[ community ]
SAMANTHA CART
CELEBRATE
More than 1 million people visited
West Virginia’s New River Gorge area in
2017. The historic location, known for
its extreme sports, natural beauty, food
culture and the iconic New River Gorge
Bridge, has become an active tourism
destination.
In 2018, the New River Gorge area
celebrated the 40th anniversary of the
New River being designated as a national
river and the 50th anniversary of white-
water rafting in West Virginia. To help
celebrate these milestones and the business
community behind them, West Virginia
Executive partnered with local companies
for its Summer 2018 issue to shine a spot-
light on the area, the adventure tourism
industry and the potential they represent
in the Mountain State.
In September, a special networking
reception was held at Adventures on the
Gorge (AOTG) to continue the celebration
and bring professionals together to
discuss how the New River Gorge area
is driving multigenerational tourism
and creating economic diversity in West
Virginia. AOTG provided a beautiful
backdrop for an evening of meaningful
conversation, delicious food and valuable
networking.
KENSIE HAMILTON FAUBER
New River
Gorge Area
“My favorite part of the reception was enjoying
a group of New River Gorge fans and sharing in
the accomplishments of moving West Virginia
forward and a total commitment to the growth
of our tourism industry. Networking events
like this both allow and reaffirm our continued
determination to share customers once we get
them to agree to come to West Virginia. As
far as I am concerned, we are West Virginia
Incorporated—one large group aiming at the
same goals and encouraging folks to not only
see West Virginia but feel West Virginia.”
– Robin Hildebrand, Director of Sales,
Adventures on the Gorge
SPONSORED BY
“My favorite part of the reception was being able
to network with other folks who are interested
in the growth of the New River Gorge region. As
a business advisor, I am always eager to cross-
pollinate with folks who have entrepreneurial
ideas to start or expand a business. I am a
Mountaineer by birth and by choice, and here
in Southern West Virginia, we want to help
others. We get to practice that every day,
whether in our families, communities, churches,
classrooms or our business relationships. We
get to make a difference.”
– Ken Lilly, Regional Business Advisor,
WV Hive
“A few years after we moved to West Virginia,
a friend told me, ‘You might leave, but these
mountains will always call you back.’ We never
left—we’ve lived here for 31 years—but I believe
if we did, the mountains would call to us until
we returned. I am proud of this state, proud
of the unique heritage of coal and proud of
the fighting spirit that says ‘Mountaineers are
always free.’ Attending the networking event at
Adventures on the Gorge brought all the beauty
of West Virginia—both the natural beauty of
the mountains and the beauty of the spirit of
strong people—home to me. The setting on
the New River Gorge is stunning, and having
the opportunity to meet people from a variety
of backgrounds and passions made for a
memorable evening.”
– Leslie Pease, Communications Director,
Brian’s Safehouse
24
WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE