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KINGWOOD — The Preston County Chamber of Commerce announced the election of Michael McGovern as president of the organization.
McGovern, director of operations and events at Alpine Lake Resort in Terra Alta, has been active in the chamber and a member of its board of directors since 2018.
He has also been active in the region as a board member of Visit Mountaineer Country CVB since 2019 and a member of the Preston County Republican Executive Committee, also since 2019. In addition, McGovern is a ballot commissioner for the county, as well as a member of the East Preston Lions Club and the Kingwood Rotary Club. And he has professional ties to the International Children’s Oncology Association, where he was a board member-elect of the East Regional Chapter for the United States.
“Michael’s dedication and passion for our community and local businesses will enable us to continue to grow as a chamber,” said Kristy Ash, executive director of the chamber. “His wealth of experience and insights gained from his leadership with Alpine Lake Resort will strengthen our board’s breadth of talent and experience.”
McGovern has experience in program management, patient intake/care, and procurement in hospitals and medical laboratories. Those efforts supplement his recent experience at Alpine Lake Resort, where he has worked to build and manage business and client relationships, operational effectiveness, sales, marketing and event management.
“I hope to draw on my broad skill-sets and experiences to help Preston County continue its efforts to drive broader success for businesses, nonprofits, its citizens, and of course, the community as a whole,” McGovern said.
In addition to working at Alpine Lake Resort, McGovern also lives there with his family, where he relocated in 2016.
Bo Burnside was named vice president of the Preston County Chamber of Commerce. He has been an active board member since 2018.
“Bo’s hard work and dedication to the chamber over the past two years has made a significant impact on the chamber’s success,” Ash said. “We are excited to welcome him to a role reflective of his significant contributions.”
Burnside is a native of Kingwood. He joined the Clear Mountain Bank team in 2012 and has more than 10 years of experience in the financial industry. He’s a graduate of West Virginia University, with a bachelor’s degree in finance.
Burnside is an avid golfer and enjoys fishing. He is on the board of the Trout for Cheat organization and is a member of the Kingwood Blueprint Community Team as the Financial Representative.
He lives in Kingwood with his wife Ashley and son Beckett.
Kerry Gnik, who served as the chamber’s president for the past year was named as the chamber’s secretary.
During her term as president, she was instrumental in the planning and development of the chamber’s first State of the County and was influential in the development of the Preston County Task Force and the BAD Buildings Committee, Workforce Development Committee and the Infrastructure Committee.
“Kerry is an exceptional and talented leader. She has my deepest respect and admiration, and I’m delighted that she has agreed to continue to serve our members and the community as the board’s new secretary,” Ash said.
Gnik is the executive director of the Camp Dawson Event Center in Kingwood, and a 20-year veteran of the West Virginia Army National Guard. She received her MBA from WVU.
She is a member of the Rotary Club of Kingwood, the Preston Memorial Hospital Foundation Board of Directors, and the Visit Mountaineer Country Convention and Visitors Bureau.
A native Prestonian, she lives in Kingwood with her husband Mark and their two children.
Tim Wotring is the chamber’s newest board member. He will be filling the seat previously held by Jessica Miller-Lipscomb.
Lipscomb served in many capacities since her commencement in July 2014.
“Tim is a natural fit. He has been a key supporter of the chamber and his experience as a Preston County business owner for over 20 years will provide insight to our members and help guide our board in a direction to better serve our members and the business community,” Ash said.
Wotring is a native of Bruceton Mills. He is a devout Christian and has been happily married to his wife, Amy, for 23 years. They have two daughters: Brooke and Gracie. In 2016, Wotring and his wife took in his nephew, Austin.
Wotring is the co-owner and president of PRODIGI and has more than 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. Based in Hazelton, PRODIGI provides voice, Internet and TV services to customers in West Virginia and western Maryland.
Wotring also is a pastor in the Bruceton Mills area, serving two churches since 2007.
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