Thank you for nominating the best of the best of our businesses, non-profits, and the people who make things happen in our community.  This year's nominees are listed below with a brief description of why they were nominated.  Voting is now closed, and here are your choices.  Thank you for helping recognize our great people and businesses in the Mineral County Chamber!

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Leader of the Year:

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Luke McKenzie

Luke is the Mineral County Administrator who takes the county commission's vision and makes it happen.  When you deal with Luke you instantly realize how efficient and organized he is, which may be one of the reasons he is able to also head up the county's emergency services at the same time.  Luke is able to multi-task better than most people could ever hope to, which also gives him lots of extra time to minister a church, volunteer at a fire company, serve as treasurer for the Chamber, and adopt five children in the last few years.  Luke is focused on making the best impact possible in every aspect of his life.

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Community Service Award:

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Family Resource Network

Family Resource Network is a non-profit that interacts with many people in the county, and yet, many are not familiar with what they do.  Among the many programs they sponsor, here are just a few:  Energy Express, Warm the Children, Food for Thought, Mineral County CASA, Toys for Joy, Circle of Parents, and many others.  FRN kind of flies under the radar, but it is unimaginable what life would be like for hundreds or thousands of people in Mineral County without their help.  

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Non-Profit of the Year:

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County United Way

County United Way continues to serve Mineral County by giving to non-profits who serve the needs of the community, such as the Piedmont Library, Family Resource Network, CASA, Tri-Towns After School Program, and Catholic Charities.  CUW also provides thousands of dollars in Live United Grants which are available to help specific urgent needs.  CUW also assembles volunteers every year for the annual Day of Caring and Sharing, as well as the Stuff the Bus campaign, benefitting our county students.

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Young Professional of the Year:

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Ashley Parker

Ashley Parker is the Branch Manager of M&T Bank in LaVale.  Before that, Ashley was the Branch Manager of M&T in Keyser.  Ashley is Co-leader of Voices of Women (VoW), a new group put together by the Chamber specifically for business and professional women in Mineral County.  After several conversations regarding the new group, Ashley stepped into the role of Co-Chair of VoW and has made tremendous progress in not only starting the group and getting other women engaged but moving it forward and finding projects where the group could give back to the community.  Two such projects were gathering clothing for the women at Staggers Recovery House, and helping with County United Way's Stuff the Bus initiative.

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Entrepreneurial Spirit Award:

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Betsy Delozier

Betsy Delozier is quite the entrepreneur.  Betsy Delozier worked for 15 years as a Utility Lineman before starting her own business with Big D Electric based in Cumberland.  Big D Electric continued to do well, so Betsy decided to open up three additional and diverse businesses - Grace Built Home Improvements, Creation Laundry, and her latest success, Cross Hairs Indoor Shooting Range in Fort Ashby.  Cross Hairs is a state-of-the-art facility which includes a virtual range with hundreds of scenarios including the infamous Zombie Apocalypse!   Betsy is NRA certified and stresses safety in her courses and on the range. 

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Brian & Kieran Wilson

Brian and Kieran Wilson are great entrepreneurs.  They own Queen's Point Coffee, North Branch Brewing Company, and the North Branch Pub - all under one roof.  They even have an Air BnB location upstairs!  The Wilson's work early in the morning til late at night tending their businesses, but the results are so worth it!

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Large Business of the Year:

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WVU - Potomac Valley Hospital

WVU - Potomac Valley Hospital has been investing millions of dollars in new buildings, equipment, staff, training, new programs, and the community at large.  Hospital CEO and President Mark Boucot has assembled an excellent leadership team to implement these changes and provide exceptional services to their patients.  The hospital has received stroke care certification, radiology accreditation, and opened a new cancer center just this year alone.

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Small Business of the Year:

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Fox's Pizza - Keyser

Despite challenges from Covid and even a car running into the building, Fox's Pizza in Keyser has maintained a thriving business, and continues to pour support back into the community.  Kirk Kesner is the proud owner.

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