their West Virginia customers. The enhancements are expected to have both localized and widespread benefits. Kauffman’s team will

2013 Profiles Energy & Manufacturing

Holly Kauffman

Holly Kauffman belongs to the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, West Virginia Roundtable and Marion County Chamber of Commerce Women’s Network, and she is the 2013 corporate division campaign chair of the United Way of Marion County. She is an avid runner, downhill skier and golfer.

undertake projects to increase the capacity and robustness of FirstEnergy’s highvoltage transmission system, as well as expand the distribution network to provide electrical service to new residential and commercial customers. The companies’ forestry teams will focus on trimming trees—the leading cause of customer outages—and maintaining proper clearances around lines to help reduce tree-related damage. Kauffman considers her move to the Mountain State from New Jersey to be a homecoming. She grew up in the Mon Valley of western Pennsylvania and is familiar with West Virginia after leading the project to construct the Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line transmission line, also known as TrAIL, across the state in five short years. Kauffman knows she will face many challenges in her new position, but she also recognizes that the hardworking men and women of Mon Power and Potomac Edison are equal to the task. “If you take a group of talented people with their own unique skills and background and then set the expectations, remove the roadblocks and fuel their pride and enthusiasm,” says Kauffman, “you can unite them and accomplish the impossible.” Kauffman and her husband, Jim, reside in the Morgantown area, not far from FirstEnergy’s West Virginia Operations Headquarters in Fairmont. 

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

2013 Profiles Energy & Manufacturing

Joseph Eddy Whether as president and CEO of Eagle Manufacturing Company or in his numerous community leadership roles, Joseph Eddy’s drive, determination and achievements distinguish him as a top business executive in the state.

Company: Eagle Manufacturing Company Title: President and CEO Location: Wellsburg, WV Professional Focus: Manufacturing of Industrial Safety and Materials Handling Products Years of Experience: 30 Years Contact Information: 2400 Charles Street Wellsburg, WV 26070 (304) 737-3171 www.eagle-mfg.com

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS Who’s Who in West Virginia Business, 2012 Best Private Companies for Leaders, Chief Executive Magazine, 2012 Chairman of the Board, West Virginia Manufacturers Association Advisory Board, McDonough Center for Leadership and Business, Marietta College Visiting Executive Program, Marietta College Board Member, West Virginia Northern Community College Foundation Visiting Angels Board, DeFeliceCare Board Member, Education Fund, West Virginia Manufacturers Association

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

t is easy to see that Joe Eddy loves West Virginia. Every business decision he makes, every board he chairs, every organization and philanthropical organization in which he serves—he does so with the explicit goal of making West Virginia a better place to live and work. As president and CEO of Eagle Manufacturing Company in Wellsburg, WV, Eddy’s principles of integrity, innovation and service have taken the company to unprecedented heights. Eddy holds a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from Marietta College. Prior to joining Eagle in 1996, he held positions with Amoco in Texas, Gulf Oil in California, Spectrum Resources in Ohio and Tazwell Corp in Wyoming, and he founded Oilfield Services and Enhanced Technologies, LLC. His strength as a business executive is reflected in his desire to be involved in the day-to-day operations of the company. He has an open door policy to encourage employees to come to him with any problems, and he spends a great deal of time on the factory floor, interacting with employees as they manufacture more than 700 industrial safety and hazardous material handling products. He is quick to embrace change and innovation while ensuring that the character and keen craftsmanship that have

defined Eagle for more than a century remain intact. Eddy balances his time running his business with service to local and statewide organizations. He serves as chairman of the West Virginia Manufacturers Association (WVMA), and he sits on the advisory board of the McDonough Center for Leadership and Business at Marietta College; the foundation board at West Virginia Northern Community College and the boards of Eagle, EnergyNet WV and DeFelice Care’s Visiting Angels. An ambassador for Just Beneath the Surface Alliance, he travels statewide to educate the public about the natural gas industry and its critical impact on manufacturing. He also serves as a judge for the West Virginia University Statewide Business Plan Competition. Additionally, Eddy is involved in philanthropic endeavors in the community that focus on bettering future generations of West Virginians. He is a founding board member of the WVMA Education Fund, manages the Joseph and Debra Eddy Foundation and established the Joseph Eddy Technology Fund at West Virginia Northern Community College. He also sponsors the Eagle Math, Science, Reading and Social Studies scholarship awards and Drug Awareness Week each year at Wellsburg Middle School. Eddy is dedicated to his company, the community and helping leave West Virginia a little better than he found it. On the rare occasion he does have free time, he enjoys traveling the world with his wife of 25 years, Debbie, playing tennis, hunting at his farm and relaxing at his home in Wheeling, WV. 

Financial Services

2013 Profiles Financial Services

Michele R. Davis, CPA “If your accountant’s only tax advice is ‘buy more equipment,’ then start shopping, but not for equipment. A new dozer isn’t going to fix your biggest tax problem.”

D T

MICHELE R. DAVIS

CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT

he afternoon sun starts to drift into the classroom-turnedoffice-space of Michele R. Davis, CPA. Davis gets up to draw the window shades, explaining, “It’ll get really warm really quickly.” Looking around her office, it’s obvious things are already warming up for this young CPA who decided only 31 months ago to break away from her mentor of 10 years and go out on her own. While other public accounting offices are enjoying a post-tax season hiatus, Davis’s office remains a bustle of activity. “There’s a lot to do. Tax planning for 2013 starts now,” she says, exhaling with playful exasperation.

“Providing value-added services for all five of our companies, Michele has worked side-byside with us to navigate and manage our multi-state growth. She understands the unique and ever-changing needs of entrepreneurs, and she consistently delivers accuracy, guidance and compliance.” —Christopher Vaught, Young Guns Class of 2013, West Virginia Executive

Company: Michele R. Davis, CPA

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

Title: Owner and Sole Proprietor Location: Beaver, WV Professional Focus: Taxation, Small Business and Internal Control Assessments Years of Experience: 13 Years Contact Information: 159 Granby Circle Beaver, WV 25813 (304) 894-8812 mdavis@cpa.com

According to Davis, the road to this cozy office in the School of Harmony Complex in Beaver, WV, was straight but not deliberate. She started her college career as a math education major, just like her mother, who is a now-retired high school calculus teacher. It didn’t take long for the energetic redhead to figure out accounting was a more interesting use of her math skills. “How do you calculate the area of an ellipse? No one cares! How do you calculate sales trend analysis? Now, that is important to lots of people.” So, she switched majors, graduated from Concord College with honors, passed the dreaded CPA exam and diligently worked for a regional firm. Within five years, she was promoted to auditing and accounting supervisor. Davis gained experience in many different industries: banking, entertainment, natural resources, health care, agriculture and retail. She also became an expert in financial statement presentation, taxation and internal control assessments. “I enjoyed the challenges and the camaraderie of a large firm. I pictured myself becoming a partner one day.” One evening, while her children were attending music lessons at the School of Harmony, the in-house bookstore owner asked Davis to consider opening an office in the school, bartering accounting services in exchange for office rent. “My vision of my professional career turned on a dime. Two months later, I hung out a shingle.” Davis doubled her corporate client list within two years, hired a secretary and

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS

prepared almost 200 tax returns during the 2013 filing season. “You make hay while the sun’s shining,” she muses. This accounting entrepreneur attributes her success to two things: her childhood, which was a blend of farm and church that created a strong work ethic and a deep-rooted attachment to her community, and her husband, Will, a family entertainer and worship minister who keeps her laughing and anchors her faith. “He thinks I’m the rock star of accountants,” she grins and shrugs. “Perhaps I am.” 

Company: The Bank of Mingo Title: Chairman of the Board Location: Gilbert, WV

“The more things stay the same, the more they change, so you have to be able to adapt to change.”

arry Keith White is much more than a businessman and public servant. Since 1984, he has served as the chairman of the Bank of Mingo, a community bank located in Mingo County. He served as president of the bank from 1984-2010, during which period he expanded the bank to six locations with more than 40 employees. From 2004-2006, White served as chairman of the West Virginia Bankers Association. Born the oldest of three sons to the late Harry and Opal White, he learned early on the importance of responsibility and accountability. His father built an appliance and furniture store from the

Professional Focus: Business Development Years of Experience: 29 Years Contact Information: Second Avenue & Statford Street Gilbert, WV 25621 (304) 664-3535 www.thebankofmingo.com

ground up in Gilbert, WV, which the White family continues to own and operate today. White spent his early days working in both the family garden and the family business. His father taught him the business side of life, and his mother taught him the finer things: etiquette, manners and even how to properly set a table. When White graduated from Marshall University, the United States was fully involved in the Vietnam Conflict. He completed the U.S. Navy’s flight school at Pensacola, FL, and served five years in active duty with honor, earning two Distinguished Flying Crosses for heroism. While in the Navy, White learned a great deal about leadership in trying times and effective communication with a diverse team of people—lessons he continues to carry with him to this day. In his leadership position with the bank, White understands the critical role community banks play in making local economies vibrant throughout the state. The best community banks put local financial resources to work on behalf of their communities. At the Bank of Mingo, he knows his customers, and they know him. In recognition of his hard work at the Bank of Mingo, the West Virginia Bankers Association recognized White’s leadership in 2010 with the West Virginia Banker of the Year award. In 1992, White was first appointed to a seat in the West Virginia House of Delegates, the same body in which his maternal grandfather, Frank Morrison, served. White continues to be re-elected and has steadily risen through the

2013 Profiles Financial Services

Harry Keith White

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS House Majority Leader, West Virginia House of Delegates, 2013 Chairman, House Committee on Finance, West Virginia House of Delegates, 2006-2013 West Virginia Banker of the Year, West Virginia Bankers Association, 2010 legislative ranks because of his dedication to his constituents and commitment to West Virginia. He has been appointed to a number of leadership positions, and, from 2006-2013, served as the chairman of the House Committee on Finance. In 2013, he was appointed house majority leader. White’s wife of 26 years, Phyllis, is a principal at Gilbert Elementary School. He credits her for his success, saying that without her support, he could not have accomplished what he has. 

