Meet the five winners of the first annual Generation Huntington award.
By Katherine Reasons-Pyles
HQ 77 | SPRING 2012
When the Young Professionals Committee of the Chamber of Commerce decided last year to establish an annual award recognizing the emerging leaders of Huntington, it was with two goals in mind: to make sure young leaders recognize that they are valued by their community and to let current leaders know that the future of Huntington is in very capable hands.
“One of the goals of our committee is to find ways for Huntington to retain young professionals,” said Matt Lockhart, attorney with Huddleston Bolen and community development chair for the Young Professionals Committee. “We decided that one of the ways we could do that would be to allow community leaders a chance to express gratitude, to let young professionals know that their hard work and leadership skills are recognized and appreciated. And by showcasing these young professionals through the Generation Huntington program, we are informing the Huntington community that it will remain in good hands once the current leaders of the area pass the torch.”
The first annual Generation Huntington award winners were recognized in early 2012 at the Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Awards Luncheon. They were nominated by local businesspeople and selected by a panel of community leaders, who selected the five nominees who were most committed to impacting the Huntington community in a positive manner, both professionally and personally. The nominees were required to live or work in the Huntington area and be under the age of 40, but Lockhart said the other criteria were left vague for a reason.
“The future leaders of this city might be working the night shift at a local hospital, running a one-person business out of their home or spending their weekends volunteering for local nonprofits,” he said. “There are so many young leaders in Huntington who just need a forum for recognition and appreciation.”
The five winners of the 2011 Generation Huntington award are Amy Browning of St. Mary’s Medical Center, Patrick Farrell of Guyan International, Cindy McCarty of Huddleston Bolen, Nathan Myers of Pita Pit and Sarah Walling of Jenkins Fenstermaker. We sat down with each of them, hoping to catch a glimpse into the promising future of our city. We weren’t disappointed.
Amy Browning
Amy Browning is an educator at St. Mary’s Medical Center, where she oversees the company-wide competency system, new employee orientation and implementation of the hospital’s customer service program. She was named the St. Mary’s Employee of the Year in 2007. Browning is a two-time graduate of Marshall University and is active in numerous community groups, including First Stage Theatre, Huntington Outdoor Theatre, Junior League of Huntington, the United Way and her church, Beverly Hills Presbyterian.
She said the most rewarding aspect of her work at St. Mary’s is helping to create positive experiences for patients and staff in times of need.
“There is intrinsic value in interacting with people who need help,” she said. “Maybe you didn’t solve all of their problems, but if you’ve helped alleviate their anxiety or stress, if you’ve given them direction, if they walk out of your office with a little more hope than they had when they came in, you’ve done the best thing you can do for them. The best days for me are when I know I’ve helped make an experience as positive as it could have been.”
Browning said being involved in the community is equally rewarding to her – a character trait instilled in her by her grandparents.
“My grandmother and grandfather were both incredibly involved civically,” she said. “It wasn’t because they wanted to win an award or get anything out of it personally; it was only because they thought it was important to be a contributing member of the community. And I think they’d be proud of me for this award – but I know they’d be proud of our city, for recognizing that there are people of all different ages and backgrounds and experiences who are contributing to making it a better place.”
As for the future of Huntington, Browning said she hopes to see more community involvement among all age groups.
“I work a lot with kids through various volunteer organizations, and it always surprises me how mature some of them are,” she said. “They are doing amazing things to make sure their lives go in the direction they want them to. I just hope they continue to recognize that they have the capability and authority to take personal ownership in their neighborhoods and city and to get involved in things beyond their front door.”
Patrick Farrell
Patrick Farrell is the president and chief operating officer of Guyan International, a locally based holding company with operations in the U.S., Europe, Africa and China. He has an MBA from Duke University and is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. While in the Air Force, he flew F-15E fighter jets and served two tours in combat. He was appointed in 2007 by former governor Joe Manchin – and reappointed by Governor Earl Ray Tomblin – to the West Virginia Veterans Council, where he helps oversee the various state programs designed to help veterans.
