West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Joe Thornton today announced Lawrence “Larry” Messina will serve as the Communications Director for the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety (DMAPS), effective August 12.
“I’m excited to have someone with Larry’s knowledge and experience on our team, and I’m pleased he has accepted this opportunity to serve within the Department,” Cabinet Secretary Joe Thornton says.
“I’ve always considered journalism to be a form of public service,” says Lawrence Messina. “I am grateful for this new opportunity to serve my fellow West Virginians, by working for the men and women who have pledged to protect and defend them.”
Since 2002, Messina has served as statehouse correspondent for The Associated Press (AP). During his tenure, he pioneered AP’s social media presence in W.Va. and was frequently nominated for AP’s worldwide Beat of the Week award. Prior to working for AP, Messina wrote for the Charleston Gazette from 1993-2002 covering legal affairs and special projects. His reporting earned him numerous awards from the West Virginia Press Association and honors from the American Bar Association, the Institute for Southern Studies, and the Gerald Loeb Foundation for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism.
Messina graduated from Wheeling Jesuit College in 1991 with a B.A. in Professional Writing. He is a recipient of the Archbishop John J. Swint Medal, awarded to the male graduate who best embodies the spirit of the school.
Messina and his wife Lesly currently reside in Charleston with their daughter, Sophia.
