Christopher R. Vaught, President - Mr. Vaught is a proud product of Raleigh County and is committed to its future. Born and raised in Beckley, Chris returned to his hometown after graduating from West Virginia University. Leveraging his clinical and administrative health care experiences, he founded Vaught, Inc. in 2008. Since its inception, Vaught, Inc. has launched four successful subsidiary companies (NightWatch, MedMatrix Solutions, V23 and Indigo Health) and has been recognized on Inc. magazine’s 500|5000 roster of fastest-growing private companies. 

​Chris is involved with numerous community organizations and supports entrepreneurship, education and wellness initiatives. Some of these have included YMCA of Southern West Virginia, Active SWV, Beckley Health Right, WVRx, The Eureka! Project, Shine, youth sports and Beckley First Baptist Church. He and his wife Debbie, another Raleigh County native, are the parents of Ryan and Cooper.

Tom Lemke,  Vice President - Tom graduated from Tremont H. S. in Pennsylvania and then earned a BS in chemistry from Wake Forest University. While studying for his masters in chemistry at Marshall University, he met and married Sally McNeill who was completing her undergraduate degree in chemistry. They moved to Lehigh University where Tom earned a PhD.

Tom served as a US Army Captain Biochemist from 1968-1970. The Lemkes then returned to Huntington where he was an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Marshall. In 1972, Tom accepted a position with Huntington Alloys and worked in several capacities. He was Director of International Marketing when he retired in 2003. In 2005, they moved and built their retirement home in Raleigh County.
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A life-long member of the American Chemical Society, Tom has also served on various boards including the WV American Lung Association; Daido Inco Alloys, a joint venture company in Japan; Valinco, a joint venture company with Valinox of France; and currently serves on the Special Metals Salaried Retirees VEBA. He has been a member of the WV Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. He is currently a member of the Piney Creek Watershed Association, the New River Gorge Community Involvement Initiative; a docent at the Beckley Art Gallery; and a volunteer at the New River Gorge National River Archeology Section. He and his wife help maintain the gardens at the Bowers Hospice House and our YMCA. Tom was co-chair of BAF’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection project.

Doug Ramsden, Treasurer    - Doug is a graduate of West Virginia Wesleyn College with a Bachelors of Science degree with a concentration in accounting. He is the Chief Financial Officer and VP of Finance for the Beckley Water Company and  also a Certified Public Accountant. He worked in Public Accounting for 19 years with the firm of Higgins and Gorman, which later merged with Persinger and Company. He is currently the Treasurer at Hospice of Southern West Virginia, holding that position since January 2000. 

​Doug served on the BAF Investment Committee prior to being elected to serve on the Board of Directors. He and his wife Cindy of 37 years are the parents of two children Taryn and Christopher .

Ann Worley, Secretary   - Ann  is currently a  Councilwoman for the City of Beckley and was a Real Estate Appraiser for many years before her retirement. She is a graduate of Potomac State College and West Virginia University. She lived in Raleigh County on and off for many years, but has been a permanent resident since 1991.
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She has served as President for the Beckley Rotary Club and as President of the West Virginia Municipal League. She is an Elder at the Beckley Presbyterian Church and was the first Secretary when BAF was founded. Ann is the mother of Taylor.

Kevin Heath Bailey DDS - Dr. Bailey was born in Alexandria Virginia and moved to Raleigh County in July of 1978 with his family. He graduated from Liberty High School in 1989, attended Marshall University graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1994. He was then accepted into the dental program at West Virginia University where he graduated with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in May of 1998. His awards included the Teledyne Excellence in Prosthetic Dentistry,
Senior Dental Student Award, Outstanding Clinical Competency and Professionalism and the Synergy with Dental Implants.

​He is currently a member of the American Dental Association of West Virginia, New River Dental Society, New River Valley Dental Implant Study Club, American Academy of Facial Esthetics, International College of Dentists and the West Virginia Executive Council. He practices as a general dentist in Beckley and he presently resides at Flat Top Lake. His two daughters are the love of his life. He is a member of the Akers Missionary Baptist Church.

Steven Ballard -  Steve is Sr. Vice President of City National Bank, Beckley, WV. He is a graduate of Concord College and the Stonier Graduate School of Banking, Univ. of Delaware, and is also a certified public accountant.
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Moving to Raleigh County in 1985, Steve is a board member and treasurer of the YMCA of Southern WV, and member of the loan review committee for New River Gorge Regional Development Authority.
He and his wife Kimberly, are the parents of Matthew Ballard, a freshman at Concord University.

Jereme Evans   -  Jereme  is a graduate of West Virginia University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Professional Insurance Education. He is a Partner and Principal Agent for the WV Insurance Agency, working there since 1996.

​Jereme has coached youth sports over the last decade, he is involved with Love From the Neighborhood/Pressley Ridge Foster Care and has served on the BAF Student's First Selection Committee over the last 3 years. He and his wife Leah are the parents of two children Ashton and Ty.