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

2013 Profiles Financial Services

Robert K. Welty Company: Fifth Third Bank Title: President – West Virginia

“We built our market one customer at a time. We are very relationship driven and customer centric. Our customers are very important to us.”

Location: Charleston, WV Professional Focus: Banking and Financial Services Years of Experience: 30 Years Contact Information: 700 Virginia Street, E. Charleston, WV 25301 (304) 353-4106 bob.welty@53.com www.53.com

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS Fifth Third Bank Gold Pin Award Winner Exemplifying Core Values, 2011

ob Welty’s philosophy is simple: “You can’t grow by sitting behind your desk. You have to get out and see people, and that starts with me.” Welty is state president of Fifth Third Bank in West Virginia. In that capacity, he coordinates business development activities and decision-making processes for Fifth Third’s Retail, Consumer Lending, Commercial and Investment Advisor divisions in West Virginia. He has more than 30 years of industry experience. “I try to model the way. I think everyone who works for Fifth Third in the market will tell you I am always ready and willing to make a call,” says Welty. “We are curious about what customers and prospects for our services are doing and how we may add value.” Fifth Third Bank also has a deep passion for the communities they serve. Being a part of those communities is of the utmost importance to Welty and the bank. “I take being the face of Fifth Third in the community very seriously, and I enjoy it each and every day.” Welty says that because Fifth Third Bank did not come into West Virginia and acquire someone’s market share, the bank has built its market one customer at

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

a time. “We are very relationship driven and customer centric,” says Welty. “Our customers are very important to us.” In addition to his work at Fifth Third, Welty also enjoys serving the community by being involved with several boards and committees. He is a member of the visiting committee of the West Virginia University College of Business and Economics; chairman of the board of directors of the St. Mary’s Medical Center Foundation; a member of the board of directors for the West Virginia Jobs Investment Trust and an advisory board member of INNOVA Commercialization Group. He was appointed by Governor Earl Ray Tomblin as a member of the state’s Capital Access Committee, and recently he was named to the board of directors and executive committee of the Mid-Atlantic Technology, Research & Innovation Center. Welty joined Fifth Third bank in 2004 as regional head of Fifth Third Private Bank. Prior to being named market president, he served as senior vice president of the Private Bank Division. Prior to Fifth Third, Welty held various senior management positions in the finance industry and is a graduate of the University of Charleston. 

Fifth Third Affiliate Banker of the Year, 2004 Fifth Third Bank Ohio Valley Region Banker of the Year, 2004

Health care

Built On

Faith When the Old Laidley Home at 333 Laidley Street in Charleston opened in 1913 as a 33-bed hospital, a legacy of compassion and faith was born.

Today, a century later, the same faith in Christ that guided our early years remains the cornerstone of our care at Saint Francis Hospital.

Our not-for-profit mission has endured and our trust and faith in God’s healing power is more present today Sister Virginia Yeager

than ever. As we mark our memorable centennial year, we

Vice President of Mission and Director of Pastoral Care

give thanks for the thousands who have been touched by

our hospital – patients and families, doctors and nurses, volunteers and caregivers, clergy and staff – all of whom understand that all things are possible through Christ. Peace be with you.

stfrancishospital.com

Company: West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine Title: President Location: Lewisburg, WV Professional Focus: Osteopathic Physician and Medical Educator Contact Information: 400 N. Lee Street Lewisburg, WV 24901 www.wvsom.edu

ichael D. Adelman, D.O., D.P.M., J.D., assumed the presidency of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) in January 2011 after serving as vice president of Academic Affairs and dean for eight years. As the institution’s sixth president, he holds a doctoral degree in osteopathic medicine from the Des Moines College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery, a doctoral degree in podiatric medicine from the Philadelphia School of Podiatry and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Toledo College of Law. At WVSOM, Adelman has guided the development of WVSOM’s Statewide Campus System where medical students fulfill their clinical rotations at participating West Virginia hospitals. Each regional campus site provides structured programs through small group interactions, lectures and clinical case conferences. His vision was also instrumental in the creation of WVSOM’s state-of-the-art Clinical Evaluation Center, which operates like a practice clinic and houses 24 examination rooms and six robot simulation rooms. Students interact with standardized patients and robotic patient simulators in the facility with an advanced recording system that digitally documents student exercises for instruction purposes. Passionate about education, Adelman continues to lecture in the classroom, where he participates in clinical skills, skin system and gastro-intestinal system education for first- and second-

year medical students. Adelman loves to teach and interact with students. Prospective students who visit WVSOM have an opportunity to meet with the president, chatting with him in his office or participating in a magic trick. That’s right—Adelman is as adept at wielding a magician’s wand as he is a surgeon’s scalpel. With his ventriloquist’s sidekick, Joey, and a colorful cast of characters, Adelman can be viewed weekend mornings on “Abracadabra,” which airs on West Virginia Public Broadcasting. The show employs magic, ventriloquism, music and gentle humor to teach children ages 4-10 how to make healthy choices. Because West Virginia is a leading state for childhood obesity and ranks at the top of the lists for heart disease and diabetes, Adelman introduced the

2013 Profiles Health care

Michael D. Adelman, D.O., D.P.M., J.D.

WVSOM Healthy Children’s Initiative to champion healthy behaviors for the state’s younger generation. The initiative includes community outreach and education for parents, teachers and young people, in addition to the television show and a companion Web site featuring games, recipes, fun exercise segments and science experiments. Two seasons of “Abracadabra” have been produced, and the show has been endorsed by the West Virginia Department of Education. A physician who uses laughter and entertainment to make his audience and his patients healthier—could it be a trick? “Sometimes what looks like magic is really science,” Adelman says with a twinkle in his eye, repeating a refrain from the show. In this instance, magic and medicine clearly go together. 

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

2013 Profiles health care

Traci L. Morris Company: ThoroughMed Health Care, LLC

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Title: Owner and Family Nurse Practitioner Location: Beckley, WV Professional Focus: Family Health Care and Women’s Health Care Years of Experience: 18 Years Contact Information: 2401 S. Kanawha Street, Suite 104 Beckley, WV 25801 (304) 860-1991 www.thoroughmedhealthcare.biz

—Maya Angelou

raci Morris is a certified family nurse practitioner and owner of ThoroughMed Health Care, LLC. ThoroughMed Health Care began operations in Beckley on January 3, 2013. Family medical care, as well as women’s health care, is provided, and treatment is available for persons of all ages. Morris has spent all 18 years of her nursing career practicing in the Beckley area. She has experience in correctional nursing, home health, family practice and women’s health. As a nurse practitioner, Morris is qualified to take health histories and provide complete physical examinations, diagnose and treat many common acute and chronic problems, interpret laboratory results and X-rays, prescribe and manage medications and other therapies, provide health teaching and counseling to support healthy lifestyle behaviors and prevent illness and refer patients to other health professionals as needed. Morris collaborates with a local family physician as needed. She provides high-quality, cost-effective and individualized care for patients and their families. At ThoroughMed Health Care, patients are encouraged to be active participants

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

in their own health care. The staff wants them to ask questions and be informed as much as possible to meet the company’s priorities: patient teaching, prevention and maintenance of optimal health. The more educated the patient is about their health care needs, the more likely they are to follow a plan of care. ThoroughMed wants their patients to maintain the highest level of health possible, leading to a longer and greater quality of life. For patients’ convenience, they can access their medical records, send messages, schedule appointments and pay their bills online at ThoroughMed’s patient portal. Morris is a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, previously stationed in Oak Island, NC and Ft. Macon, NC. She began her nursing career in 1995 as an LPN after graduating from Academy of Careers and Technology in Beckley. In 2004, she returned to school and furthered her nursing education with a bachelor’s degree from Mountain State University. She graduated

“I contribute a great deal of my success to having a wonderful, supportive family. Also, I must add that serving in the U.S. Coast Guard taught me a great deal of responsibility. I could not be late for work, there was no such thing as calling off from work or not showing up, uniforms were clean and pressed and spit-shined boots were an absolute.”

from Mountain State University in 2012 with her master’s degree in nursing with a family nurse practitioner concentraion. She is certified through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Morris is married and resides with her husband in Coal City, WV. She has two adult children and two grandchildren. 

Company: Boone Memorial Hospital Title: CEO Location: Madison, WV Professional Focus: Hospital Management Years of Experience: 49 Years Contact Information: 701 Madison Avenue Madison, WV 25130 (304) 369-1230, ext. 266 tmullins@bmh.org www.bmh.org

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS Outstanding Rural Health Achievement Award, West Virginia Rural Health Conference Excellence in Leadership Award, West Virginia Hospital Association Follmer Bronze Merit Award, Healthcare Financial Management Association Section Delegate Service Award, American Hospital Association RAC Outstanding Community Service Award Lead Agency Award, Rural Health Education Partnership Most Valuable Political Action Committee Player, American Hospital Association Two-Time Recipient, Most Distinguished West Virginian Award Governor of West Virginia Award Distinguished Mountaineer Award Citation, Meritorious Service to the Rotary Foundation Board Member, West Virginia Hospital Association

ommy Mullins, the CEO of Boone Memorial Hospital (BMH) in Madison, WV, first joined the staff as a bookkeeper in May 1964, the same year the hospital opened its doors. He is currently the only remaining original employee of Boone Memorial Hospital and the longest running CEO in West Virginia who has been employed at the same continuous hospital. Mullins has received state and national recognition for his role as a small, rural hospital CEO, including being twiced named a Distinguished West Virginian—the state’s highest honor—for his community and rural health accomplishments. Mullins has been a leader through many difficult years of health care reform, yet has made every effort to maintain a solid work environment for the employees of BMH. The hospital has continued to survive and prosper at a time when many rural hospitals across the state have had to close, in large part, due to poor economic conditions. During his tenure as CEO, Mullins has watched the facility triple in personnel growth and overseen numerous expansions. Just this year, he led the process to convert BMH to a 501(c)3 nonprofit hospital and helped secure nearly $32 million in loan funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to build a new hospital. Mullins may very well end up being the only CEO in the State of West Virginia to have been a key player in opening two new hospitals at the same location within 50 years of one another.

