-
2023 Sheila G Haney Ambassador of the Year – Preston County Inn
Built in 1857 and serving food and hosting lodging since 1904, this historic Inn is iconic to Main
Street in downtown Kingwood WV. Featuring eight guest rooms, a casual fine dining restaurant
and a full-service bar with one-of-a-kind architecture, ambiance and historical integrity the
Preston County Inn is a gem and so is its owner.Owner Jean Manuel-Guillot purchased the property in 2008 and is approaching his 16th year as
owner of the Preston County Inn. Jean said, “Owning and running the Inn is somewhat different
than owning most businesses. It’s not just about serving food and providing lodging, it’s also
about preserving a piece of history.” Jean especially enjoys the stories and memories his
customers share with him about the Inn.The Inn serves lunch Monday through Saturday and Dinner Tuesday through Saturday. They
also serve breakfast the second Sunday of the month and Thursdays are their late night. “We
invite everyone to come in and sample our food and if you have relatives visiting, we have a
place for them to stay,” stated Jean.“In the past few years, we’ve done many functions with the Preston County Chamber of
Commerce. We’ve provided services at all kinds of different events that they’ve held
throughout the county. I consider it an honor. The Chamber has done so much for us as well.
We are so proud to be a part of Kingwood and Preston County’s history,” stated Jean.
Jean also joins the Preston Chamber and several local businesses and organization at the Annual
Preston County Day at the Legislature in Charleston, WV, where he serves a buckwheat cake
breakfast featuring locally grown and raised products to everyone at the Capitol. According to
Kristy Ash, Chamber Director, “Jean is a tremendous friend to the Chamber, always there to help
when we need him. He goes above and beyond to help make our events successful. He is the
true definition of the word Ambassador and so deserving of this award.”Jean would like to thank everyone who patronages the Inn. He credits his customers for the
Inn’s success. “As Mayor of Kingwood and a small business owner, Jean recognizes the
important role small business plays in our community. His leadership, character and service to
his community and the Chamber are all attributes that lead to his nomination of Ambassador of
the Year. Congratulations, Jean and thank you for everything you do for the Chamber and the
community,” Bo Burnside, Chamber President -
2023 Organization of the Year – Arthurdale Heritage
Arthurdale Heritage is a non-profit organization established in 1985, located in the historic
community of Arthurdale, WV. It was founded to restore and preserve the history of
Arthurdale, which was the nation’s first New Deal community.“Arthurdale Heritage’s accomplishments far exceed the expectations of most non-profit
organizations. From their numerous awards like the 2023 Spirit of West Virginia Award from
WV Tourism, to the newly developed outside venue and the history it holds, to the new West
Virginia Historic Preservation Trade School. Preston County is proud of Arthurdale Heritage.
Congratulations on receiving the Organization of Year Award, we honor you and your
outstanding accomplishments” stated Kristy Ash Chamber Director.Darlene Bolyard, Director of Strategic Planning and Philanthropy talks about the uniqueness of
their heritage, “One thing I think is unique about our heritage is the sense of community that
harkens back to the early days of 1934, when people came together to give each other a hand.
When President Roosevelt came to office, there was great poverty in the nation. Mrs.
Roosevelt, who was a visionary and a very compassionate woman, despite being from a
background of incredible wealth, cared about people. She traveled down into Scotts Run near
Morgantown and visited families who were literally living in canvas tents. Their children had
dysentery. They were very ill. She saw this and went back to the President and said Americans
cannot live like this. Let’s make a change. Let’s help these people. Let’s give them a hand up,
not a handout.”Arthurdale became the first of many 98 homestead communities. People came to Arthurdale
with a sense of hope and they got it. They were given a chance at a new life. The women were
taught how to weave, so that they could make extra money. Midwives were brought in to teach
other people how to be a midwife. The children and parents were taught hygiene. There was
progressive education – learning by doing. “This is a great model for us as we transcend into
our new West Virginia Historic Preservation Trade School. Once again, people will learn by
doing. They will learn a valuable trade that will allow the opportunity for a wonderful career,”
stated Bolyard.“We are so grateful, honored and humbled to receive this prestigious award. This means a lot
to us. And more importantly, I think of all the people who came before us. Thank you to the
Chamber of Commerce, the Arthurdale Heritage staff, our incredibly, supportive Board of
Directors and of course, for the support of our donors,” stated Bolyard.
Elizabeth Satterfield, Curator and Director, talks about what Arthurdale Heritage offers now.
“Today, we do a variety of activities related to heritage and history, from square dances to
instructional classes, weaving programs, kid’s activities, festivals and tours of historic sites. We
try to offer something for everyone, while preserving our historic structure and the stories of
the people who grew up in Arthurdale.”“We’re very honored to win this award from the Chamber of Commerce. There have been years
and years of work at Arthurdale Heritage to restore buildings, preserve artifacts and tell stories.
