campus and its surrounding communities . His “ Open Mike ” sessions , in-person and virtual , allowed Fairmont State students , employees and community members to have meaningful discussions with him . Those conversations helped Davis plan his path forward .
“ I believe Fairmont State is the best regional university in West Virginia ,” Davis says . “ It ’ s a great place to learn , a great place to work and a great place to call home . I want to make sure that message reaches every resident of the state .”
Forge Hires Garletts as Vice President and Chief Strategist
Forge , a strategic planning and consulting firm in Morgantown , is pleased to announce Ben Garletts as its vice president and chief strategist . Garletts , a Preston County native , has over a decade of experience as a strategic planner and project manager in the public and private sectors , helping operations run more efficiently and meet critical milestones .
“ Ben is a great addition to the Forge team ,” says President and CEO Frank Vitale . “ He brings to the table significant experience guiding large , complex projects with the Federal Bureau of Investigation , the Department of Defense , the U . S . Department of State and other agencies . He has the technical , analytical and strategic planning experience that will help Forge and our clients achieve great success .”
Garletts earned his bachelor ’ s degree in journalism from West Virginia University and two master ’ s degrees in corporate communications and multimedia technologies from Duquesne University . He is a member of the Project Management Institute , International Association for Strategy Professionals and the Technical Business Management Council . He is a certified SAFe Agile Product Owner / Project Manager , SAFe Agile Scrum Master and Technology Business Management Executive .
“ Ben has the right experience and expertise as both the technical problem solver and strategist that Forge has been looking for ,” Vitale says .
Garletts most recently worked as a strategic planning lead , providing expertise in developing and maintaining IT strategic and tactical planning activities for a federal contractor in Washington , D . C . He led strategic planning discussions and working group sessions with key stakeholders to define needs and solutions within a large federal agency .
“ I am excited to bring my experience solving problems and identifying solutions to Forge and its clients ,” Garletts says . “ With the company growing , I look forward to meeting and working with many organizations that can benefit from our strategic solutions and offerings .”
Highmark Health Commits $ 30 Million to Address Food Insecurity as Part of White House Challenge
Highmark Health , with its affiliated companies and foundation , will commit more than $ 30 million through 2030 to enhance food security , nutrition education and physical activity in the communities it serves . This is part of the White House Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities , announced recently by the Biden-Harris Administration .
The five pillars of this new national strategy are improving food access and affordability , integrating nutrition and health , empowering all consumers to make and have access to healthier choices , supporting physical activity for all and enhancing nutrition and food security research .
“ Today ’ s announcement reaffirms Highmark Health ’ s commitment to advancing food security , nutrition education and physical activity as key parts of our strategy to achieve better and more equitable community health across Delaware , New York , Pennsylvania , West Virginia and beyond ,” says Nebeyou Abebe , senior vice president of social determinants of health for Highmark Health .
Highmark Health has launched several initiatives across its footprint as part of its Food as Health strategy confronting food insecurity as it relates to addressing the root causes of poor health , improving health outcomes and reducing costs .
West Virginia American Water Celebrates 50th Anniversary of its Kanawha Valley Water Treatment Plant
West Virginia American Water recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Kanawha Valley Water Treatment Plant . Dozens of attendees , including employees , elected officials , community partners and business leaders , gathered at the plant to commemorate the state-of-the-art facility ’ s rich history .
“ Over the past five decades , the Kanawha Valley Water Treatment Plant and our water quality team have earned an excellent reputation for providing high-quality water service to thousands of families and businesses across the region ,” says Rob Burton , president of West Virginia American Water . “ As we celebrate this incredible milestone , we also look to the future , renewing our commitment to strengthening the communities served by this plant .”
Originally constructed to combine the Charleston , Belle and Nitro plants , the Kanawha Valley Water Treatment Plant went online on December 13 , 1973 . The facility is West Virginia ’ s largest water treatment plant and serves nearly 302,000 customers in Kanawha , Putnam , Boone , Logan , Lincoln , Cabell , Clay , Fayette , Roane , Jackson and Mason counties .
" As we mark the 50th anniversary of the Kanawha Valley Water Treatment Plant , we ’ re not just celebrating a facility — we ’ re honoring a half-century of unwavering service to our communities ,” says Kanawha County Commission President Lance Wheeler . “ This plant stands as a testament to innovation , resilience and the dedicated individuals who share the same goal as the Kanawha County Commission to help ensure public water to every household .”
Welty Joins Frost Brown Todd in Charleston Office
Frost Brown Todd ( FBT ) recently announced that Bob Welty has joined the firm as a managing director in its Charleston office . Working closely with the firm ’ s finance industry team , Welty will serve as a source of deep experience and advice to a broad network of business contacts spanning West Virginia and Columbus , Ohio . This includes regional and local bank holding companies and other financial institutions .
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