1980
1985
1983 Graduated from
Bethany College
1987 Began working as a
reporter for WSAZ-TV
1990
1990 Appointed press
secretary for Governor
Gaston Caperton
1993 Founded Manahan
& Associates
1995
1998 Merged Manahan &
Associates with thembcgroup
and became vice president
2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
“Forty years ago, West Virginia
welcomed a boy from New Jersey
and helped him become a man. This
is my home and always will be.”
2004 Purchased the
Charleston office back from
thembcgroup and created
The Manahan Group
2006 Began volunteering for
the National MS Society
2010 Received the National
MS Society’s Blue Ridge
Chapter’s Hall of Fame Award
2011 Received the National MS
Society’s Blue Ridge Chapter’s
MS Ambassador Award
2013 Formed Team Fox
MVP to raise funds for The
Michael J. Fox Foundation
2017 Co-founded the WV
Parkinson’s Symposium
2018 Received the City of
Charleston Proclamation
Recognizing Service
to Community
me. I have tried to run my business and
my life by those four principles.”
As a small business owner, Manahan’s
greatest obstacle has not been about work/
life balance or finances but about his
struggle with Parkinson’s disease.
“When I was diagnosed with Parkin-
son’s disease in 1990 and had to tell my
staff and clients about the diagnosis, I
was scared they would see the disease as
a hindrance to our success and leave the
company,” says Manahan. “I was honest
with them. I said I had no idea what the
future would hold, but I had no plans of
going anywhere and hoped they would
join me for the ride. Having Parkinson’s
has taught me that tomorrow is not guar-
anteed and every day is a gift. It’s okay
to take a rest from time to time, but it’s
also important to keep moving forward.”
While he already had a service mental-
ity, his diagnosis led to what Manahan
considers his greatest accomplishment:
organizing West Virginia’s Parkinson’s
community. He thought the best way
to meet other people with Parkinson’s
was to organize an event to raise money
and spread awareness, and in 2013, the
Fox Trot for Parkinson’s Research was
established.
“Throughout that first event, people
would come up to me and say, ‘I have
what you have,’” he recalls. “These
were people with the disease, but they
couldn’t bring themselves to say the
word. I knew then that I had to start a
support group because many of these
people were suffering at home alone.”
In the seven years since, the Fox Trot has
raised $340,000 for The Michael J. Fox
Foundation and is now the organization’s
signature 5k race held in more than 20
locations. Manahan has also created a
Charleston support group, provided assis-
tance to seven other support groups across
the state and launched the statewide West
Virginia Parkinson’s Symposium event. The
Manahan Group has an ongoing Parkin-
son’s campaign, and in partnership with
Advanced Physical Therapy, the company
provides free exercise classes for people
with the disease.
Outside of his work with Parkinson’s
patients, he also mentors students from
University of Charleston and Bethany
College. He has served on the board of
directors for the Capitol Market, National
Multiple Sclerosis Society, American
Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic and
American Lung Association in West Vir-
ginia and advised local charities on mar-
keting, including Mountain Mission and
WV CARES. Manahan has also served
as the small business chairman of the
West Virginia Chamber of Commerce
and helped coordinate Leadership West
Virginia’s Choose West Virginia cam-
paign as a member of the Class of 2018.
“I look for causes that are important to
me, important to those I work with and
important to those I love,” he says. “I be-
lieve if you have a personal interest in the
cause, you will make sure it is successful.”
Manahan’s skill set could have taken
him anywhere in the world, but he can’t
imagine living anywhere else.
“Forty years ago, West Virginia wel-
comed a boy from New Jersey and helped
him become a man,” he says. “West Vir-
ginians have supported my business and
my charities. This is my home and always
will be.”
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