2013 Profiles Health care

Tommy Mullins

Mullins has served in the health care community as a founding member of the West Virginia Hospital Association’s Committee for Small Rural Hospitals; founder and first president of the Partners in Health Network; member of the Small Rural Task Force for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations and past board member of the Center for Rural Health Development. Mullins still finds time to serve his community in a personal way. A lifetime member of the Madison United Methodist Church, he is also a member of the Madison Rotary Club, where he is a Paul Harris Fellow and has served as a past chairman. He was named rotary district governor for 2001-2002. Mullins is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association and a member of the Hospital Financial Managers Association, and he has served on the American Hospital Association’s Small Rural Hospitals committee, the American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board and the advisory committee to the federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Mullins has met the challenges and continues to grow and keep pace with the increasing demands of providing health care within his community. He truly is a servant to his people. 

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

2013 Profiles health care

Senator Ron D. Stollings, MD, FACP “My passion is to ensure we have quality education, tackle our public health issues, provide quality health care and encourage economic growth in this wonderful place we West Virginians call home.”

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS Distinguished Alumnus Award, Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, 2012 Award of Distinction, Marshall University Alumni Association Distinguished Community Health Champion Award, West Virginia Primary Care Association, 2012 Inaugural Oral Health Champion Award, West Virginia Oral Health Coalition Rural Physician of the Year, West Virginia State Medical Association, 1994 Distinguished West Virginian Award Fellow of the American College of Physicians

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

Company: Madison Medical Group, PLLC Title: Partner Location: Madison, WV Professional Focus: Internal Medicine Years of Experience: 28 Years Contact Information: 467 Main Street, Suite 200 Madison, WV 25130 ron.stollings@frontier.com www.ronstollings.com

native of Madison, WV, Dr. Ron Stollings earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from West Virginia University (WVU) and his medical degree from Marshall University. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University. Even though he left home for higher education, he always knew he would return to serve his community. Board certified in internal medicine, Stollings has been on the staff of Boone Memorial Hospital and in private practice at Madison Medical Group with his partners, Robert Atkins, MD and J. Mark Snyder, DO, since 1985. Stollings is a West Virginia University School of Medicine Professor of Medicine and serves as field faculty for the Rural Health Education Partnership. He also serves on the visiting committees of the WVU School of Medicine and the WVU School of Public Health. Stollings has served as president of the West Virginia State Medical Association (WVSMA), and he is a founding trustee of the West Virginia Medical Foundation. Fellow physicians elected him to serve as a board member and secretary of the provisional board of the West Virginia Physicians’ Mutual. From 1998-2000 he assisted with the Coronary Artery Risk Detection in Appalachian Children project. His outstanding devotion to his patients and his community was recognized by the WVSMA in 1994, when its members named Stollings the Rural Physician of the Year.

Governor Gaston Caperton appointed Stollings to the University System of West Virginia Board of Trustees and as a member of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. Stollings previously served as chairman of the Corridor G Regional Economic Development Authority Board of Directors, and he is a member and former president of the Madison Rotary Club. Stollings was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Boy Scouts of America, Buckskin Council. In 2006, Stollings was elected to represent the District 7 in the West Virginia State Senate and was re-elected in 2010. He serves as chairman of the Senate Health and Human Resources Committee and on many additional committees, including Finance; Education; Economic Development and Energy, Industry and Mining. In addition, he co-chaired the Legislative Interim Oral Health Committee. Stollings says he is honored to be able to care for members of his community as a physician and to have the opportunity to serve as a member of the West Virginia Senate. “I have been so blessed to have had great mentors and leadership experiences that I bring with me as a state senator to address policy issues. My passion is to ensure we have quality education, tackle our public health issues, provide quality health care and encourage economic growth in this wonderful place we West Virginians call home.” 

legal services

2013 Profiles legal services

Robert “Bobby” Warner Bobby Warner has built his reputation and his law firm on trying complex cases and achieving exceptional jury results, many of which have concluded in seven-figure verdicts in West Virginia.

obert “Bobby” Warner, founding member of Warner Law Offices, PLLC, is a leading civil litigation attorney who maintains an outstanding reputation for trial work in cases involving personal and workplace injury, employment law, medical malpractice and products liability. A native of Clarksburg, Warner is a graduate of West Virginia University (WVU), where he earned dual bachelor degrees. He then received his juris doctor degree from the WVU College of Law. Warner serves on the executive committee of the West Virginia Trial Lawyers Association. He is a member of the West Virginia Association for Justice and is assigned to LAWPAC, an affiliated political action committee. Warner is a member of the American Association for Justice, the West Virginia State Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Public Justice Foundation and the National Employment Law Foundation. In addition, Warner assists the West Virginia Brain Injury Association as a member of its board of directors.

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

Company: Warner Law Offices, PLLC Title: Attorney Location: Charleston, WV Professional Focus: Personal Injury, Coal Mining Accidents, Car Accidents, Workplace Accidents, Medical Malpractice and Employment Law Years of Experience: 13 Years Contact Information: 227 Capitol Street, P.O. Box 3327 Charleston, WV 25301 (304) 345-6789 (866) 344-4460 www.wvpersonalinjury.com

2013 Profiles legal services

Warner has determined that his law firm’s goal is to improve West Virginia by making it a safer and better place to live. Warner Law Offices is a large supporter of the Pro Bono Referral Project, supported by Legal Aid of West Virginia, which provides free or reduced cost legal representation for low-income citizens. He has dedicated thousands of dollars to his firm’s booster seat program, which provides child safety seats to families that are in need of financial assistance. Similarly, the Warner Family Foundation is a generous supporter of programs and special projects in the region, providing much-needed sponsorships to help nonprofit organizations achieve their goals. Warner Law Offices is located in one of the most historic buildings in Charleston at 227 Capitol Street. The building was erected in 1891, making it more than 118

years old. Formerly the Scott Brothers Drug Store, the building has also been occupied by the First Empire Federal Savings and Loan Association and the Bailey and Glasser law firm. In July of 2009, Warner Law Offices purchased the building. Warner renovated the building while keeping the original woodwork and layout intact. Today, 227 Capitol Street remains one of the cornerstones of downtown Charleston. Outside the practice of law, Warner is an avid outdoorsman. The experiences he shared with his family while outdoors encouraged him to create Beyond the Backyard, a charitable youth foundation that serves as the only West Virginia-based youth hunting organization. Beyond the Backyard was responsible for providing the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources with funds needed to purchase a state-ofthe-art scoring system for the organization’s

Archery in the Schools program, of which Warner is a founding organizer. Warner also serves as a professional staff member for companies such as Sitka, Leica, Gore-Tex and Mystery Ranch Backpacks. Warner has been featured in Field and Stream and North American Whitetail magazines. 

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS West Virginia Senate Community Service Award, Warner Law Offices West Virginia Super Lawyer, 2009-2012 Best Lawyer in the Valley, 2012 Bowhunter of the Year, West Virginia Bowhunters Association

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

2013 Profiles legal services

Vickie L. Hylton Company: Hylton Law Office, PLLC Title: Attorney

“I want to be the best at everything I do. I was brought up with a strong work ethic and taught to never settle for less than my abilities could provide.”

Location: Beaver, WV Professional Focus: Real Estate Years of Experience: 8 Years Contact Information: 968 S. Ritter Drive PO Box 928 Beaver, WV 25813 (304) 574-0880 (304) 461-3016 hyltonlawofc@frontier.com

Hylton Law Office, PLLC

Personal Attention, Quality Service

he quote Vickie Hylton feels best epitomizes her life is “If I can’t be the first, then I want to be the best.” A native of Southern West Virginia, Hylton knows what it’s like to grow up in a rural area where it is a widely accepted belief that success is nothing more than a pipe dream. She and her siblings were raised by a single mother who, despite working two jobs, did her best to stay actively involved with her children. “My mother believed a busy child would not get in trouble,” says Hylton, “so she stayed right there by our sides, keeping us busy.” Thanks to her mother’s encouragement to stay busy and Hylton’s natural tendency for success, Hylton has been recognized for many accomplishments since her childhood. She was the first Karenette, a majorette in a local troupe; the only one of her siblings to graduate from Woodrow Wilson High School and walk with her class; the only sibling to graduate from college and the first woman in the Mountain State University Aviation Program, where she attained an instrument-rated private pilot license. After receiving her doctorate degree from West Virginia University College of Law, she took her long line of successes one step further and founded her own business, Hylton Law Office, PLLC. Busy is as busy does, and today,

Hylton carries on that tradition of involvement her mother engrained in her at an early age. Hylton has coached little league and taught dance classes in her community. She served as a Cub Scout Leader, during which time she increased membership from 35 scouts to 105. She takes pride in her time as a Boy Scout Assistant Scoutmaster when she assisted in increasing membership from five scouts to 57 scouts. Today, she assists young attorneys and young women in starting their own businesses.

Hylton believes people can do anything they want to do, and something she has always wanted has been to continue the fight for women’s rights. As an assistant prosecuting attorney, she has aggressively prosecuted crimes against women and children, and today she speaks to groups of young women, advising them to be strong, respected and successful. Advocating for self-reliance and the pursuit of education, she believes women, especially in Southern West Virginia, can achieve greatness. Hylton and her husband, Timothy, have three sons and five grandchildren. The couple lives in a rural community with their horses, chickens, cows, Australian shepherd and rescued dachshunds. 

Tell your loan officer you want Vickie Hylton as your closing attorney for your new home loan!

