CHAMBER NEWS

The Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce and City of Huntington invite you to a Huntington and Cabell County Housing Study Presentation breakfast sponsored by Community Trust Bank on Wednesday, April 24 at 8:30 am at the Marshall Health Network Arena. During this free event, Patrick Bowen, President of Bowen National Research, will present the findings of the recently completed Huntington Area Housing Needs Assessment.

This study was commissioned by the City of Huntington and the Huntington Housing Authority in October 2023. The report aims to provide government officials, area stakeholders, developers and area employers with a better understanding of the evolving housing market, establish housing priorities, modify or expand housing policies, and enhance and expand the housing market to meet current and future housing needs. 

The presentation will include population and household trends, economic and employment data, housing supply analysis, housing gap estimates, and recommended housing strategies. Housing developers, elected officials, investors and lenders, business owners, and community members are welcome and encouraged to attend.

This study builds upon the larger Advantage Valley Region Housing Needs Assessment, incorporating data from the regional study to enhance its findings.

Thank you to Marshall University's Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation for hosting April's Business After Hours! Over 160 members, friends, and state-wide entrepreneurs came together to connect and explore the new state-of-the-art Center!

This Business After Hours coincided with Bridging Innovation Week, West Virginia's premier ​entrepreneurship event. The annual symposium ​advances entrepreneurship-led economic ​development by providing connection and education ​to business owners, current and prospective ​entrepreneurs, and entrepreneur serving ​organizations (ESOs) throughout WV.

Social media is an essential tool for businesses and individuals looking to increase their visibility and connect with their audience. Cindy Krantz, founder of Mezzo Creative, offers insightful strategies to elevate your social media presence, drawing from her extensive experience in journalism, mass communication, and advertising. Learn how you can amplify your social media impact in our recent blog.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Discover the keys to a happier and more productive workplace with West Virginia American Water. In 2022, West Virginia American Water launched the imPACT Team, focusing on Positivity, Accountability, Communication, and Teamwork within their organization. This dedicated team, comprising leaders in Wellness, Safety, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity, Communication, and Community Engagement, has spearheaded internal initiatives to boost employee engagement and foster a thriving work culture.

April's Monthly Meeting's speaker is Tenikka Phillips, Accelerated Resolution Trained Therapist at Cabell Huntington Hospital. Discover insights into mental health, mindfulness practices, and effective coping techniques. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your well-being and gain valuable tools for personal growth!

Tenikka Phillips is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who has a passion for assisting individuals in navigating life’s difficulties. She considers it an honor to hold space for people to work through some of the most intimate aspects of their lives and believes mental health support is much more than focusing on a diagnosis. Her approach is person centered as she truly focuses on meeting people where they are in this moment of their lives and consider all aspects of the person (both the mental & physical) in efforts to assist them in finding the greatest relief as well as inner peace.

She is also a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP) who is passionate about assisting individuals in maintaining successful employment and academic careers as well as providing support to leadership within the corporate and academic settings. As an Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor (AADC) she is also passionate about opportunities to assist people in achieving their substance use goals and assisting them in recognizing the roots of their substance use that go well beyond the actual use. 

When: Thursday, April 25 | 12 - 1 p.m.

Where: TBA

We are less than one month away from the 2024 Annual Dinner, our biggest fundraiser of the year!

We are excited to announce this year's dinner will be catered by these Chamber member restaurants:

Christopher's Eats

La Familia

Sip Downtown Brasserie

MEMBER NEWS

We are excited to announce that this year's EDTalks event will take place on May 1 in Huntington, WV! Join us for insightful discussions, networking, and inspiration. This FREE lunchtime event will explore how new and innovative collaborations between businesses and educational institutions can benefit West Virginia's future workforce and leaders.

We are honored to present two distinguished keynote speakers for EDTalks 2024:

John Farris, Vice President and General Manager of Nucor Steel West Virginia will share his insights as a senior executive in the mountain state offering valuable perspectives on preparing West Virginia students for the future workforce.

Amy Grady, West Virginia State Senator and Senate Education Chair, will provide her perspective as a key policymaker and teacher on the crucial link between education policy and workforce development.

We invite business leaders, community members, educators, policymakers, and anyone passionate about shaping the future of education in West Virginia to join us for this important discussion.

Registration includes lunch and is NOW open. We look forward to seeing you at EDTalks 2024 in Huntington!

“This is a milestone moment in a series of milestone moments that are happening on our campus, in our city, across the state and honestly in the Appalachian region. It’s because it is our time. We are seeking this opportunity and we are leaning in. It is the power of We." - Brad D. Smith

The dedication of the Brad D. Smith Center for Business & Innovation took place on Wednesday, April 10. The new 78,000 square foot facility houses the Marshall University Lewis College of Business and Brad D. Smith Schools of Business. It features some of the latest technology to educate 21st Century business students and the business community, including a 360-seat auditorium, a finance lab that will house 12 Bloomberg terminals, a computer lab, and nine classrooms with ThinkHub Education technology.

Marshall Health Network’s St. Mary’s Breast Center and FaithHealth Appalachia have partnered to offer free mammograms and Pap tests to women through the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Foundation’s grant-funded See, Test & Treat program. 

