CHAMBER NEWS

We are proud to have an amazing group of Chamber Ambassadors who show up, cheer on fellow members, and make our events even more welcoming.

Last year, one ambassador stood out for showing up time and time again — to nearly every ribbon cutting, Business After Hours, Lunch & Learn, and even sang Happy Birthday during business birthday celebrations.

Please help us congratulate Jamie Lima, our 2024 Ambassador of the Year!



Stepping into the role of State Director for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of West Virginia, Jamie relocated with her family to the Huntington Tri-State area, bringing with her twenty years of experience as a business entrepreneur in the New York Metro area, operating award-winning School of Rock music education franchises.

Founding the original band, Fate28, with her husband and guitarist, Art, their debut album, Experimental Tendencies, was featured in Guitar World Magazine’s 2012 “Introducing” article as a New York band on the rise.

Jamie is inspired to continue her passion for youth enrichment by leading the statewide Imagination Library program, which advances early literacy in West Virginia in partnership with the June Harless Center at Marshall University and the Dollywood Foundation.

In addition, Jamie serves on the Literacy Task Force for the West Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Board of Directors for Let Them Rock, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching lives by providing access to performance-based music opportunities and scholarships for underserved youth in Appalachia. She also represents FrontWomen, a national nonprofit community supporting women leaders, educators, and professionals, as well as Tri-State LeadHERship, the Women's Impact Network, and the WHOLE Child Committee.

Jamie was recognized during our 2025 Annual Dinner.

May's Leadership Huntington session focused on Local & State Government, featuring conversations with the people who keep our communities running! From mayors and first responders to county officials, each speaker shared a common thread: a deep commitment to making our region better for all.

Special thanks to our guest speakers:

• Mayor Patrick Farrell, City of Huntington
• Mayor Chris Tatum, Village of Barboursville
• Irv Johnson, Cabell County Assessor’s Office
• Chief Phil Watkins, Huntington Police Department
• Lt. Matt Null, Huntington Police Department
• Chief Greg Fuller, Huntington Fire Department
• Sarah Walling, Huntington City Council District 4
• Charles Walker, Grants Manager, Cabell County Commission

We also got a behind-the-scenes tour of the Huntington Police Department, climbed into the SWAT BearCat, and watched a live demo from K-9 Jett!

Thank you to our presenting sponsor Marshall Health Network and Huntington Police Department for hosting us!

Over the past nine months, we've had the pleasure of working with the talented students in Marshall University's Advertising & Public Relations Campaign Management capstone class.

This group partnered with us on a campaign designed to help us tell our story, showcase our impact, and recruit new Chamber members. From research and strategy to media outreach and creative execution, they delivered thoughtful, professional work every step of the way.

If you’ve seen any of our recent blog posts or Instagram Reels, you’ve already seen their creativity in action!

A huge thank you to the entire class—and to professors Dr. Terry Hapney and Dr. Allyson Goodman—for their leadership and dedication. We’re proud to support the next generation of PR and marketing professionals and thankful for their contributions to our mission!

UPCOMING EVENTS

MEMBER NEWS

Join State Electric Supply Co. on Tuesday, June 4, from 11 AM to 1 PM at our Huntington branch for a special Customer Appreciation Day. Enjoy a complimentary lunch, connect with our team, and let us celebrate you—the people who keep our community energized.

 Location: State Electric – Huntington

 What’s on us: Lunch and good conversation

Why: Because we’re grateful for your partnership!

The Thunder Trust, the official NIL Collective of Marshall University, is proud to announce a new strategic partnership with Delta Hotels by Marriott, including their locations in downtown Huntington and Barboursville, West Virginia. This collaboration introduces a rebate program designed to support Marshall University student-athletes in all sports through NIL initiatives, such as supporting the transfer portal, recruiting, and more. 

Delta is locally owned and operated by Uptowner Inns, Inc. As the Official Hotel of Marshall Athletics, Delta Hotels by Marriott has a long-standing commitment to supporting the Thundering Herd. This partnership expands on that relationship by offering a unique opportunity for fans, families, and visitors to contribute directly to student-athlete success—both on and off the field.

Here’s how it works:

·      Guests can book a stay at either participating Delta Hotels by Marriott location by:

Using the promotional code “D4654” or the dedicated booking link for either location: Huntington Mall or Delta Huntington Downtown.

·      Once selected, a portion of their reservation will be rebated to The Thunder Trust. 

·      These funds directly benefit student-athletes across all sports at Marshall University.