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

Company: Goodwin & Goodwin, LLP

“I can’t think of a better place to live and work. It’s home, which has a powerful draw, but also I think there’s so much promise here, and West Virginia’s best days are certainly in front of her.”

arte Goodwin is an attorney with the Charleston, WV law firm Goodwin & Goodwin, LLP. His practice includes commercial litigation, appellate advocacy and intellectual property. In July of 2010, West Virginia thenGovernor Joe Manchin appointed Goodwin to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the passing of Senator Robert C. Byrd, where Goodwin served until a special election was held to fill the remainder of Senator Byrd’s unexpired term. When Goodwin was sworn into office in 2010, he became the first U.S. Senator born after 1970. Most recently, he has been appointed to serve on the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission, which investigates and reports annually to Congress on the national security implications of the bilateral trade and

Title: Partner Location: Charleston, WV Professional Focus: Litigation and Appellate Advocacy, Government Relations, Intellectual Property Matters and Commercial Transactions Years of Experience: 13 Years Contact Information: 300 Summers Street, Suite 1500 Charleston, WV 25301 (304) 346-7000 cpg@goodwingoodwin.com www.goodwingoodwin.com

economic relationship between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. This past March, Goodwin chaired a USCC hearing on corporate accountability, access to credit and access to markets in China’s financial system and the rules and their ramifications for U.S. investors. A native of Mt. Alto in Jackson County, WV, Goodwin’s sense of hometown pride and passion for public service allow him to represent his state from a humble perspective, whether in the practice of law or serving in the U.S. Senate. He received his bachelor’s degree in philosophy and graduated magna cum laude from Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio in 1996, and he received his doctor of law degree from the Emory University School of Law, graduating order of the coif in 1999. From 2005 to 2009, Goodwin served four years as general counsel to thenGovernor Manchin, during which time he also chaired the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Judicial Nominations. In addition, Goodwin chaired the School Building Authority of West Virginia and served as a member of the West Virginia Consolidated Public Retirement Board.

2013 Profiles legal services

Carte P. Goodwin

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS

Young Guns Class of 2009, West Virginia Executive Magazine 40 Under 40, Time Magazine, 2010 In 2009, he returned to private practice at the family firm. He was then appointed to chair the West Virginia Independent Commission on Judicial Reform, along with former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, which was tasked with evaluating the need for broad systemic reform to the state’s judicial system. Goodwin also previously worked as a law clerk for the Honorable Robert B. King of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Goodwin has recently worked on an effort to co-author the book, “The Recovering Politician’s Twelve Step Program to Survive Crisis.” The book is written by 12 “recovering politicans” and covers their most difficult trials, from scandals to personal struggles. In his free time, Goodwin enjoys playing and watching sports—especially basketball and Mountaineer football— and he currently resides in Charleston, WV, with his wife, Rochelle, and their children, Wesley Patrick and Anna Vail. 

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

2013 Profiles legal services

Shawn R. Romano, Esq. “Our mission, ‘To help people and support communities,’ goes beyond the courtroom. Our dedication to the legal profession and people of West Virginia is vital to our growth and progress.”

hawn Romano, Esq., is the founding member of the law firm of Romano & Associates, PLLC, in Charleston, WV. Born in Clarksburg and raised in Morgantown, he attended college at Wheeling Jesuit College in Wheeling, where he graduated in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Romano attended law school at West Virginia University, where he received his law degree in 1997. As a law student, he served as the executive editor for the West Virginia Law Review. Romano’s legal practice areas include civil litigation on behalf of individuals, small business litigation, insurance law on behalf of insured individuals and taxation matters on behalf of taxpayers. He regularly represents individuals and businesses before West Virginia’s circuit courts, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, the United States District and Bankruptcy Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia, the Office of Tax Appeals, the Department of Labor, the West Virginia State Tax Department and the Unemployment Compensation Commission. Romano is a member of the American Bar Association, the West Virginia State Bar, the Kanawha County Bar Association, the American Association

Company: Romano & Associates, PLLC

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

Title: Founding Member Location: Charleston, WV Professional Focus: Personal Injury and Employment and Small Business Law Years of Experience: 16 Years Contact Information: 230 Capitol Street Charleston, WV 25301 (304) 345-2626 www.ro-law.com

for Justice, the West Virginia Association for Justice and the Saint Thomas More Society. He formerly served on the West Virginia State Bar’s Taxation Committee and the American Bar Association’s Advisory Panel, and he now serves on the West Virginia Association for Justice’s Board of Governors. He also serves on the board of directors of the West Virginia Fund for the Arts and the West Virginia Child Advocacy Network, and he both sits on the board of directors and acts as treasurer for the Arts Council of the Kanawha Valley. He is a proud member of the Kanawha

Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited, the West Virginia Rivers Coalition, the West Virginia Wildwater Association, the Sierra Club, the National Wild Turkey Federation and the West Virginia Sportsman’s Association, and he is a graduate of Leadership Kanawha Valley. Romano enjoys spending time with his daughters, Isabella and Sophia, and has assisted in coaching their softball team. He may also be found enjoying the beauty of West Virginia through hunting, fishing, motorcycling, camping, canoeing, hiking and kayaking. 

Company: Sparacino Law Offices

Located in Beckley, WV, Anthony Sparacino serves all of West Virginia, including Oak Hill, Princeton and Bluefield and the counties of Wyoming, Mercer, Greenbrier and McDowell.

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS Member, West Virginia State Bar Association Member, West Virginia Board of Professional Surveyors President, Raleigh County Bar Association Deputy Commissioner, Forfeited and Non-Entered Lands of Raleigh County, 1983-2007 President, Raleigh County Deputy Sheriff’s Civil Service Commission, 2001-2005 Member, Board of Directors, Black Knight Country Club, 1999-2002 Member, Board of Governors, West Virginia State Bar, 1996-1999

Title: Prosecuting Attorney Location: Beckley, WV Professional Focus: Real Estate, Personal Injury and Family Law Years of Experience: 30 Years Contact Information: 129 Main Street, Suite 302 PO Box 5474 Beckley, WV 25801 (304) 255-5842 barrister1@earthlink.net www.lawyerbeckley.com

2013 Profiles legal services

Anthony J. Sparacino, Jr.

Spar acino Law Offices

nthony Sparacino, Jr., a West Virginia attorney, has represented the Mountain State since 1982. With more than 30 years of experience in a variety of practice areas, his practice now focuses primarily on plaintiff personal injury. Sparacino graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1971 before attending West Virginia University (WVU), where he earned a bachelor’s degree in finance. He went on to attend WVU College of Law, where he received his doctor of jurisprudence in 1982. Sparacino is the descendent of an Italian immigrant family, and his father was the first of the family to be afforded the opportunity to go to college. Sparacino began his career at his father’s office, which was also located in Beckley. In the early years of his practice, Sparacino dealt primarily with real estate and family law matters, which provided a good basis of the fundamentals of representing people on multiple issues. As time progressed, his practice took him in various directions, further expanding his experience to additional fields of legal practice. He served in Beckley’s municipal court for 12 years and as an assistant prosecuting attorney in McDowell County, WV. These opportunities provided invaluable real-life experiences, adding to his knowledge base and allowing him to grow and evolve in the study and practice of law.

Sparacino stays active in bar associations, having served on the board of governors of the West Virginia State Bar. He is the current president of the Raleigh County Bar Association and has been successful in sponsoring a multitude of new activities that have breathed new life into the association. Presently, Sparacino enjoys representing those who have sustained injuries or have encountered other issues. He has tried several cases to verdict across the state, and his services are valuable to those who need a lawyer with many successful years of experience in the courtroom. In addition, he maintains a general practice and currently serves as general counsel to Beaver Coal Company, Limited, a company headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. His current practice has been proven to show results to clients, and he accepts cases of auto accidents, wrongful deaths, personal injury, workplace accidents, neglect and medical malpractice. 

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

professional Services

Company: Charleston Regional Chamber of Commerce Title: President and CEO

“When economic development is successful, all other community needs are more easily met.”

Location: Charleston, WV Professional Focus: Economic Development, International Development, Tourism Development and Public Policy Years of Experience: 10 Years Contact Information: 1116 Smith Street Charleston, WV 25301 (304) 340-4253 www.charlestonareaalliance.org

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS Board Member, American Chamber of Commerce Executives President, Rotary Club of Charleston, 2012-2013 Member, National Honors Society for Public Affairs and Administration Outstanding Alumni Award, Alderson Broaddus College, 2011 Board Member, Mid-Atlantic Technology, Research and Innovation Center Board Member, Chemical Alliance Zone Board Member, Alderson Broaddus College Generation Next: 40 Under 40, The State Journal, 2008

atthew Ballard is the president and CEO of the Charleston Regional Chamber of Commerce, as well as its affiliate, the Charleston Area Alliance. Ballard’s role in these organizations has played an integral part in the recruitment of new jobs and capital investment to the region, as well as the redevelopment of downtown areas. Ballard also helped create the young professionals program, Generation Charleston. In public policy, Ballard has been a voice for innovative job creation policies that can position West Virginia to excel in coming decades, including economic development initiatives. He also advocates the utilization of incentives that address the crisis of student loan debt as a population and work force attraction tool for the state. Chambers of commerce nationwide recognized Ballard’s success in 2012, electing him to serve on the board of directors for the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, where he represents eight states, including West Virginia. Even though Ballard works with businesses in the Charleston region and all over the world, he also knows how to have

2013 Profiles professional services

Matthew Ballard

fun and get a little dirt on his clothes. Prior to joining the alliance, Ballard served as the executive director of the Hatfield-McCoy Trails, one of the top tourists destinations in West Virginia. During Ballard’s three years as executive director, 75 new businesses related to trail tourism opened, and 125 miles of trail were constructed. Ballard appeared on ESPN, the Speed Channel and the Outdoor Channel and in dozens of national publications to promote the trail system. Prior to working with the HatfieldMcCoy Trails, Ballard served as special assistant for public policy to the cabinet secretary of the West Virginia Department of Revenue. There, Ballard focused on the economic recovery of Southern West Virginia after devastating floods throughout the region in 2000 and 2001. He also managed a statewide campaign supporting a ballot initiative, which was passed by voters, allowing for tax increment financing as a new economic development tool for the state. Ballard is a West Virginia native, originally from Shinnston. He attended Alderson-Broaddus College, where he was also elected student body president twice by his fellow students and earned an undergraduate degree in nursing. He also holds a master’s degree in public administration from West Virginia University. As a graduate student, Ballard served as a Burk Scholar in the West Virginia Legislature in the office of the Senate Majority Leader. Ballard lives in Elkview with his wife, Staci, and daughters, Sylvia and Stella. 