The event will take place at the Breast Center, located at 2900 1^st Avenue in Huntington, on Saturday, April 20, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Attendees will receive same-day results with opportunities to enjoy light refreshments, gift bags and pampering. Women who are uninsured or underinsured in the Huntington and surrounding communities must register for the event as spaces are limited. 

Join us for the 21st Annual Empty Bowls fundraiser to benefit Facing Hunger Foodbank- happening Friday, April 19^th from 10am-3pm at Pullman Square in Huntington. Check out the selection of bowls made by Marshall Ceramics Students- available for $20 each! Every bowl purchased provides 180 meals to those at the center of our work. Join us on Friday, April 19th from 10am-3pm at Pullman Square. Visit facinghunger.org for more information.

Want to help others experience Appalachia? Heritage Farm has opportunities where you can do that very thing! Whether it's as a high ropes facilitator working the zipline and ropes courses, a museum attendant exploring our history, or a cashier helping a guest purchase that special souvenir, all positions at Heritage Farm work towards our mission of celebrating Appalachian ingenuity and adventure.

Nucor Steel West Virginia will be hosting a drive-through Tire Take-Back Day on April 20, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Ashton Lodge, located at 32229 Huntington Road, Ashton, WV. Each community member can bring up to five car or light-duty truck tires to the event, and volunteers will remove them from your vehicle for disposal. Tires must be off the rim to be accepted. Oversized or agricultural use tires or tires from private businesses will not be accepted.

Fairytales come to life with the Huntington Symphony Orchestra on April 23!

Huntington Symphony Orchestra with Ashland Youth Ballet presents an evening of "Symphonic Tales," including an interpretation of the Japanese folk tale "The Mandarin Ducks" and classic story of "Peter and the Wolf." Join our international journey, bringing folk tales to life through music and dance!

Apr 23, 2024 | 7:00 PM | Paramount Arts Center - 1300 Winchester Ave, Ashland, KY

Due to the storms we encountered, the women of Glow decided to move Glow Aesthetically’s Grand Opening Event: A Night of Radiance; to this Monday, April 15th from 4-7pm! This event is cohosted by Glow Luxury Spray Bar and Salon with food by Boujee Boards by Roz and Syds Cookie Co, a mini pop up shop with VC Boutique, and champagne!

TEAM for West Virginia Children has announced plans to present Geoffrey Sheils with its annual Service to Children Award on April 30^th, 2024, at the Guyan Country Club in Huntington. The celebration will feature a Monopoly Board Game theme and include a variety of music, food, and fun and will begin at 6:00pm. The Presenting Sponsor is Hoops Family Children’s Hospital at Cabell-Huntington Hospital.

Geoff is a long-time local banker, having worked his way up from a part-time teller to his current role as Regional President for Summit Community Bank. His volunteer history is equally impressive including stints as a board member, volunteer, and supporter of the following organizations (just to name a few): Boys and Girls Club, United Way of the River Cities, Little League 3, YMCA, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Optimist Club, and Huntington Museum of Art.

Valley Health Systems, Inc. is pleased to welcome Psychiatrist Dr. Scott Murphy to the Valley Health Family. Murphy began serving patients at Valley Health – Highlawn on March 14, 2024.

Dr. Murphy received his medical degree and completed his psychiatry residency at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University.  Following residency, he worked extensively with medical students in the roles of Director of the Psychiatry Clerkship and Director of the Psychiatry Residency Program. Dr. Murphy has also worked as the Assistant Chief Medical Officer for Mildred-Bateman Hospital in Huntington and as the Medical Director of the Mind Wellness Center at Marshall Health.

Dr. Murphy is board-certified and holds certifications in Crisis Prevention and Intervention Training and PACE Teaching. His work has been published in the West Virginia Medical Journal, and he has shared his wealth of experience through conducting more than a dozen medical presentations. Dr. Murphy served on numerous committees and administrative services and has received several awards for his passion for helping patients including the “They Made Me a Better Doctor” Award and the Helping Hand Award.

The Second Annual Dolly Dash 5K is now Accepting Race Registrations and Sponsors!

Saturday, August 10^th at Ritter Park @9:05am. This is a Family-friendly event featuring line dancing, face painting, and shaved ice by Lil Creamer. Prizes for best-dressed Dolly and Doggy Parton! Proceeds benefit Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of West Virginia.

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS

Tuesday, April 16

Baseball vs Morehead State, 6:00pm

Friday, April 19

Baseball vs Old Dominion, 6:00pm 

Softball vs Coastal Carolina, 6:00pm 

Saturday, April 20

Tennis vs Jame Madison, 10:00am  

Softball vs Coastal Carolina, 2:00pm 

Football Spring Game, 4:00pm 

Baseball vs Old Dominion, 7:00pm 

Sunday, April 21

Softball vs Coastal Carolina, 12:00pm 

Baseball vs Old Dominion, 1:00pm 

The Monday Morning Memo is Generously Sponsored by

Thank You to Our Trustee Members

Thank You to Our Investor Members

Please note that the deadline for submissions for "In the News" in the Monday Morning Memo is at 

4 p.m. each Wednesday for inclusion the following week. Submitted items will only appear one time in the memo unless discussed and agreed upon with Chamber staff.

Email all submissions to Rebecca Kasey, Director of Marketing, at rebecca@huntingtonchamber.org.

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