Lee Milam -   Robert “Lee” Milam is president and CEO of Whitesville State Bank. He is a graduate of Sherman High School, West Virginia University and the Graduate School of Banking, Madison, WI. He has completed additional course work at the West Virginia School of Banking and various continuing education programs. He became a Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser in 1993 and is a licensed insurance agent.
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Living in Raleigh County for over 34 years, Lee has been involved in his community as a Sunday School teacher, Rotarian, member of the Lions Club, and founding member of the Raleigh West Midget League. He is a former member of the Lillian James Learning Center Board of Directors and the Glen White/Trap Hill PSD. He has been a board member and Legislative Committee Chairman of the WV Bankers Association. His first involvement with BAF was as a member of the Foundation’s Advisory Committee, representing the interests of residents in the western parts of Raleigh County. Lee is particularly proud of his three children, Jacob, Kaleb and Hannah.

Ray Morton - Ray is a Private Wealth Advisor for Ameriprise Financial Services, and an active member of our community. In addition to the BAF Board of Directors, Ray serves on the Board for the BRCCC, is the Board Secretary for Goodwill Industries of Kanawha Valley, and is the Board Treasurer for the WV State Rehabilitation Council. Other involvements in the community include being a Cranberry Elementary School Partner in Education, past area governor for Toastmasters Beckley, and is active in his church, St. Frances de Sales as Special Minister of Eucharist.
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Ray is a graduate of Clarion University of PA, and is married to his wife of 33 years, Anastasia Fama Morton.  They have one son, Alexander Fama Morton.

Deena Salon,  SLYP  Mentor -   Deena is an advocate for education, having taught locally as Assistant Professor at The College of West Virginia and serving on founding boards and various committees for Mountain State Academy, St. Francis de Sales School and Woodrow Wilson High School. She has served as President for the Raleigh County Medical Alliance and as a Troop Leader with Black Diamond Girl Scout Council for many years. She is passionate about youth leadership and development, youth athletic opportunities, The Alzheimer’s Association and the Raleigh County Commission on Aging. Deena is married to Dr. E. J. Salon and is the mother of three daughters, Sofia, Maria and Elysia.

Amanda Sauchuck ,  SLYP  Mentor  - A lifelong resident of Raleigh County and graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, Amanda Sue Sauchuck earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management from Concord University. She went on to earn a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources from Liberty University. She is currently working on her doctoral dissertation toward a Doctor of Business Administration degree in Human Resource Management from Capella University. 

Amanda is employed at Concord University as an Assistant Professor of Management. She and her husband Frank are the parents of one daughter, Piper Lynn.

Sabrina Triplett   - A Raleigh County resident since 2015, Sabrina earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Economics from Marshall University. Sabrina is the Branch Manager at United Bank and has been with them since 2008.

​She and her husband Matt live in Daniels, and are expecting their first child later this year. Having served on the BAF Distributions Committee and a former graduate of Leadership Beckley, Sabrina is also a volunteer for Beckley Events, Read Aloud WV and the Beckley-Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Committee.

Gavin Ward -  Gavin grew up in the Beckley area, attended Independence High School, Concord University, and West Virginia University College of Law. Upon graduating from WVU College of Law in 2013, he worked for the Beckley Sanitary Board as staff attorney for two years. He worked for Stephen P New, as an associate Attorney, for one year after his time with the Beckley Sanitary Board. He opened his own law firm, Ward Law Office PLLC, in July 2016, where he focuses on mainly on property and transactional law. Gavin also currently works part time for the Beckley Sanitary Board and the City of Beckley as an attorney. 

He volunteers for many community events through Beckley Events, including Chili Night, Beckley Kids Classic Festival, Appalachian Festival, Rhododendron Festival and multiple Car Shows in Uptown Beckley. Gavin was elected to the West Virginia Association of Fairs and Festivals Board of Directors in 2015. He assumed the role as President of the West Virginia Association of Fairs and Festival in April 2018 and will serve a two-year term.
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Gavin also serves on multiple Boards of governmental or non-profit organizations, including The Beckley Salvation Army, Raleigh County Planning and Zoning, and the Downtown Beckley Business Association.

New Board Members

BAF would  like to welcome our newest board members John Beasley and Julie Kominsky. Your insight and expertise will make a wonderful addition to our board of directors. More details to follow...

John Beasley -   John has been a resident of Raleigh County for 64 years. John currently works as a Physical Therapist at Athletic and Physical Therapy Services, Inc. in Beckley, WV.

John is married to Virginia Beasley, and they have two sons, Tyler and Craig. John and Virginia also have four grandchildren, Delaney, Evan, Parker and Sadie.

