Warner Celebrates Marshall County Business Achievements

MOUNDSVILLE -- West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner celebrated business and development achievements in Marshall County on Thursday, even providing four county businesses with state-sanctioned honors.

Warner turned out for the annual "State of Marshall County" breakfast Thursday morning, sponsored by the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce. The event took place at Grand Vue Park.

"You guys have the most robust chamber of commerce event of anywhere in the state.," Warner told those present. "You guys know how to do it. You have so much energy here."

Warner explained that while most people know he is the chief elections officer for the state, as secretary of state he also serves as West Virginia’s chief business registration officer.

He reported that as of Thursday morning, there were 132,219 businesses registered in good standing throughout the state and 1,333 registered businesses operating in Marshall County.

The process of starting a business also has become more streamlined following the implementation of the state’s One Stop Business Center in 2019, he continued. The center is located in Charleston, and many operations also can be completed online.

The center "has implemented state-of-the-art technology to help state agencies communicate with each other, and "the results show," Warner explained.

"What used to take two weeks to start a business in West Virginia now takes less than two hours," he said.

He also announced that on July 1, the West Virginia Office of Entrepreneurship opened to assist those wanting to start a business. The office serves as an ombudsman that helps small business owners navigate government rules and connect with resources in West Virginia.

"It's the first one in the nation that creates thriving business policy development within an eco-system in a state-wide elected official's office," he said. "The other states that have an office of entrepreneurship do that and report to a bureaucrat.

"West Virginia has been recognized as a leader in this regard. This office does not and will not duplicate the services provided by other state agencies."

Warner said a major role of the office is to lobby the West Virginia Legislature for more ways to make starting a new business more efficient for prospective owners.

On Thursday, Warner presented awards to Marshall County businesses. The first two were "Centurian Awards" honoring businesses in operation for more than 100 years. Receiving the awards were WVU Medicine Reynolds Memorial Hospital and the West Virginia Beekeepers Association.

Two businesses also were certified as veteran-owned businesses in West Virginia. The certifications were presented to Alex Brautigan, owner of Pale Horse Solutions Group, and Bob Wilson, owner of Allied Realty Groups.

-- Moundsville City Manager Rick Healy reported the city has about 80 full- and part-time employees, while its water and sanitary boards have about another 30 employees.

The city’s payroll is $3.8 million, he said.

Healy also provided an update on construction of the new Moundsville administrative building.

"This project has been a struggle, but I am happy to say we can see a circle of light right now," he continued. "We are getting close.

"I do believe we will be in there by the end of this year, and the rest of the work will be done by spring."

-- Tony Martinelli, president and CEO of WVU Medicine Reynolds Memorial Hospital, spoke of the changes that have occurred since the hospital became aligned with WVU Medicine in 2015.

In 2015, the average hourly wage at the hospital was $19.13. It was $33.51 an hour in 2025, according to information provided by Martinelli.

The number of clinic visits or inpatient treatments at the hospital also jumped dramatically, from 22,647 in 2015 to 128,070 in 2025, while the number of surgeries there more than doubled over the 10-year period, from 11,410 in 2015 to 24,475 in 2025, he reported.

He also provided details about replacement of the ramps outside the emergency department doors and announced plans to construct additional parking spaces at the hospital.

"Health care always is a need in a community, but it can also be an economic driver," Martinelli said.

-- Marshall County Superintendent Shelby Haines spoke of the new challenges facing schools today that didn’t exist decades ago.

"Today's schools are not like anything that you or I attended," she said.

She reminded those present that students once sat at desks in straight rows and classrooms were very quiet. That’s not always the case anymore, according to Haines. Students are more likely to sit in groups or move around the room and collaborate.

"A classroom that sounds a little noisier doesn't mean it isn't being productive," Haines explained. "Our classrooms were quiet and structured, but that's not the way it always is today. Kids are communicating, problem-solving and learning from one another....

"We are entering a new era. There and text to speech and digital tools and artificial intelligence. The challenge isn't just teaching them where to find the information anymore. It's teaching them how to determine whether the information is accurate, and how to use it responsibility."

-- Marshall County Commissioner Scott Varner said the commission feels strongly that it should provide competitive salary and benefit offerings to employees.

"We are committed to helping out elected officials recruit and retain employees with vital institutional knowledge," he explained. "This not only helps our elected officials operate their office, but it also provides our citizens the necessary help and guidance and processes they have with county government."

He spoke about the need for housing in Marshall County and how many developers want to build commercial properties along West Virginia 7 leading to interstate highways.

Varner acknowledged "it is somewhat of a challenge," but said the commission has been working to acquire properties and market them together for projects.

-- John Davis, chief operating officer of the Wheeling Nailers, spoke of how the team strives to be part of the community in which it works and lives.

Davis said his first experience working in hockey saw him donning the mascot’s suit for the Wheeling Thunderbirds in the mid-1990s.

Today, players and staff make as many as a combined 50 volunteer appearances in the community.

Most notably, players participate in the annual "Inclusion On Ice," organized by the local Easterseals organization. Skaters of all levels are paired with players from the Nailers and local high school and amateur hockey teams to help them safely get onto the ice and experience skating.

Davis also noted the "Teddy Bear Toss" tradition among Nailers fans, who throw new or gently used stuffed animals onto the ice after the Nailers score their first goal. The stuffed animals are donated to local charities for distribution to children in need.