Photo by Carlie Hensley.
Photo by Carlie Hensley.
Photo by Cabell-Huntington CVB.
The Young Guns Class of 2019
Since 1999, West Virginia Executive
(WVE) magazine has been recognizing
young professionals who contribute to
the success of the Mountain State with its
Young Guns honors program. This year
marks the magazine’s 20th year in print,
and over the course of two decades, 270
men and women have been awarded the
elite title of Young Gun.
The in-depth profiles of West Virginia’s
best and brightest that WVE shares
each year play a dual role—to promote
our great state while also helping defeat
stereotypes about its people. Each Young
Gun has carved out a reputation of
excellence and service, and over the life of
the magazine, many of these key players
have had recurring appearances as mem-
bers of WVE’s Sharp Shooters awards
program.
The Young Guns Class of 2019 is no
different. An outstanding group of lead-
ers focused on making West Virginia the
best it can be, the members of this class
shine across a variety of industries and
are making a noticeable impact in their
respective communities.
Choosing only 10 Young Guns each
year is no easy task, thanks to the hun-
dreds of nominations and strict criteria
WVE has set. Honorees must have been
living and working in West Virginia for
at least the last two years, be under the
age of 43 at the time of selection and have
excelled in their career while maintaining
an active role in their community.
This year’s Young Guns photo shoot
took place at well-known locations
throughout Huntington and Cabell and
Wayne counties. As citizens and business
owners have worked to combat negative
attention, this region has flourished with
community ownership, including initia-
tives like My Huntington and other en-
trepreneurial ventures. This photo shoot
was an opportunity to show all of the
wonderful treasures and resources the
region has to offer, including beautiful
parks and gardens, a unique food scene
and a thriving business community. Local
favorites such as Heritage Station and
Ritter Park and iconic locations such as
the Marshall University Memorial Foun-
tain, Pullman Square and Hoops Family
Children’s Hospital made dynamic back-
grounds to showcase the award winners.
In recognition of their service to West
Virginia’s industries and communities,
WVE is proud to present the Young Guns
Class of 2019.
If you know a leader who is changing
their business and community for the
better, nominate them for next year’s class.
Nominations are accepted year-round and
can be submitted at www.wvexecutive.
com/nominate-a-young-gun.
SAMANTHA CART
SPONSORED BY
WWW.WVEXECUTIVE.COM
FALL 2018
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