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

2013 Profiles professional services

Susan Lavenski Company: Charles Ryan Associates

Recently named a West Virginia Executive Young Gun and one of The State Journal’s 40 Under 40 in recognition for her achievements, Susan Lavenski is the epitome of a successful public relations practitioner.

Title: Managing Partner and Principal Location: Charleston, WV Professional Focus: Public Relations, Public Involvement and Brand Communications Years of Experience: 19 Years Contact Information: 601 Morris Street, Suite 301 Charleston, WV 25301 (304) 342-0161 slavenski@charlesryan.com www.charlesryan.com

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS

harles Ryan Associates’ (CRA) Susan Lavenski is an expert in issues management and has spearheaded communications efforts for multimillion-dollar statewide transportation campaigns, energy and utility expansion projects, controversial elections and health care certificates of need. In other words, she’s the consummate problem solver. Owner and managing partner of the Charleston, WV-based integrated communications firm, she’s provided strategy for Fortune 500 businesses and worked with local, regional and national public figures, media representatives and business executives. Her work has produced award-winning results that have garnered statewide, national and international coverage for the firm’s clients time and time again. She’s responsible for the day-to-day operations of CRA, including staffing, client services, budgets and strategic planning. She acts as the daily account representative for CRA’s largest clients and is the driving force behind all sales and marketing efforts. Despite her very busy schedule, she’s the top seller and top biller for the firm. Lavenski is active in the business community as well, serving as a board member of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce and West Virginia Roundtable. She is the marketing/ communications chairwoman for the

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

West Virginia Manufacturers Association and a committee member and subcommittee chairwoman for Charleston Area Alliance’s Vision 2030 Innovation/ R&D Committee. Additionally, she is CRA’s representative to the West Virginia Business and Industry Council as well as the Independent Oil and Gas Association of West Virginia, and last year she assumed the following additional roles: • Member, Chemical Industry Council • Committee Member, Marcellus to Manufacturing Conference • Council Member, Advisory Council for the Marshall University W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications • Member, Education Working Group, West Virginia State Chamber of Commerce • Chair, Energy Speaks Education Initiative, Just Beneath the Surface Alliance Lavenski’s work ethic is unparalleled, which is why her clients, colleagues and friends consider her among the very best in the business. When this strategic mastermind gets a break, which isn’t too often, you can find her spending time with her husband, Terry; running; rooting for her boys, who play just about every sport and supporting her alma mater. Her clients can rest assured, however, that she is never more than five millimeters away from her iPhone, which rarely gets a break either. 

Generation Next: 40 Under 40, The State Journal, 2010 Young Guns Class of 2011, West Virginia Executive Board Member, West Virginia Chamber of Commerce Board Member, West Virginia Roundtable Communications Chairwoman, West Virginia Manufacturers Association Member/Sub-committee Chairwoman, Charleston Area Alliance’s Vision 2030 Innovation/R&D Committee Member, West Virginia Business and Industry Council Member, Chemical Industry Council Committee Member, Marcellus to Manufacturing Conference Council Member, Marshall University W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications Member, Education Working Group, West Virginia State Chamber of Commerce Chairwoman, Energy Speaks Education Initiative, Just Beneath the Surface Alliance

Company: West Virginia Commercial, LLC

“I strive to make a positive difference and am most comfortable being involved with complex and difficult problems, always striving for a win-win solution.”

Title: Managing Member and Broker Location: Charleston, WV Professional Focus: Commercial Real Estate Years of Experience: 33 Years Contact Information: 305 Washington Street, W. Charleston, WV 25302 (304) 347-7510 www.wv-commercial.com

2013 Profiles professional services

Brooks F. McCabe, Jr.

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS

rooks F. McCabe, Jr. is managing member and broker of West Virginia Commercial, LLC, a well-respected commercial real estate company, specializing in office, industrial, retail and land brokerage and development throughout West Virginia. West Virginia Commercial is the successor company for the brokerage and property management business of McCabe Henley, LP. McCabe’s career has focused on commercial and investment real estate. McCabe is also general partner or managing member of McCabe Land Company, LP, Fleming Commercial Properties, LLC and Elk River Land Company, LLC. McCabe specializes in the rehabilitation of historic properties with a focus toward adaptive reuse and has been recognized for his efforts in the redevelopment of downtown Charleston’s Historic Village District and for downtown Fairmont’s Historic District. As a developer and owner, he has renovated multiple properties with an eye toward reinvigorating traditional main streets. McCabe has also been active in residential and office condominium conversions, including Arlington Court, Maple Terrace, Imperial Tower, Renaissance Tower and KB&T Center. McCabe holds a doctorate of education from West Virginia University, with a concentration in planning and community development, and bachelor’s and

master’s degrees from the University of Vermont. McCabe’s professional designations include the American Institute of Certified Planners and Certified Commercial Investment Member from the REALTORS® National Marketing Institute. He is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, Urban Land Institute, Congress for New Urbanism, West Virginia Land & Mineral Owners Council, Independent Oil & Gas Association of West Virginia, West Virginia Forestry Association and The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia. McCabe was also a longtime board member of Charleston Renaissance Corporation and supports the National Trust for Historic Preservation and its Main Street programs. McCabe serves Kanawha County as state senator in the West Virginia Legislature. His focus has been on complex economic development issues such as tax and insurance reform, government consolidation, workers compensation, other post-employment benefits and land use and planning. McCabe is an avid reader and spends much of his spare time studying West Virginia. He has published articles on West Virginia history and is currently working on an economic history of Charleston. McCabe has been married for more than 35 years to his wife, Barbie. They have one adult daughter. 

YMCA Spirit of the Valley Award, 2010 Special Places Individual Award, West Virginia Land Trust, 2009 West Virginia Association of Realtors Award for Government and Political Affairs, 2009 Marion County Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Award, 2006 Advantage Valley’s Outstanding Leadership as an Advocate of Regionalism, 2004 Council of State Government’s Toll Fellows, 1999 Entrepreneur of the Year for Commercial Real Estate in West Virginia, Ernst & Young, 1995

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

2013 Profiles professional services

Judy Sheppard “Judy has had a very distinguished career at Professional Services of America. She has set the gold standard for all small business companies.”

Title: President and CEO Location: Parkersburg, WV Professional Focus: Government and Commercial Project Management, Human Resource Solutions and Business Consulting Years of Experience: 35 Years Contact Information: 601 Avery Street, Suite 500 Parkersburg, WV 26101 (304) 485-1282 jsheppard@psa-inc.com www.psa-inc.com

—Senator John D. Rockefeller, IV

tarting with just $500, two cardboard boxes and a vision, Judy Sheppard started her first company. While this in itself is impressive, it’s what most people don’t know about this story that makes this feat even more remarkable. Sheppard was raised in a rural area of West Virginia and didn’t have the things most of us take for granted. From a very early age, she knew she had a calling. As she grew up, she overcame unbelievable challenges, and she used those seemingly insurmountable obstacles to mold herself into the caring, kind, self-motivated and passionate woman she is today: the exceedingly sharp businesswoman who has grown her company, Professional Services of America, Inc., into a highlyrespected $13.5-million-dollar business recognized not only in West Virginia but throughout the United States. Since the first day Sheppard opened the doors of her company, she has worked hard to become a trusted name for solutions to critical human resources problems. Her hard work paid off as she began to handle temporary and contracted employees for many of West Virginia’s largest industries. Within a few years, she grew from two employees to her current 300 employees. Today, her company provides a wide assortment of services that include project management, managed staffing, outsourcing, employee training and business consulting. Sheppard’s creative human resources solutions allow her clients to maintain a high level of productivity by focusing

Company: Professional Services of America, Inc.

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

on their core competencies. As always, Sheppard’s approach is designed to ensure that a variety of sensible and cost-effective staffing strategies are customized to meet clients’ needs. Currently, Sheppard is recognized with the following certifications and designations: U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Certified 8(a) Small Business; SBA Certified Small Disadvantaged Business; U.S. General Services Administration Schedule 736; SBA Woman-Owned Business; SBA Native American Business and Women’s Business Enterprise National Council Certified Women’s Business Enterprise. Sheppard works with many wellknown businesses and 28 federal agencies such as DuPont, GE, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Treasury, Huntsman Chemical, Computer Science Corporation, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Constellium, Alcan, Ingersoll-Rand, Northrop Grumman, Menlo Worldwide, Duke Power, Cytec, PWP, Kraton, Solvay, Nova, Mylan Labs, NGK/NTK, Sterling Medical, West Virginia University, Pepsi, Weststaff, SAICS, Terradon, BearingPoint,

Tri-Data, IMTS, the U.S Armed Forces Retirement Home and LHI. Her company was chosen by the U.S. Department of Energy to undertake the transitioning of several thousands of jobs that were downsized when the department underwent an environmental remediation for three uranium processing facilities. Professional Services of America provided outplacement services, including the establishment of an entrepreneurial center in Colorado, to assist the federal government and thousands of displaced employees. Recognizing Sheppard as one of the state’s most successful business owners, Senator John D. Rockefeller, IV and the State of West Virginia invited her to accompany an elite team of business leaders to Europe on a mission to attract new industry and businesses to West Virginia. Sheppard was specifically asked to speak about the experiences and challenges she faced as the president and CEO of a small, disadvantaged womanowned business. She was also appointed by former Governor Joe Manchin to serve on the West Virginia 21st Century Jobs Cabinet.