Julie Kominsky    -   Julie has been a resident of Raleigh county since 1995, previously living in Atlanta, GA  and is a native of Plantation, Florida.  Julie currently works with her husband, Dr. Michael Kominsky in his chiropractic clinic in Beckley.  Prior to her current position, Julie was the Clinic Director for Ideal Weight Loss of Beckley for 7 years.  Previous to moving to West Virginia, Julie was the Executive Vice President of Creative Event Marketing in Atlanta where she worked for 10 years.  She is a graduate of Emory University and did undergraduate work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she was also on a swimming scholarship.  Julie was also a member of the Board of Directors for the YMCA of Southern West Virginia for 8 years.

The Kominsky’s have a daughter, Alexandria who works as a Literary Agent for Dupree Miller in Dallas, TX and a son, Miles, who is a sophomore at Davidson College and on a track and field scholarship.

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Departing Board Members

The Beckley Area Foundation would not be where is it today without our your dedication, expertise and service to the community. Your time with us is deeply appreciated and you have strengthened your community.

Robert N. File,   Past   Treasurer -   Mr. File has lived and served the Beckley and Raleigh County area his entire life except while attaining his B. A. from University of Virginia and returned to attend the WVU College of Law and attained his J.D. He is a partner in the File, Payne & Scherer law firm. Robert has long supported BAF with legal expertise.

​ Civic and community activities include member United Methodist Temple and serves as chair of the Board of Trustee, Member of Board of Directors of Zoning Appeals, and is a former board member of United Way of Southern West Virginia. He is married to Rev. Ellen Lilly File. They are parents of three grown daughters Sarah Lineberger, Lindsay C. File and Laura Long.

Beth Jarrell, SLYP Mentor    - Ms. Jarrell is a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School and grew up in Raleigh County. After leaving in 1992, she returned in 2006 with her husband, Richard Jarrell.  They are the owners of the Chick-fil-A franchises here in Beckley, have a daughter named Laura,  and have been married for 22 years.

​Working as a local entrepreneur has provided her with many opportunities to assist our schools, churches, and various community organizations throughout the county. This past year alone, she has worked with the United Way in their reading program at Mabscott Elementary, helped in the FOLK (Feed Our Local Kids) Ministry at the United Methodist Temple, and volunteered at the Rock-a-Thon for Alzheimer's this past spring.

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Past Board Members

Original Incorporators
Charles K. Connor*,   President and Executive Director
Dr. C. Richard Daniel*
Leslie C. Gates*
Alex D. George*
Phoebe Tieche Herring*
Elmo Hurst
Charles S. Lewis, Jr.*
Warren A. Thornhill III*
Leo Vecellio, Jr.
James W. Word, Jr.*

Past Board Members
Langhorne Abrams,   President
William H. Baker
Tom Briers
Hazel R. Burroughs,   President
Dan R. Calfee
Jonathan Calfee
Austin Caperton
Michael Cavendish,   President
Roslyn Clark-Artis,   President
Charles K. Connor*,   President and Executive Director
Conrad Cooper,   President
Sherry Cushman
Dr. C. Richard Daniel*
Dr. C. Richard Daniel, Jr.
Frederick Wayne Davis
Dawn Dayton
Dan Doman
Dr. Brett Eckley
Dr. Ed Eckley,   President
Linda Eckley
Ned B. Eller,   President
Sam Elmore,   President         
Dr. A.D. Faheem   
Robert N. File
William H. File III,   President         
Larry Ford,   President                     
Karen Gallagher*,   President
Leslie C. Gates*
Alex D. George*
Alex D.”Zan” George,   President
Harry W. Gibert, Jr.
Deborah Songer Gray
Judy Lilly Harrah
Patsy H. Haslam*
Phoebe Tieche Herring*
James C. Higgins*
​C. R. “Rennie” Hill, III
​Donald D. Hodson  
Rachel Abrams Hopkins
Charles S. Houck
Elmo Hurst   
​Beth Jarrell
Bonny Jarrell
Dr. Thomas Jarrett
Patricia Johnston
Nancy Kissinger
Susan S. Landis*,   President and Executive Director
Judge Bruce Lazenby
Charles S. Lewis, Jr.*
John L. Lilly,   President
Dr. Juddson Lindley
“Mabs” Loflin*,   President
Charles “Chuck” Lucas
Forest Lynch
Marion “Mike” Massinople,   President
Carolyn McCulloch*            
D. F. Mock III            
Margaret Njoku
Bill O’Brien
Sara Otto*
Dan Page
Sandra Palen                         
Mary Palmer
E.M. “Ned” Payne, III,   President
Jack Phillips
Joseph Phillips
Susan Pietrantozzi 
Linda M. Polly
Emmett Pugh*
Robert Rappold
William F. Richmond Jr.
Darryl J. Roberts
Robert Sayre,   President
Yvonne D. Seay
Dr. Henry Setliff
Hulett C. Smith*
Nancy Smith
Warren A. Thornhill III*,   President
Pete Torrico,   President
Cynthia Turner,   President
William L. Turner   
Leo Vecellio, Jr.    
Dr. Joel Wagoner
James W. Word, Jr.*,   President
James W. Word III,   President
Paula Wykle  
 
*Deceased