CHAMBER NEWS

Save the Date! New to this year’s Greater Huntington Candy Cane Trail, we will be hosting dual kickoff events on Thursday, November 9, from 5 - 8 p.m. at two locations, Pullman Square and the Village of Barboursville CVB! The kickoff events will be an evening for attendees to show support for local businesses as they unite for a festive small business shopping crawl and a chance to win $500!

Businesses in Cabell and Wayne counties with physical storefronts can become a Candy Cane Trail merchant for free, and are not required to be a member of the Chamber. Interested businesses can fill out this form to become a merchant: tinyurl.com/23CCTMerchant. For more information about the 2023 Greater Huntington Candy Cane Trail, please contact Erin Ferry at erin@huntingtonchamber.org or call (304) 525-5131 ext. 300.

Last Thursday, Leadership Huntington learned about local tourism and team bonding during the Tourism Session! The morning session took place at Huntington Tri-State Airport and was packed with exciting experiences and insights that will help the class become even better leaders.

The day was started with a tour of the FAA Tower and a deep dive into the Marshall University and Mountwest Aviation Maintenance Technology Program with Program Director, James Smith.

Tyson Compton, President of the Huntington Area CVB discussed the importance of local tourism, and Dr. Cicero Fain, Assistant Provost of Inclusive Excellence & Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fellow at Marshall University, enlightened us about the Black Appalachian Cultural Center.

We delved into the local festival scene with representatives from C-K AutumFest/Pumpkin House, WV Delegate Ric Griffith; Chilifest, Ron Smith; Rails & Ales, Blaine Crabtree; and West Virginia Hot Dog Festival with owner of Stewart's Original Hot Dogs, Cabell County Commissioner John Mandt.

We closed the session with a sports tourism panel featuring Andrew Brown, Associate Athletic Director for Facilities and Operations at Marshall University Athletics; Mike Shockley, Huntington City Council and Director of Sales at Delta Hotels by Marriott Huntington Downtown; Andre Price, Director of Barboursville Parks and Rec; and Len Rogers, President of the WV Soccer Association.

After an eventful morning, the class continued their journey at Heritage Farm! Engaging in fun team-building exercises, the class strengthened their bonds and honed their leadership skills. Special thanks to Audy Perry, R.L., and Paul of Heritage Farm for hosting us and making the afternoon unforgettable!

Thank you to Marshall University Division of Aviation and Huntington Area CVB for providing meals for the day!

Join us for an insightful episode as we trace the remarkable journey of Serucell, a luxury skincare product that started and continues to be manufactured in Huntington and was destined for a national stage from the outset. From its grassroots origins to its rapid rise on the national scene, we delve into the strategic decisions, hurdles, and successes that molded Serucell's transformation into a sensation that resonated across the country. Through candid conversations with the founders, we uncover how this product was inherently primed for a nationwide presence, navigating the intricacies of scaling production, refining its brand identity, and captivating a broader audience. Explore the pivotal lessons, strategies at play, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes that unveil the captivating story of Serucell's evolution from local roots to triumphant national achievement.

In the dynamic realm of digital marketing, success isn't just about attracting clicks and visitors. It's about crafting a journey that transforms curious onlookers into loyal advocates. One powerful tool to map out and optimize this journey is the Pirate Funnel, a framework designed to guide businesses through the stages of customer engagement. In this blog post, we'll delve into the Pirate Funnel, its six essential steps, and how you can utilize it to sail towards marketing success.

Tricia Ball, HRCC President & CEO and WWS Committee Member, with Actress & Producer Nicole Kidman

Photo by Bullseye Total Media

Our staff had the incredible opportunity to attend the inaugural Women Warriors Summit (WWS) on Friday, October 6! The Women Warriors Summit brought together trailblazing women from Appalachia and beyond to host empowering talks about breaking barriers and having courageous conversations in all aspects of life.

The day started with Emily Gregory, co-author of Crucial Conversations, who helped us discover the art of impactful communication and how to navigate challenging discussions.

