West Virginians helping West Virginians has never been more important. During a year of uncertainty, an unprecedented stay-at-home order, business closings, layoffs, remote work and fear, citizens of the Mountain State have proven once again that in the face of adversity, they take care of their own.
Optometric Physician, White Eye Care Center, Inc. By Jennifer Jett-Prezkop Dr. Ed White would likely have been an aerospace engineer, empowering mankind to explore the heavens, had it not been for NASA budget cuts in 1969 and 1970 that eliminated promising aerospace jobs. NASA’s loss, however, was the great gain of the optometry field and…
As the rise and fall in the demand for coal continues for established uses like power generation, one West Virginia-based company is developing innovative applications for the state’s most prominent export. As the rise and fall in the demand for coal continues for established uses like power generation, one West Virginia-based company is developing innovative applications for the state’s most prominent export. Because coal is a hydrocarbon with unique properties, it can easily be converted to a wide range of products, and Wheeling-based Touchstone Research Laboratories is committed to finding alternative uses for coal in research, manufacturing and commercialization.
Director & CEO, Robert C. Byrd Institute, and Vice President for Federal Programs, Marshall University By Kristen Uppercue Long before Charlotte Weber became the first female director and CEO of the Robert C. Byrd Institute (RCBI) and first female vice president for federal programs at Marshall University, she dreamed of being a teacher, lawyer, detective…
President & Managing Member, Bear Contracting, LLC and Bear Utilities, LLC By Amanda Larch & Samantha Cart Growing up in Clarksburg, WV, Mark Urso struggled with dyslexia and dysgraphia. While his challenges with reading and comprehension meant he had to put in twice as much as effort, it was his family’s support, his inclination for…
President, Manpower By Maggie Hatfield Growing up in Wilkesville, Ohio, Diane Strong-Treister acquired her business acumen at a very young age while working her first job as a store clerk for a local retail establishment that included a grocery store, gas station and restaurant. “At 14 years old, I ran the establishment while the family…