In the next year, Sheppard plans to add new product lines and services to Professionals Services of America in order to provide more advanced solutions for her clients, and she is preparing to add several new joint venture partners. 

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS TrailBlazer Woman of the Year, Ohio River Valley Women Business Enterprise, 2013 Minority Person of the Year, U.S. Small Business Administration – Region 3, 2012 Small Business Person of the Year, U.S. Small Business Administration, 2011

2013 Profiles professional services

Additionally, Sheppard participated in a joint venture project with DuPont, Liqui Box and Pepsico through a research and development effort that led to the development of a new product assembly device for Pepsico. She also negotiated a contract for a local West Virginia organization, in which mentally and physically challenged employees were given the chance to assemble 4.1 million devices, creating a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for 100 employees with disabilities. Sheppard is a noted business leader in her community and state. Throughout her career, her community involvement

has included the following positions: chairman of the board of the Polymer Alliance Zone; executive board member of the Mid-Ohio Valley Chamber of Commerce; board chairman and speaker chairman of the Parkersburg Rotary; member of the Parkersburg Development Taskforce and Ohio Valley University Board of Distinguished Visitors and board member of the Smoot Theater, the March of Dimes, Parkersburg Homecoming, the American Marketing Association, the Parkersburg Area Roundtable, the Volunteer Action Center and the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation. Sheppard’s continuous accomplishments in mentoring women across the U.S. have been recognized in many different ways. She was selected to head the West Virginia Instant Impact Team as part of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP). As a part of WIPP, Sheppard sits on the prestigious Federal Procurement Committee that provides interaction between government entities and small, women-owned businesses to allow more female business owners to have the opportunity to bid on federal contracts. WIPP has appointed Sheppard as the West Virginia Small Business Advocate to lobby for necessary changes for small and women-owned businesses. By working with this organization, she opens doors for women and small businesses across the United States. She is currently a voice for women of West Virginia in Washington, D.C., and she is regularly sought out for her insight regarding many issues facing female business owners including health care, government contracts and access to capital.

Named one of the 50 Most Powerful Minority Women in Business, 2010 Teaming Contractor of the Year, American Express OPEN, 2010 Women Impacting Public Policy Member to Watch, 2009 Top 100 Women’s Business Enterprises Impacting Supplier Diversity, 2008 Honorary Degree, West Virginia University at Parkersburg, 2008 Women’s Business Enterprise of the Year – West Virginia, Women’s Business Enterprise National Council Southeast Division, 2008 Who’s Who in West Virginia Business, The State Journal, 2007 Biltmore’s Who’s Who List, 2007 Women in Business Champion, U.S. Small Business Administration, 2006 Small Business of the Year, 2005 Minority Entrepreneur of the Year, 2004 Entrepreneur of the Year, Ernst & Young, 2003

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

Public Services

Company: Facemire Foods Inc. Title: Owner and President

Many who know Facemire would agree that he refuses to take no for an answer. This determination has been a key factor in his success in business and politics alike.

ouglas Facemire was born in 1961 in Sutton, WV and has remained a lifelong resident. He began working at his father’s construction business at an early age, where he learned the fundamentals of business and hard work. In the early 1980s, Facemire was given an opportunity to work with his siblings in establishing a family grocery store. That small family business has since grown into Facemire Foods Inc., which includes seven grocery stores, various leasehold properties and a trucking company, and has locations in Gassaway, Glenville, Grantsville, Richwood, Craigsville, Madison and Westmoreland. Facemire has focused his business on providing the freshest products to his customers; he hauls his own produce and provides a custom meat shop in all of his store locations. Facemire Foods Inc. has approximately 400 employees to whom Facemire stresses the importance of customer service. In the past year, Facemire became the sole owner of Facemire Foods and operates it with his son, Corey, who now serves as vice president of the company.

Location: Gassaway, WV Professional Focus: Retail and Customer Service Years of Experience: 35 Years Contact Information: 81 WV Forest Products Road Gassaway, WV 26624 dougfacemire@wvdsl.net www.shopfoodland.com

Facemire’s father, who was active in the political arena himself, introduced his son to politics. Facemire continued the family legacy of political involvement in 2008, when he made a successful run for the West Virginia Senate. He was elected to a four-year term and was reelected to a second four-year term in 2012. He is currently the senior senator for the 12th district of West Virginia, which represents the counties of Braxton, Gilmer, Lewis, Harrison and Clay. He is also the chairman of the Energy, Industry and Mining Committee and vice chairman of the Finance Committee. Many who know Facemire would agree that he refuses to take no for an answer. This determination has been a key factor in his success in business and politics alike. During his time in the Senate, he has encouraged business in his district, resulting in maintaining current businesses and bringing in new business. He has also worked to secure substantial funds for projects that have benefited public libraries, fire departments, schools, senior citizen centers and veterans. Facemire has been a pilot for 10 years and enjoys flying and bass fishing in his spare time. He and his wife, Tammy, have two daughters, Kayla and Jessie. 

2013 Profiles public services

Douglas Facemire

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS Retailer of the Year, Supervalu Group Progressive Grocer & Outstanding Independent Grocer, Supervalu Group Multi Store Retailer of the Year, Supervalu Group Honorary Doctorate, Public Service, Glenville State College

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

2013 Profiles public services

Dr. Michelle Foster

“Michelle blends her passion for her work and her faith with a keen, analytical mind. She is always thinking, and when she speaks, I’ve learned to listen—it always brings me value.”

Company: Kanawha Institute for Social Research & Action, Inc. Title: Chief Executive Officer Location: Dunbar, WV Years of Experience: 13 Years Contact Information: 131 Perkins Avenue Dunbar, WV 25064 (304) 768-8924 michelle@kisra.org www.kisra.org

—Kent Spellman, Executive Director, West Virginia Community Development Hub

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS White House Champion of Change Purple Ribbon Award, WV Coalition Against Domestic Violence Citizen of the Year Award, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Leadership Award, National Association of University Women Community Leadership Award, Prevent Child Abuse WV Award for Public Service, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of WV Charleston’s Finest Award and WV’s Finest Award, Charleston Police Department Minority Small Business Champion, U.S. Small Business Administration Business on Board with Childcare Award, WV KIDS COUNT Fund Living the Dream Service Organization Honor Roll, WV Martin Luther King Holiday Commission Hazo Carter, Jr., Presidential Award for Community Service Community Service Award, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity 46

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

y journey into my current career as a nonprofit CEO was via a very nontraditional route. I was always good at mathematics and science in high school, so a career in chemical engineering was a natural choice for me. Soon after graduating from the City College of New York, I found myself at a company in Charleston, WV. Little did I know the life changes that lay ahead! While working, I became an active volunteer at Ferguson Memorial Baptist Church, a primarily African-American church located in a poor section of the largest county in the state. During this time, I stirred up skills I didn’t even know I had within myself, always being encouraged along the way by my pastor. It got to the point where I couldn’t wait for 5 p.m. so I could leave my engineering job to volunteer at the church with literacy and other programs that benefited children. In 1998, I took a giant leap of faith. I left my engineering career when the pastor and church leaders decided to invest the

church’s resources in supporting my efforts full time to develop programs that benefited the community. So, I went from designing chemical plants to designing programs that empowered people. With the help of God and the support of the church and community, I developed Kanawha Institute for Social Research & Action, Inc.’s 13 major programs in the areas of education, employment, economic empowerment and behavioral health while securing the necessary funding to operate them. Kanawha Institute for Social Research & Action, Inc., also known as KISRA, has grown to a team of more than 70 employees with funding from multiple local, state and federal sources. We empower thousands of West Virginians annually. I wake up every day, thrilled about the fact that I get to serve my community, state and country. I hold a doctorate in community economic development (CED) from Southern New Hampshire University and master’s degrees in CED and engineering management. I am also a certified economic development financial professional and a certified housing development financial professional through the National Development Council. 

Company: Schoenbaum Family Enrichment Center, Inc. Title: President and CEO Location: Charleston, WV Professional Focus: Nonprofit Development and Management Years of Experience: 31 Years Contact Information: 1701 5th Avenue, Suite 1 Charleston, WV 25387 (304) 414-4400 www.schoenbaumcenter.org

oretta Jett-Haddad is president and CEO of the Schoenbaum Family Enrichment Center, Inc., West Virginia’s premier multitenant nonprofit complex that connects families and children to a variety of community programs and family-centered services. Annually, the Schoenbaum Center helps more than 20,000 people with resources to improve their health, safety, education, income and happiness. Jett-Haddad is a nonprofit advocate who is committed to building the capacity of nonprofit organizations across West Virginia and around the country. She brings a diverse range of experience to her work, drawing on her years as a business owner, corporate developer and project manager. She developed a strong sense of devotion for the nonprofit sector as she served in a variety of leadership roles for the region’s largest comprehensive behavioral health center for 10 years. JettHaddad was responsible for organizational accountability, corporate development, program management and employment services for those with mental or developmental disabilities, an experience that gave her a deep appreciation for how nonprofits seek to improve the quality of life for individuals, families and communities one program at a time. Her groundbreaking work at the Schoenbaum Center made a unique service delivery concept come to life in 2002. The Schoenbaum Center offers services in one location by providing affordable, inviting and accessible space for nonprofit organizations that deliver services for families

and children. The award-winning renovated building has 32,000 square feet on a 2.7-acre campus. Jett-Haddad manages all aspects of the Schoenbaum Center, including program development, operations, fundraising, financing, tenant relations, maintenance and volunteers. Through her leadership of this $5 million project, debt service was retired 12 years earlier than anticipated. The Schoenbaum Center recently celebrated 10 years of enriching families, businesses and the community and continues to serve as a shining example of collaboration and compassion. Jett-Haddad is a member of the Nonprofit Centers Network, a nationwide community of nonprofit center leaders, foundations and professionals committed to increasing the capacity and effectiveness of the nonprofit sector by developing and maintaining multi-tenant nonprofit centers and other quality nonprofit workspaces. As a result of her 24 years in the nonprofit sector, she has become a national speaker and mentor for emerging nonprofits across the country. Jett-Haddad holds a Master of Science degree in management from Marshall University and a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from West Virginia State University. She currently volunteers for Charleston West Side Main Street, Charleston-Kanawha Housing Authority, Charleston Job Corps Training Center and Antiochian Orthodox Christian Women of North America. She also serves as head chantor and assistant choir director in her church. She is married to Very Reverend Father Samuel Haddad. 

