MICHAEL BENSON

MOUNDSVILLE – West Virginia University President Michael Benson will be the guest speaker at the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce’s annual Marshall County Dinner on Oct. 7.

Benson has an extensive background in higher education, having previously led Coastal Carolina University, Snow College, Southern Utah University, and Eastern Kentucky University. A historian by training, he serves on several national education boards, including the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges and the National 4-H Council.

Born in Utah and raised in Texas and Indiana, Benson earned a bachelor’s degree cum laude from Brigham Young University, a doctorate in modern history from the University of Oxford, and a master’s in nonprofit administration from Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. He also completed a liberal arts degree at Johns Hopkins University in 2021. Benson has lived and worked internationally in Italy, England, and Israel.

An accomplished athlete and traveler, Benson played basketball at BYU and Oxford, runs marathons, and has visited all 50 U.S. states and five continents. He and his wife, Debbie, have three children, and he has two additional children from a previous marriage.

“The chamber is honored to welcome President Benson,” said Scott Reager, executive director of the chamber. “His leadership and experience will inspire our community.”

Tickets, sponsorships, and event details will be available soon. For more information, call the chamber office at 304-845-2773.