CHAMBER NEWS

Leadership Huntington, presented by Marshall Health Network, kicked off its manufacturing session at the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center. The day featured insights from accomplished local manufacturers, highlighting the crucial contributions of our community's industrial backbone.

Dave Lieving, President & CEO of Huntington Area Development Council-HADCO, delved into the economic significance of manufacturing. Derek Scarbro, Director of Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center, provided a comprehensive overview of MAMC's mission and services. Keith Williams, Technical Services Manager at Nucor Steel, shared insights into the largest investment in West Virginia's history. Bill Bissett, President of the West Virginia Manufacturing Association, elaborated on the association's mission. The session also featured a panel discussion showcasing the diverse manufacturing landscape in Cabell and Wayne counties, featuring Tony Wheeler, President of Paris Signs; Mark Cooper, Director of Regulatory Affairs at DARCO; Dr. Brett Jarrell, CEO of SERUCELL; and Tim Burgess, Vice President of Operations at Zim's Bagging Company.

Deacon Stone, Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at MAMC and a Leadership Huntington class member, conducted a detailed tour of the center. The morning concluded with a presentation on Lean Manufacturing Principles by Erica Cheetham, Director of Quality Systems at MAMC.

Wrapping up the day, participants enjoyed a facilities tour of Rubberlite, Inc., led by Jeff Goad, Senior Vice President of Polyurethanes and Performance Foams, showcasing the vibrant landscape of local manufacturing excellence.

"A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action makes your dreams come true." - Greg S. Reid

Laura Seybold, Founder and President of Shine Consulting, lead a recent Lunch & Learn and helped attendees understand the components of a successful goal and how to increase their odds from an 8% success rate to 95%! We broke down our goals, discussed them with others, and worked through a plan of action.

Thank you to our Lunch & Learn series sponsor, Ohio Valley Bank!

This week, we sit down with Chris Lambert and Barry Burgess from the recently merged accounting firm, Suttle & Stalnaker. Suttle and Stalnaker recently joined forces with the Huntington-based accounting firm, Somerville & Company. We'll discuss the details of this strategic merger, the reasons behind the decision, the process, conversations with existing staff and clients and navigating the challenges encountered along the way.

Thank you to Reeves Kirtner, Kindred Communications, and presenting sponsor, Moses AutoMall of Huntington.

Tune in on Apple, Amazon, and Spotify!

Huntington City Councilwoman Sarah Walling was unanimously elected as chairwoman and City Councilwoman Holly Smith Mount was unanimously elected as vice chairwoman during City Council’s meeting Monday, Jan. 8.

For Walling, it will be her first year as chairwoman of City Council. The District 4 representative was selected by City Council members to fill the unexpired term of Councilwoman Jennifer Wheeler in June 2021. She served as vice chairwoman in 2022 and 2023. Her district includes the Southside and Harveytown areas of Huntington.

Sarah currently serves on the Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce's Board of Directors.

UPCOMING EVENTS

MEMBER NEWS

Valley Health Systems Inc. is hosting an Open Recruitment event January 18^th from 9am – 6pm at the Pea Ridge Business Center located at 5636 US Route 60, Suite 1B in Huntington.    

There are many opportunities to join the Valley Health team.   Positions include pharmacy technicians, nutritionists, patient access representatives, licensed practical nurses, medical assistants, physicians, psychologists, and other opportunities.

Join the spectacle of talent and heart at Developmental Therapy Center's Battle of the Heroes! Get ready to witness an epic clash of rhythm and moves as educators from Ridge Kids Academy and Our Lady of Fatima Parish School take the stage in a thrilling dance battle!

This Valentine's season, we're turning up the excitement with our 23rd Annual Valentine Celebration, and the Battle of the Heroes is the highlight you won't want to miss! Watch as our local heroes from Ridge Kids Academy, choreographed by Ultimate Dance Legacy, and our local heroes from Our Lady of Fatima Parish School, choreographed by Elite Performance Academy, step out of the classroom and onto the dance floor, showcasing their hidden talents with passion and flair as they compete for the coveted title of Battle of the Heroes Champions.

The excitement doesn’t end there! After the Battle of the Heroes, Huntington’s finest dance crew and 2023’s Battle of the Badges Champion, Huntington Police Department, will be gracing the stage for an encore performance, choreographed by Elite Performance Academy!

Celebrate the power of community as we come together for an evening of laughter, joy, and unity. Your ticket to the 23rd Annual Valentine Celebration directly contributes to DTC's mission of providing our community members access to vital occupational, physical, and speech-language therapy, no matter the patient’s circumstances.

This is more than just a dance battle; it's a celebration of talent, community spirit, and making a positive impact. Join us for an unforgettable evening where entertainment meets a meaningful cause!

Community Partners,

It's fair season here in Cabell County Schools, and our students are ready to show what they've learned in their Social Studies Fair presentations. We're in need of judges to help us evaluate student presentations.  Judges are asked to join us for one evening from 4:15 until the end of the judging portion of the event (this may vary based upon the size of the competition, but should not last more than a couple of hours).  