We heard from a power panel of women and their advice on crucial conversations; Brandi Jacobs-Jones, Marshall University, Senior Vice President of Operations; Jessica Kern, Coach, Motivational Speaker & Philanthropist; Kristina Johnson, American Business Executive & Academic Administrator; Shellye Archambeau, Fortune 500 Board Director, Strategic Advisor, Former CEO & Author; Alys Smith, Founder, Women Warriors Summit; and Soledad O’Brien, award-winning journalist and entrepreneur who served as the emcee and host.

Keynote speaker, Nicole Kidman, award-winning actress and producer, wrapped up the summit and reminded us that we all have the power to engage in crucial conversations and become warriors for change! 

UPCOMING CHAMBER EVENTS

The Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce Women’s Impact Network Group (WIN) is excited to announce the next upcoming event, Women Leading the Way, on Thursday November 9 at 11:30 a.m., at Guyan Golf & Country Club, 1 Bill Campbell Way, Huntington, WV.

This event will bring together the four current officers of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce who are all women leaders in their community.  Members will learn what has made them successful in their

careers and gain knowledge of how these experiences can be applied to their own professional and personal lives. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from esteemed guests, including Susan Lavenski, Marybeth Anderson, Kathy Thomas and Anna Dailey.

These panelists will provide insight on what they see in the coming years for professional women in the State of West Virginia as well as suggestions for women in entrepreneurship. Tricia Ball will serve as the moderator during the event.

For more information about the Women Leading the Way event, including registration details and sponsorship opportunities, please visit one of the Chamber websites or contact the Huntington Regional Chamber at (304) 525-5131.

MEMBER NEWS

Marshall University, Marshall Health and Mountain Health Network announced today the official formation of Marshall Health Network Inc., an integrated academic health system with Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.



Mountain Health Network has been renamed Marshall Health Network which comprises four hospitals: Cabell Huntington Hospital, St. Mary’s Medical Center, Hoops Family Children’s Hospital and Rivers Health; ambulatory facilities, medical offices and employed physician practices; along with Marshall Health physician practice and its facilities.

The formation of the system drives the delivery of high-quality multidisciplinary care, provides a forum for training the next generation of health care providers and advances research opportunities aimed at improving the health and wellness of patients and communities across West Virginia and the bordering states of Kentucky and Ohio.

Oct 11, 2023, at 12 pm EDT

Oct 25, 2023, at 12 pm EDT

Nov 15, 2023, at 12 pm EDT

Questions? Contact Nikki Bowmar at nikki.bowmar@sba.gov.

Local VIPs, Very Important Pumpkins, are emerging from the pumpkin patch a little early this fall to compete in Huntington Children's Museum’s third annual Pumpkin Carving Contest on Tuesday, October 17 at 6 pm at The Market’s outdoor patio. VIPs include Cabell County Commissioner Kelli Sobonya, Dr. Matt Weimer, Huntington City Council Member Ally Layman, Sassa Wilkes, Jessica Huff, Sarah Sager, Dr. Ed Pino, and Dr. Dallas Nibert. Contestants will gut, slash, slice, and dice until pumpkin perfection is achieved. 

All contestants will have an hour to carve their masterpieces unless donors decide to donate to extend their carving time. Contestants may earn up to 30 additional minutes of carving time through donations ($10 donation per minute). Contestants who raise $600 before the event will be permitted to have a carving companion.

Looking for a way to get involved in the Tri-State Community? Stop by the Community Volunteer Fair on Monday, October 16, 12 - 4 p.m. at Huntington Red Cross!



The goal of this event is to bring volunteer organizations together so folks can attend and learn how they

can volunteer with one or more of the organizations. We believe that that the more people we have volunteering in our community, the stronger we ALL are!

Costumes from sizes infant to adult are needed for the 2023 Spooktacular Halloween Party! Costumes can be dropped off at or shipped to the Lily's Place NAS Center, 1320 7th Avenue, Huntington, WV 25701. 

PROACT will host its second annual Race Toward Recovery 5K at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at Barboursville Park.

