All across the state, extraordinary people stand up to better their communities. WV Living magazine honors one of these change makers in each of the state’s nine tourism regions each year as a Best of West Virginia Community Champion. These are our 2024 BOWV Community Champions.
Eastern Panhandle
Robby Blair
Robby Blair is Martinsburg’s biggest fan. As executive director at Main Street Martinsburg, he keeps his finger on the pulse of the community and helps people discover all the wonders it has to offer. Under Blair’s direction, the organization builds community through enthusiasm for positive things happening downtown, whether it’s one of the many Main Street events—like the weekly all-are-welcome Paws & Pours dog walk and refreshments—or someone else’s good idea. He and his team work to protect and share downtown Martinsburg’s historic heritage while promoting its growth.
Mountaineer Country
Cassie Busdeker
Despite facing severe medical concerns that had her working from a hospital bed last year, Bridgeport native Cassie Busdeker, executive director of the Greater Bridgeport Convention and Visitors Bureau since 2019, never stopped serving her community. The CVB supports and promotes popular events that increase the quality of life for residents and draw visitors from outside the area, like the Summer Kickoff & Food Truck Festival and the Winter Jazz Jam. Under Busdeker’s guidance, Bridgeport thrives as a hub for all things wild and wonderful.
New River / Greenbrier Valley
Irma Smith Cadle
A Greenbrier County native—also an author, historian, preservationist, quilter, and creative spirit—Irma Smith Cadle returned from over four decades in the Washington, D.C., area and jumped right into preservation. Her historical research and interviews with Greenbrier County’s oldest citizens have resulted in three books. Cadle has a special passion for one-room schoolhouses and their teachers, and she became a tireless advocate for the reconstruction of the Blue Sulphur Springs pavilion. In 2020, she founded the Western Greenbrier Historical Society, and the organization is actively preserving the region’s history and economic contributions.
Ms. Cadle passed away on February 13, 2025. She was a friend to many and a force for community and historic preservation in southern West Virginia. Our hearts go out to her family.
Hatfield-McCoy Mountains
Randall Sanger
Randall Sanger sees the beauty in West Virginia and has an eye—and lens—for capturing it as a Juried Fine Arts Photographer for Tamarack. He’s also an energetic supporter of a “shop local” way of life. When he’s not out exploring the Mountain State with his camera, he serves as executive director of the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce, promoting its members and its Collective Retail & Artisan Shops in downtown Williamson.
Metro Valley
Carl Lee
Carl Lee is a local legend, a former South Charleston High School and Marshall University football star turned 1983 NFL draft pick for the Minnesota Vikings. He played 11 seasons in the NFL, earning three Pro Bowl selections and All-Pro status in 1988. Lee is driven to teach youth real life lessons through sports and inspire them to dream big and believe in themselves. After over two decades playing and coaching football, he now works with the City of South Charleston to mentor and support local youth through sports.
Mid-Ohio Valley
Bob Ashley
Bob Ashley of Roane County was a longtime public servant. He served in the West Virginia House of Delegates beginning in 1984 and then in the state Senate, ultimately for a total of 30 years. In addition to running Ashley Insurance Agency in Spencer, he served at various times on the board of directors for Roane General Hospital, the state School Building Authority, and four times as a delegate-at-large to the Republican National Convention. He sadly passed away on May 15, 2024, but he will long be remembered for his fierce dedication to the state of West Virginia and its people.
Mountain Lakes
James Moore
James Moore has been enhancing the education of students at West Virginia Wesleyan College since 2006, when he joined as a junior faculty member. Assuming roles of increasing responsibility at Wesleyan, he has been a vital force for culture not only in the college community but regionally and nationally: He is a longtime, avid jazz performer and an energetic music educator. In addition to his many professional music credits, he has presented master classes at countless high schools and colleges throughout the nation. Now, as president of WVWC, Moore continues his work to build new partnerships that benefit the College, its mission, and its community.
Potomac Highlands
Michele Moure-Reeves
As a former hotelier, Michele Moure-Reeves knows how to create a warm, welcoming environment. It’s only natural that these skills would translate to her work as executive director of the Hardy County CVB. Since taking the position in 2016, Moure-Reeves has invigorated the work of the CVB, writing grants to build tourism assets and strengthening ties across the community and beyond to support and promote Hardy County. Her passion is driving tourism to the county, showcasing the region and all its splendor for residents and visitors alike.
Northern Panhandle
Craig White
As the general manager at Grand Vue Park in Marshall County, Craig White is in the business of creating fun and lasting memories for Moundsville residents and visitors alike. His high energy for developing the park’s recreation, lodging, and other amenities is raising its profile as a destination for day trips, family vacations, and group retreats. You can also find White at the Moundsville Convention and Visitors Bureau, serving his community as the CVB’s executive director.
READ MORE ARTICLES FROM WV LIVING’S WINTER 2024 ISSUE
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