Book Your Hotel Stay with Delta for Upcoming Events:

·      June 21 – Riley Green Concert

·      August 30 – Zach Bryan Concert

·      September 6 – Missouri State vs. Marshall University

·      September 13 – Eastern Kentucky vs. Marshall University

·      September 19 - Brantley Gilbert Concert 

·      October 11 – Dominion vs. Marshall University

·      October 18 – Texas State vs. Marshall University

·      November 8 – James Madison vs. Marshall University

·      November 29 – Georgia Southern vs. Marshall University

About Athlete Advantage

Athlete Advantage creates impactful revenue solutions for University Athletics Departments through a comprehensive NIL ecosystem. A leader in revenue generation solutions, Athlete Advantage delivers unique experiences that support both athletic departments and drive economic impact. They provide partnership opportunities with an approach that enhances the reach and influence of college sports, enriching the community and maximizing opportunities for student-athletes. For more information, contact Jason Eyermann at jason@athleteadvantage.com or visit https://athleteadvantage.com.

About Marriott International

Marriott International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of over 9,300 properties across more than 30 leading brands in 144 countries and territories. Marriott operates, franchises, and licenses hotel, residential, timeshare, and other lodging properties all around the world. The company offers Marriott Bonvoy^®, its highly awarded travel platform. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com.

The Developmental Therapy Center’s Annual Bidding for Kids’ Success online auction is almost here: featuring 15 exciting packages filled with food, fun, and unforgettable experiences!

This year’s packages include:

• A Virginia Beach vacation
• A pontoon boat rental from Great Outdoor Marina
• Weekend getaways to Columbus, Cincinnati, Louisville, and Lewisburg
• A private wine tasting at Sip
• A Golf Getaway featuring rounds at three regional courses and four VIP memberships to the West Virginia Golf Association
• …and much more!

 Auction runs May 16 at 5:00 PM through May 19 at 8:00 PM

Participants must create an account to place bids. Be sure to register before May 16 so you're ready to join the fun when the auction opens.

Soft Close Bidding in Effect

If a bid is placed within the final 3 minutes of an item’s closing time, bidding will be extended by 3 minutes. This continues until no further bids are placed—giving everyone a fair chance to win.

All proceeds help fund therapy services for children and adults with developmental and physical disabilities throughout our region.

These two banks are going head-to-head in a friendly competition to raise funds for the Huntington Museum of Art through our Battle of the Banks membership drive during the month of May.

Every dollar donated through each bank’s link goes to HMA's Open Door Membership Campaign (ODMC), helping us keep the lights on and the doors open, so we can continue serving our community.

To show some love for the arts and our local bankers, choose your favorite bank, make a gift, and help them earn serious bragging rights – all while supporting art, culture, and education in the Tri-State!

Support HMA and Team WesBanco

To support HMA and Team United Bank

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) encourages small businesses and private nonprofit organizations in West Virginia to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by severe storm, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides occurring Feb. 15-18.

The declaration covers the counties of Boone, Cabell, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers, Wayne and Wyoming in West Virgina, Boyd, Lawrence, Martin and Pike in Kentucky, Lawrence in Ohio as well as Bland, Buchanan, Giles and Tazewell in Virginia.     

Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.



EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster. 

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.625% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

SBA will partner with local stakeholders to conduct webinars and workshops targeted at small businesses and non-profit organizations in disaster-declared counties. Information on future events will be shared with the media.

For more information and to apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance.

The filing deadline to return economic injury applications is Nov. 26, 2025.

The Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center (MAMC) and Advantage Valley once again are opening doors for West Virginia small businesses – this time with a supply chain expo designed to connect local vendors with one of the state’s largest healthcare systems.

Marshall Health (Marshall University Medical Center, Cabell Huntington Hospital, St. Mary’s Medical Center) representatives will highlight their purchasing needs and explain the process for becoming a vendor during the June 5 Marshall Health Supply Chain Expo at the Marshall University Memorial Student Center. The event will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Attendees of the free expo will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with Marshall Health representatives to discuss the large health system’s needs and explain their small businesses’ capabilities.

All Huntington Regional Chamber members are welcome to submit events and news to the MMM for free. All content is to be submitted by 4 p.m. each Thursday for inclusion the following week. Submitted items will only appear one time in the Memo unless discussed and agreed upon with Chamber staff. When submitting, please include "Memo" in the subject line of the email, attach one photo or graphic that is no more than 5 MB, and include text/press release and any links.

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

The Monday Morning Memo is Generously Sponsored by

Thank You to Our Trustee Members

Thank You to Our Investor Members

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