PROACT, which stands for the Provider Response Organization for Addiction Care and Treatment, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit addiction treatment organization that brings together behavioral, social and medical resources to provide comprehensive care to those seeking treatment for substance use disorder (SUD). All event proceeds go to support PROACT in sustaining this model of care for individuals with SUD.

Tiffany LeMasters, DDS, assistant professor at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, has joined the OVP HEALTH CARE Dentistry team in Huntington. She attended West Virginia University School of Dentistry in Morgantown, West Virginia. 

In affiliation with Marshall Health, OVP Health Care Dentistry provides quality dental care for the

underserved. Dentists and hygienists from Marshall Health provide all of the dental care at the clinic, which is owned and administered by OVP HEALTH CARE, a not-for-profit organization committed to making quality health care accessible to all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. The clinic

offers basic adult and pediatric dental services, including examinations, uncomplicated extractions, fillings, and teeth cleaning, but is able to refer patients needing more complex care and treatment to other dental professionals at Marshall Health.

To schedule an appointment at OVP HEALTH CARE Dentistry, please call 304-691-0700.

The Huntington Museum of Art Museum Store will launch the in-person sale of an exclusive, limited-edition print by Don Pendleton titled “Kinetic” on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023, from 6 to 8 p.m. The artist has signed and numbered the 100 prints being offered for sale to benefit HMA. In addition, some prints include the handwritten title and some feature pencil sketches by the artist at the bottom margin of the page.

The Ronald McDonald House of Huntington needs volunteers for the Huntington ChiliFest on October 14^th! If you are interested in lending a helping hand, please contact Whitney or complete the online volunteer registration form. 

Win a 2023 Toyota Rav4 Woodland

Edition and support the Ronald McDonald House of Huntington! Tickets are $10

each and are available to purchase at RMHC, Advantage Toyota, or online

at Donate Now - RMHC of Huntington (rmhchuntington.org) (add

Rav4 Raffle and number of tickets in the comments!

The Funniest Man in America James Gregory will be performing at The Foundry Theatre on Sunday, October 29 @ 4 PM. The James Gregory show turns the clock back to a time when life was simpler; to a better time, before the death of common sense; a time when people sat on the front porch and actually talked to each other without a cell phone in their ear.

Atlanta Rhythm Section have entertained audiences all over the world with their many Top 10 hits and will bring all the southern rock and soft pop flavor to Charleston on Friday, December 15 at the Theater in the Charleston Convention Center.  

Along with contemporaries Lynyrd Skynyrd, they carry the mantle of “Southern Rock,” but by performing more musically diverse hits with a softer, pop flavor, they have a sound all their own Hits include “So Into You,” “Imaginary Lover,” “Champagne Jam,” “Doraville,” “I’m Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight,” “Do It Or Die” and “Spooky”.  With multiple gold and platinum albums to their credit, the band had top hits, “So Into You,” “Imaginary Lover,” “Doraville,” “I’m Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight,” “Champagne Jam,” Angel,” “Do It Or Die” and “Spooky.“

Mark Normand has announced 28 new dates in 2024, extending his first national theatre tour, Ya Don’t Say Tour, and will include stops in Charleston at the Theater in the Convention Center on Saturday, March 16, 2024. Other cities on the tour include Atlanta, GA, Houston, TX, Minneapolis, MN and Buffalo, NY. New dates begin January 12^th at The Tampa Theatre in Tampa, FL. 

Dubbed by Jerry Seinfeld as the

“best young up and coming comic,” Mark Normand is quickly becoming one of the most talked about touring comedians on the

scene.  Normand’s recent one-hour Netflix special, SOUP TO NUTS, has been a staple in the streamers’ Top Ten since its July 25^th premiere.  This follows Normand’s self-released special, 2020’s “Out to Lunch” which amassed over 12 million views on YouTube. He also starred on Netflix’s

Season 3 of The Stand Ups.  

COMMUNITY NEWS

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS

The Monday Morning Memo is Generously Sponsored by

Thank You to Our Investor Member

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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