2013 Profiles public services

Loretta Jett-Haddad, MSM, BS

PROFESSIONAL MILESTONES Created First Multi-Tenant Nonprofit Center in West Virginia Awarded Best Adaptive Reuse of Existing Building, 2002 Completed $5 Million Design and Construction Project on Time and $425,000 Under Budget Retired the 15-year Mortgage 12 Years Earlier than Anticipated Through the Generosity of Mrs. Betty Schoenbaum and Donors Maintained a Vacancy Rate of 4.7 Percent Over 11 Consecutive Years and an Average Rental Rate Significantly Below Market for Class B Space Secured $850,000 in Direct Grants and Subsidies for Tenant Programs Celebrated 10-Year Anniversary!

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

2013 Profiles public services

Tiffany Lawrence Company: West Virginia House of Delegates

“I’m not afraid of the storm, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”

Location: Charles Town, WV Professional Focus: Public Service Years of Experience: 5 Years Contact Information: West Virginia State Capitol 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, E. Room 227E, Building 1 Charleston, WV 25305 lawrencefordelegate@hotmail.com www.lawrence4delegate.com

—Louisa May Alcott

hen most little girls were playing with dolls, Delegate Tiffany Lawrence was working alongside her mother. With an “office” in her bedroom, complete with file cabinet and desk, Lawrence proclaimed at an early age that she was a professional woman in the making. Lawrence, now just 30 years old, works in multiple fields and is dedicated to discipline and commitment to her service in all areas. Lawrence is a third-term member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, where she serves as Assistant Majority Whip, vice chair of the Committee on Political Subdivisions, chair of the Legislative Intern Committee and as a member of the House Education and House Health and Human Resources committees. She is also the director of Resource Development and Marketing for United Way of the Eastern Panhandle. Lawrence received her bachelor’s degree from Shepherd University in 2004,

Title: Assistant Majority Whip and Vice Chair for the Committee on Political Subdivisions

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

double majoring in political science and business administration with a concentration in marketing. As an undergraduate, she served as class president and president of Delta Sigma Pi. She obtained her master’s degree in business administration from Shenandoah University (SU) in Winchester, VA, in 2006, where she graduated first in her class and served as a graduate assistant for Students in Free Enterprise. This past year, she was honored as SU’s Young Alumni of the Year. In 2006, Lawrence was crowned Miss West Virginia. She spent the year traveling the Mountain State to speak about mental health and sharing her “Power of Positive Self-Esteem” story. Lawrence was awarded the West Virginia Miss America Community Service Award in 2007.

Oftentimes, Lawrence’s daily endeavors overlap into the political realm. “My goal as a legislator is to effectively express the unique needs of the Eastern Panhandle while understanding regional diversities. The state of our educational and health care systems calls for improvement, and I will continue to take up this challenge. Economic development and job creation must also become a top priority especially among our young professionals.” What motivates her? “My inner strength and faith in a higher power,” says Lawrence. “I have been blessed to have been afforded with so many opportunities to truly make a difference in the lives of others. My mother has always said, ‘What you do comes back to you.’ If I have impacted one person for the better, then it will have all been worth it.” 

recreation

2013 Profiles recreation

Tim Mueller Company: West Virginia Power Title: General Manager

“Minor League Baseball professionals have the unique ability to create inventory for their clients. That’s the fun part and what I enjoy most.”

Location: Charleston, WV Professional Focus: Sports and Entertainment Years of Experience: 17 Years Contact Information: 601 Morris Street, Suite 201 Charleston, WV 25301 (304) 344-BATS (2287) tmueller@wvpower.com www.wvpower.com

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS

im Mueller is the general manager of the West Virginia Power, the Class-A Affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Though Mueller only joined the team in 2012, he has 17 years of industry experience and brings with him his love for the game and passion for sharing the team, brand and stadium with the community. A graduate of Methodist University in Fayetteville, NC, Mueller found himself drawn into the world of Minor League Baseball (MiLB). He began his career with an internship with the Fayetteville Generals, the Class-A Affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. During his time with the Generals, he gained experience in several areas, including stadium operations, field work and sales and marketing. His former bosses and colleagues include Brad Taylor, team president, the Bowling Green Hot Rods; Buck Rogers, general manager, the Huntsville Stars and Steve Densa, executive director of Communications, Minor League Baseball. While with the Generals, Mueller was given a piece of advice that sticks with him today. When given a phone book and instructed to “start selling,” he asked, “Sell what?” The reply he received was “Whatever they’ll buy.” This simple statement illustrates a unique luxury that

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

MiLB professionals possess: the ability to create inventory for their clients. MiLB teams survive and thrive on their ability to customize packages for any and all of their clients, a perspective that is key to West Virginia Power’s strategy. Whether it’s a sponsorship deal, a high school reunion or a birthday party, Mueller and the Power staff take great pride in providing the best option for each client. Long before he would work in Charleston, Mueller was exposed to some of Charleston’s baseball history, including the story of Dave Parker’s infamous home run that landed in a passing coal car. He is honored to be a part of the next chapter of Charleston baseball history and wants to help ensure the stability of the franchise as they move into the 10th season at Appalachian Power Park in 2014. The West Virginia Power, and MiLB as a whole, is about more than just baseball. Whether it’s an appearance by Chuck, the Power Mascot, a player appearance, a fundraiser event or front office members serving on a board or committee, Mueller and his staff are committed to serving the community and providing an atmosphere that allows fans to kick back, forget about the problems of the day and simply enjoy a night at the ballpark. 

Best Theme Night Award, 2012 Larry MacPhail Promotional Award Finalist, 2012 Two-Time Recipient, Service Above Self Award, Cabarrus Rotary Club Leadership West Virginia, Class of 2012

Technology

2013 Profiles technology

Jamila Jones-Fleet Company: Innovative Solutions Technology

“We lead our lives like water flowing down a hill, going more or less in one direction until we splash into something that forces us to find a new course.”

Title: President and CEO Location: Martinsburg, WV Professional Focus: Technology Years of Experience: 15 Years Contact Information: 484 Williamsport Pike, Suite 135 Martinsburg, WV 25404 (888) 809-0223 jamila.fleet@istech-corp.com www.istech-corp.com

Arthur Golden, — “Memoirs of a Geisha”

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS

s a mother of three who founded Innovative Solutions Technology in 2008, Jamila Jones-Fleet has learned that being a business owner requires a willingness to change and make sacrifices. While an ironclad plan is a project manager’s dream, Jones-Fleet has become more comfortable, both personally and professionally, with changing direction. In a career where new technological advances become available every day, she uses her skills to help her clients take advantage of these developments. Innovative Solutions Technology, a woman-owned and certified servicedisabled veteran-owned small business, was born out of the need to provide better technological solutions by utilizing new, innovative approaches and tools. As clients’ needs changed, both vendors and the financial environment changed as well, meaning Innovative Solutions also had to adjust. Though budgets these days are smaller, clients are still tasked with achieving their mission, and Innovative Solutions Technology is committed to assisting them with finding new efficiencies. For instance, cloud computing is changing the way clients think about storage, backup and business operations. Utilizing mobile devices such as tablets and cell phones to access data is not just an issue for big business; businesses of

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

all sizes need to know how to secure and contain their data. Though JonesFleet’s business has focused on federal government clients in the past, she believes in providing small and midsized businesses with the same solutions. When she’s not spending time with her husband and three children, Jones-Fleet focuses her spare time on organizing and sponsoring activities that support the youth in her community in the Eastern Panhandle. This year, she sponsored and organized the third annual Eastern Panhandle Black History Month contest. Gathering sponsorships from other businesses and community organizations and working with Berkeley County and Jefferson County diversity councils, she helped show that the public/private coalition is a winning model to enhance learning opportunities for the students in the Eastern Panhandle. Jones-Fleet also believes in supporting the Amateur Athletic Union basketball organization to which her husband and son belong.

Young Guns Class of 2012, West Virginia Executive Magazine Minority Small Business Champion Award, U.S. Small Business Administration, 2011

Graduate, MCCC Foundation Veteran Institute for Procurement, 2010

Through both experiences, Jones-Fleet says having the opportunity to witness the tremendous efforts put forth by the local youth is inspirational, and she receives more from them than she could ever give them. 

Company: GADDIS Group Title: President and CEO

“Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.”

Location: Morgantown, WV Professional Focus: IT Consulting Services Years of Experience: 23 Years Contact Information: 308 Overdale Street Morgantown, WV 26502 (304) 470-0358 www.gaddisconsulting.com

—Chinese Proverb

J SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS Service Award, Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Alumni Chapter, Alabama A&M University Alumni, 2010

Young Guns Class of 2010, West Virginia Executive

ohn B. Gaddis, president and CEO of GADDIS Group, believes you should never be afraid to try something new. People, businesses or individuals who do not have a background in technology know they need it for their business, but they may be afraid of technology and find it difficult to know what they need or which questions to ask. GADDIS Group is a full-service provider of technology services, capable of offering a wide range of support to organizations, businesses and individuals who require technology-based solutions. GADDIS Group works with clients to put them in a comfort zone in which they can utilize technology for their businesses. GADDIS Group speaks “techie talk,” and they translate it into words their clients can understand. As the head of this innovative company, Gaddis is recognized as a visionary, and his opinions are in high demand. He served on the Morgantown City Council for three years and has remained active in the neighborhood associations. He also served on the Morgantown Parking Authority, Sister Cities Commission, Neighborhood Coordinating Council and the 2013 City of Morgantown Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. Gaddis graduated from Alabama A&M University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science. He worked as a defense contractor and was later recruited by a Massachusetts information technology company, which brought him to West Virginia in 1993.