Anyone who is excited about student-led learning and possesses some creativity would make a great judge! There are no requirements to qualify to be a judge. Ultimately, we want our students to have the opportunity to present to judges, and for judges to provide questions that challenge our students to analyze and defend the risk taking and problem-solving skills that led to their design process. Categories of study include anthropology, economics, geography, political science, psychology, sociology, state and local studies, US History, and world history. 

The dates for the fairs are as follows:

February 6: Elementary Social Studies Fair (In case of inclement weather, the alternate date is 2-19)

February 8: Middle and High School Social Studies Fair (In case of inclement weather, the alternate date is 2-20)

The fairs will be held at the Cabell County Transportation Complex. We ask that judges arrive at 4:15 for light refreshments and mandatory training will begin at 4:30. Students of all ages will present and demonstrate their research from inquiry-based projects. Events like this cannot happen without the willingness of leaders like you to provide meaningful experiences for our students. 

-Ashley Stephens, Ed.D.

Family & Community Engagement Facilitator

Division of Instruction and Leadership

Cabell County Schools

If you are interested in helping our students in this important way, please complete this form.

As part of its centennial celebration, St. Mary’s Medical Center (SMMC), a member of Marshall Health Network (MHN), will release a commemorative book set to celebrate the medical center’s 100-year legacy.

The set consists of two books, The St. Mary’s Story, a detailed history of the medical center, by local writer and historian James E. Casto, and Praying the CHRIST Values of St. Mary’s, a devotional/prayer book, by Rev. Greg Creasy, director of spiritual care and mission integration at SMMC, and his wife Robin. 

The books will be officially released at a special event Monday, Jan. 22, at 2 p.m. in the main lobby at SMMC. Representatives from SMMC and the Pallottine Missionary Sisters will share their thoughts on how the mission of the Sisters continues 100 years later. Jan. 22 is the Feast of St. Vincent Pallotti, the founder of the Pallottine Missionary Sisters, who established SMMC Nov. 6, 1924.

The commemorative book set will be available for purchase following the event for $30 at Madeleine’s Boutique & Unique Gifts on the ground floor of SMMC, or online at www.mountainhealthfoundations.org/centennial-book/.

The Pallottine Foundation of Huntington will begin accepting applications Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, for its next Healthy Communities Initiative, which provides grant funding opportunities to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with a health-focused mission. The funding initiative is open to eligible organizations with programs that support residents within the Foundation’s service area, which consists of Boone, Cabell, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, Mingo, western Putnam, and Wayne counties in West Virginia; Boyd, Carter, Floyd, Greenup, Johnson, Lawrence, Martin, and Pike counties in Kentucky; and Gallia, Lawrence, and Scioto counties in Ohio. Grant applications will be accepted through Feb. 20, 2024, and awards will be announced in late May. Grant awards range from $3,500 to $50,000. Eligibility requirements and application guidelines are available online at https://pallottinehuntington.org/healthy-communities-initiative/.

Lattas School Furnishings & Playgrounds is excited to announce on Feb 1, they will begin the transition of their operation to a new facility at 111 8th Ave West. This move represents a significant milestone as they are moving to an enhanced space to stock more inventory to better serve their customers. Many efficiencies will be enjoyed with the addition of a loading dock, office space, and much larger warehouse space and work area.

Cabell Huntington Hospital (CHH), a member of Marshall Health Network, now has three new ultrasound machines thanks to a generous donation totaling nearly $620K from the Cabell Huntington Hospital Auxiliary. 

Using raffle sales, proceeds from the volunteer-supported Cabell Huntington Hospital Gift Shop and other fundraisers, the Auxiliary raised $619,582.15 for the purchase of three portable Philips Epiq 7 ultrasound machines capable of performing both transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiograms. 

An echocardiogram is an ultrasound test that checks the structure and function of one’s heart. An echo can diagnose a range of conditions including cardiomyopathy and valve disease. The updated echocardiogram equipment now available at CHH will provide more-detailed images of the heart and heart valves.

The 2024 Cincinnati Reds Caravan kicks off Monday, Jan. 22 featuring five tours making stops in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia over six days. The annual Reds Caravan provides fans of all ages the opportunity to interact with current and former players, top prospects, broadcasters and members of the Reds front office. The 2024 Caravan includes 12 fan stops across five separate tours (up from four tours in 2023) and features new stops at the Lawrenceburg Event Center in Lawrenceburg, IN, the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY, and a return to the Castleton Square Mall in Indianapolis, IN. At each of the fan stops, the groups will field questions and sign autographs while time allows. All Caravan fan stops are free and open to the public, and at each fan stop, one lucky fan will win two tickets to the 2024 Opening Day game on Thursday, March 29 (4:10 pm) vs. the Washington Nationals

The East Tour will make fan stops in West Virginia and includes pitcher Andrew Abbott, infield prospects Cam Collier and Sal Stewart, outfield prospect Rece Hinds, 1990 World Series team member Todd Benzinger, and Vice President, Assistant General Manager Sam Grossman.

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS

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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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