So, winning this award is really a testament to all of those people who came before us and
worked so hard to make Arthurdale Heritage what it is today,” said Satterfield. -
2023 Emerging Business of the Year – Haines Farming and Meats
Haines Farming and Custom Meats is a family owned, small business that offers amazing
customer service, made from scratch lunch specials, delicious homemade desserts and farmraised fresh meats and produce at their store located in Bruceton Mills, WV. Paul Haines, owner
and operator contributes their success to the heart and integrity that they’ve put into their
business. “It goes to show that a good work ethic and being humble to who you are and what
you do pays off,” stated Haines.“Haines Farming and Custom Meats has been a wonderful addition to the Bruceton Mills
community and the surrounding area. The business has continued to grow and expand and has
quickly become a favorite place to shop for fresh meats and produce, as well as a place to grab a
delicious lunch. Their very personal staff has brought “down home goodness” to all who stop
by,” stated Steve Wotring, Chamber Vice President and Bruceton Mills resident.Haines offers local farm raised beef and pork that you can buy by the pound or purchase for the
freezer. They slaughter under Federal USDA inspection. “We raise most of what we offer, but
we do look to our neighbors for some items. Everything we offer is locally generated within a
certain mile radius, whether its in Kingwood, Bruceton or Maryland and sometimes stretching
to Farmington and Uniontown,” Haines stated.Tim Wotring, Prodigi Co-Owner and Chamber Board Member said, “Haines is providing a much needed service to the Bruceton community. No longer do people in the Bruceton area have to
drive to Morgantown, Kingwood or Oakland to get fresh produce and quality meat products,
they can get it all at Haines. In addition, they also have amazing breakfast sandwiches, a vast
coffee selection, and daily lunch specials that are fantastic. To top it off, they reopened the
hardware store, which also provides a great benefit to our community. Haines is definitely a
tremendous asset to the Bruceton community and to Preston County. They are most deserving
of this award.”“We were recently nominated as a “Good Neighbor” which was a huge honor and
accomplishment and now to be given this award is very humbling. I couldn’t do what I do
without my family, my wife and everyone in the surrounding area that has supported us. We
are just very thankful for the gratitude and support we’ve received over the last 5 years.” said
Haines. -
Riffle Farms 2023 Business of the Year
Preston Chamber Celebrates the Entrepreneurial Spirit of this Year’s Business of the Year
Ambition, passion, entrepreneurial drive and business mentality are all words that come to mind when thinking about this year’s business of the year. Known for being the first commercial bison operation in the state of West Virginia and the first to field harvest animals for state certified commercial sales, this 64-acre bison farm located in Terra Alta also offers tours and tastings, camping getaways and family-friendly events like the Annual Preston County Farm Crawl.
Riffle Farms is a veteran-owned, small business operated by Liz Riffle, a U.S. Navy Veteran and her active-duty husband Jimmie, along with brother-in-law Jeremy, a Diesel Mechanic by trade.
Riffle Farms is committed to honest, transparent, sustainable meat. According to Liz, they are animal lovers and agents for the natural community. “Our bison are 100% grass-fed and finished, humanely raised and field harvested on our property—from birth through death.” “As the original regenerative story, the bison have helped show us how we can support that regeneration on our small property to bring about abundance for man and beast by working from “soul to soil.”Liz is passionate about meat transparency and humane practices. She also runs a sister company, The Honest Carnivore, which offers farmers a route to field harvest their animals in preparation for butchery classes or monthly subscription boxes. She is a Savory Accredited Professional in Holistic Management and offers livestock business consulting across the Nation.
The couple purchased the farm in April of 2017 and put animals on the property that August.
“Riffle Farms is an amazing place! If you haven’t been, you should take the time to visit. The buffalo are such interesting animals to watch and they can be seen right here in Preston County at Riffle Farms. Congratulations Riffle Farms on being named Business of the Year.” Stated LaDeana Teets, Director of Farmland Protection.
Jimmie was born and raised in Grafton, WV. and has always loved the outdoors. He began exploring beyond WV as a teenager, and one winter, his travels with friends took him to Jackson, WY, where he fell in love with the sights, snow, and most importantly, the bison.Jimmie and Liz met while the two of them were active duty Navy Nurse Corps officers, taking care of wounded warriors in Bethesda, MD. Their first vacation together was to none other than Jackson, WY. Liz fell in love with Jimmie, the sights, the snow, and was surprised by Jimmie’s love for the bison.
Two years later, the couple went back to Jackson, WY, to get married, and Jimmie wasted no time talking up some local bison farmers and meat processors to hone his own dream of having a bison farm. Liz jumped in right next to him!
Now, Jimmie and Liz are the very proud owners of a 64-acre bison farm located in Terra Alta, WV. This veteran-owned, small business is primarily run with fervor by Liz while Jimmie finishes up his career in the Navy.