2013 Profiles technology

John B. Gaddis

In 1995, he joined a newly formed 501(c)(3) corporation, and his time there provided him with experience to nationally and internationally promote the state’s newly developing information technology industry. Gaddis, a Mountain State transplant by way of Alabama, believes the future of West Virginia is in developing and supporting entrepreneurship. Because of this, he believes West Virginians need to look for ways to keep their best and brightest from moving out of state while finding a way to bring back home those who have moved away. For this reason, he is committed to helping small business owners become successful. Gaddis serves as vice chair for the Opportunity Industrialization Center. He is the former chair of the Marion and Taylor Counties Job Service Employer Committee, and he is a founding board member of a community based nonprofit organization in Morgantown. He is also a founding member and currently serves as president of the Black Business Association Supporting Entrepreneurs. Even though he is an involved businessman, Gaddis still finds time to have fun. His hobbies include deejaying, digital photography, barbecuing, genealogy, tutoring and mentoring students and watching NASCAR, F1, open wheel racing, baseball, football and golf. He also enjoys spending time with his wife, Maria, and being a doting uncle to 1-year-old Ava. 

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

2013 Profiles technology

Steve Smith, BSEE, MCSE, MCT ContactPointe, along with the combined firms of HGO Technology and Terradon Communications Group, focuses on solving client business problems through the use of appropriate technology solutions.

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS ETC Market Penetration Award TMTK Marketing Excellence Award Microsoft Silver Learning Center

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

Company: ContactPointe IT Services Title: Chief Technology Officer Location: Charleston, WV Professional Focus: IT Consulting and Managed Services Years of Experience: 18 Years Contact Information: 1205 Quarrier Street Charleston, WV 25301 (304) 343-0477 steves@contactpointe.com www.contactpointe.net

teve Smith is the chief technology officer of ContactPointe IT Services, a regional integrator of technology solutions for small to medium-sized businesses. His wife, Kirsten, also works with the company and serves as the vice president of Business Administration. This husband and wife team has been together since 1991, when they met during a physics lab at the University of Central Florida. After graduating with degrees in electrical and environmental engineering in 1995, the couple married and moved to Charleston. They took positions in the family business, originally called ExecuTrain, where they focused exclusively on computer training and courseware development for private industry and state government. With a focus on Microsoft products, the Smiths quickly established the first Microsoft Certified Technical Education Center in West Virginia. Over the years, Steve began to specialize in the delivery of Microsoft server and exchange courses to meet the needs of the rising number of supported servers and e-mail users. Specializing in exchange education brought many custom IT projects for the configuration and support of large e-mail implementations for West Virginia’s state agencies, county government and the energy industry. In addition to developing a strong practice in e-mail technologies, Steve also developed an expertise in virtualization, storage technologies, compliance, high availability and disaster recovery. He was among

the technology leaders in West Virginia who implemented redundant systems and disaster recovery solutions for corporate clients. Steve has also designed and configured networks for accelerating business growth and productivity. While Steve led the charge in technology training and implementations, Kirsten began overseeing the day-to-day business needs of the employees and clients. For more than 10 years, Kirsten served as the general manager responsible for sales, operations and finance for the Charleston location. In the mid-2000s, the business focused on IT services, major project implementations and small business network support. The Smiths made the decision to change the business’s name to ContactPointe IT Services in order to remind clients that ContactPointe is “the one point of contact for IT services.” Over the years, clients have come to rely on Steve and Kirsten for their generosity of spirit at work and in the community. Steve makes himself available to all his clients day and night because he understands the loss of critical data and network downtime are directly related to the profitability of a business. In the community, Steve provided computer advice on TV for the “Ask the Expert” segment on Channel 8. More recently, he moved his advice to radio to serve on the 58 WCHS radio “Ask the Expert” series. Steve and his colleagues donated their time and energy wiring and cabling area schools to ensure each classroom was equipped with at least one computer.

Company: ContactPointe IT Services Title: Vice President of Business Administration Location: Charleston, WV Professional Focus: Training and Managed Services Years of Experience: 18 Years Contact Information: 1205 Quarrier Street Charleston, WV 25301 (304) 343-0477 kirstens@contactpointe.com www.contactpointe.net

—Jim Droney, President, Mt. Lebanon Office Equipment

Kirsten spends her free time donating energy and enthusiasm to the local and regional chapters of the Arthritis Foundation (AF). She serves as the chair of the West Virginia Board of Advisors and the vice-chair of the AF Great Lakes Region, and she drives volunteers and donations to the AF Jingle Bell Run each December. The Arthritis Foundation raises funds for research, programs and public policy. Because Kirsten was diagnosed at an early age with rheumatoid arthritis, the entire Smith family is committed to generating awareness and funding for quality of life improvements to those affected by arthritis. Steve and Kirsten have been blessed with two beautiful and healthy children who have delighted and challenged them for the last 15 years. Raising two children, two dogs and two cats ensures they have variety outside of the world of computer bits and bytes. In addition to Steve and Kirsten’s individual community service activity, they also work to fund and support their children’s athletic teams and scout troops. Recently, ContactPointe made a strategic move to merge with Terradon Communications Group (TCG) and HGO Technology to regionalize and expand their service offering. TCG serves as the Web development division, and HGO Technology brings a network infrastructure specialty to the WheelingPittsburgh area. The goal of the merger was to pull together more resources in order to offer more business class solutions to clients. As clients struggle

2013 Profiles technology

Kirsten Smith, BSEE

“ContactPointe manages everything related to our technology. They monitor, maintain and advise us on upgrading our systems so we can focus on providing the best service to our customers.”

“I wanted to take a minute to commend you for the outstanding support and service you have provided to our firm. In times of crisis, as well as with our planned implementations, you consistently show professionalism, and you possess an unparalleled skill set across the Microsoft platform when aiding us with our technical needs. As a national organization, we cannot afford to have even the shortest downtimes. You have become a great asset as you give us an added sense of security and expertise.” —S. Kay to meet the demands of a technologycentered world, it is the job of IT providers to help provide customer service, eliminate frustrations and increase profitability. Steve and Kirsten have also made strategic alliances with partners who provide enterprise-level network security to small and medium-sized businesses; this means local area clients can be as secure as any Fortune 500 company. Ongoing employee development through continual learning strategies is paramount in technology. Nobody knows this better than technology service providers who want to see their clients succeed, and this starts with a well-educated work force. Steve and Kirsten’s commitment to research and testing new products allows ContactPointe’s clients access to not only excellent products but also best-in-class solutions that will increase overall profitability. 

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

2013 Profiles technology

Gary Sims, Jr. “As an organization and as individuals, our people contribute to improving our community as good neighbors. We believe the best companies are those that invest in their neighborhoods as well as their employees and organization.”

n 1999, Gary Sims, Jr., made a bold career decision. He quit his job and co-founded Advanced Technical Solutions (ATS) with his brother, Brian. Hard work, long hours and a willingness to take calculated risks has proven to be the right formula for his professional success. As president and CEO of ATS, Sims has taken what started out as a computerconsulting firm with two customers and turned it into a multi-million-dollar, nationally recognized information technology solution provider. Sims’ strong leadership style and takecharge attitude landed him a seat on Tech Data’s TechSelect Partner Advisory Council in 2008. Additionally, in 2009, Eaton Corporation, an international producer and supplier of power supply products, appointed Sims to an advisory position with their partner council. On a local level, Sims has also been recognized for his business acumen. The State Journal named Sims an honoree in their Generation Next: 40 under 40 in 2009, and West Virginia Executive magazine inducted him into the Young Guns Class of 2010. Sims has served on The Foundation for Thomas Memorial and St. Francis

West Virginia Executive | Profiles | Summer 2013

Company: Advanced Technical Solutions, LLC Title: President and CEO Location: Scott Depot, WV Professional Focus: IT Networking Years of Experience: 14 Years Contact Information: 107 Erskine Lane Scott Depot, WV 25560 (877) 479.5438 www.atsnetworking.com

Hospital’s board of directors since 2007. His long-term dedication was recognized in 2012 when he was elected president of the foundation. Sims believes the key to continued growth on both a personal and professional level is to expand one’s knowledge and interests. Putting belief into action, Sims joined the West Virginia Chapter of the Young Presidents Organization last year and has enjoyed the many opportunities to learn new skills, sharpen existing ones, meet other young entrepreneurs and network in the business community. From reading his profile, you might get the impression that Sims is all business and no fun. You would be wrong! At Advanced Technical Solutions, the general rule is “Work hard…play harder!” Employees and owners alike participate in lunchtime events designed to not only promote team building and communication but also provide some fun so the staff can work off the stress that the high-tech world can create. Sims himself has participated in the Virtual Boxing Tournament, the ATS Silicon Chef cooking competitions, the annual Team Free-Throw Tournaments, the Lego Derby and the No See Grand Prix RC driving team challenge. Outside of the office, Sims enjoys spending time with his family, golfing and saltwater fishing in the Florida Gulf. His ultimate escape will one day find him sitting in the sun, worry free, sand between his toes, sipping a cold beverage. 

SPECIAL HONORS & AWARDS

Young Guns Class of 2011, West Virginia Executive Magazine 500/5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America, Inc. Magazine, 2007-2012 Fast Growth 100, CRN Magazine, 2006-2011

Generation Next: 40 Under 40, The State Journal, 2009