Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Platinum PR
By Kensie Westerfield
Growing up in Great Falls, Virginia, Sandy Sponaugle wanted to be a flight attendant because she wanted to travel and loves to meet new people.
While she never became a flight attendant, her childhood dream job carried over into her career of choice, through which she has the opportunity to travel. “I love to travel and explore new places, but I like coming home to Shepherdstown.”
During college, Sponaugle discovered the wonderful world of economic development with the help of Dr. Kathy Reid, a professor at Shepherd University. After graduation, Sponaugle began her career at the Jefferson County Development Authority with the help of Reid. “I worked there for about five years before I went to the Frederick County Office of Economic Development in Maryland. In Frederick, I worked my way up from a research specialist to acting director and coordinated all of their marketing and public relations activities, including the marketing budget. Once I had my daughter, I wanted to do something different, and that’s when I started Platinum PR.”
In addition to Reid, Sponaugle has been fortunate to work with and be inspired by a variety of people. Jane Peters was one of the people that took a personal interest in Sponaugle, and as her first boss after college, Peters really helped give her the tools to succeed in economic development and ultimately the world of public relations.
Sponaugle was able to see exactly how she wanted to run Platinum PR from her friend and colleague, Sue Hough. “She ran a small graphic design firm and made every client feel like they were the most important person at any given time. She truly excels at customer service and that is something I strive for.”
Sponaugle has continued her community involvement and personal attention to clients by incorporating them into the daily work at Platinum PR. Sponaugle and her business partner, Jennifer Jensen, work as a team to make sure their clients are getting what they need. “I enjoy what I do and I am willing to commit the time necessary to serve my clients. I also try to help out the community and non-profit organizations whenever possible. I am very involved with the United Way of the Eastern Panhandle in addition to having several non-profit clients.”
There are many aspects of her career that Sponaugle enjoys, but the things that keep her motivated are doing a good job and continuing to learn. “Everyday I want to do a better job than the day before. Exceeding client expectation is what motivates me.”
Something that many people might not know about Sponaugle is that she was the mascot in college. “I was the Shepherd College Ram! This was one of the ways I got involved in college life. I feel strongly that everyone should try to give back and have a strong commitment to volunteerism. Everyone has a unique role to play in the community and I encourage others to get involved when and how they can.”
Although Sponaugle grew up outside of West Virginia, she truly considers the Mountain State her home and wants to see West Virginia and its residents reach their full potential. “I fell in love with Shepherdstown and then West Virginia when I arrived at Shepherd College (now Shepherd University). Once I was here, I became so engrossed in the community that this quickly became my home. One of my recent goals has been to connect with more businesses and individuals around the state. At times I think people in the Eastern Panhandle feel very isolated, but I think it is our own individual responsibility to get involved and reach out to other areas of the state so we can learn and help one another. This is one of the reasons why I have chosen to become involved with Create WV.”