Farrell’s recent move back to his hometown after being away for several years was inspired by his desire to carry on the legacy of Robert Shell Jr., chairman and CEO of Guyan International.
“Guyan International was formed almost 100 years ago, and knowing that I’m taking over a company that will hopefully be here for the next 100 years is exciting,” he said. “I came back to Huntington to work for Mr. Shell, who has an incredible vision for Guyan, and I hope to carry on the legacy that he has created.”
This idea of preserving a legacy is also the basis for Farrell’s love for Huntington as a whole. He said Huntington is unique in its citizens’ dedication to preserving the city’s most valuable programs.
“For generations, successful citizens have made it their responsibility to be stewards of the Huntington community, to ensure that the things we all love will be here in the future,” Farrell said. “The parks district is fantastic, the Huntington Museum of Art is fantastic, the Marshall Artists Series is fantastic – but the future of these institutions isn’t promised. The only way they will be here for years to come is through the sacrifice of time, effort and money by people in this community.”
Farrell added that the older generations have an important role to play in making sure Huntington thrives in the future.
“The successful future of Huntington is not just about young people stepping up; it’s also about older generations creating opportunities,” he said. “I would not be here if it weren’t for Mr. Shell mentoring me and having the vision and patience to teach me about the business. It is a two-fold process that involves the younger generations realizing that it’s time to become more involved and the older generations reaching out to allow them to do that.”
Cindy McCarty
Cindy McCarty, a graduate of Centre College and the University of Kentucky College of Law, is a partner at the law firm of Huddleston Bolen, where she represents clients in the natural resource, mineral, energy and transportation industries. She is also very involved with Dress for Success River Cities, a nonprofit organization that helps unemployed and underemployed women gain opportunities to improve themselves and their communities. At Dress for Success River Cities, she has served as president of the board and is currently the program coordinator for the organization’s Professional Women’s Group.
“The Professional Women’s Group is for our clients who have already found employment,” she said. “The first phase is the suiting, where we outfit women with professional attire for job interviews. The second phase is where we help them search for jobs, build their résumés and prepare for employment. The third phase is the Professional Women’s Group, which gives the women more support after they’ve found jobs. What I love most about Dress for Success is that it helps women who are helping themselves. All the women we serve are working hard to find opportunities to improve their lives and the lives of their families, and any small way we can help them is a privilege.”
McCarty said that both in her service at Dress for Success River Cities and in her career at Huddleston Bolen, she has been blessed with many great mentors who have shared support and encouragement.
Growing up in rural Kentucky, McCarty said she knew she wanted to become a lawyer, adding that because energy is such a major part of this region’s economy, it was a natural decision for her to make it a focus area. Moving to Huntington was not always a part of the plan – but now that she’s here, she said she can’t imagine a better place to live and work.
“There are so many things to be involved in,” she said. “I love seeing people take advantage of all the great things happening downtown. And for folks out there who haven’t found their niche, I know that if they look for it in Huntington, they will find it. For every person here, there is some project or some program that will match your passion and be a perfect place for you to lend a hand.”
Nathan Myers
Nathan Myers is the owner & general manager of Pita Pit, located on Fourth Avenue in the heart of the Old Main Corridor. He is a Huntington native and Marshall graduate and has become a major player in the efforts to encourage economic growth in downtown Huntington. Myers is a long-time coach for YMCA Buddy Basketball and has been involved in the United Way, the PATH Project and the Huntington Area Food Bank. He often “shares the entrepreneurial spirit” with Marshall students as a guest speaker for various business courses.
Myers’ parents, former owners of The Peanut Shoppe, encouraged an entrepreneurial spirit throughout Myers’ childhood, and he said he always knew owning a business was his ultimate goal. Still, earning success so early in his career came somewhat as a surprise.
“I thought that if I was going to work for myself one day, I would need experience, so after graduating from Marshall I went into corporate sales,” he said. “But after about a year, I realized that there was nothing stopping me from being an entrepreneur right here, right now. Of course there was a huge risk involved, and I was well aware of that. And just like anyone starting a new business, I had my fair share of skeptics and doubters. But that just fueled the fire and made me want to work even harder.”
His hard work paid off. During the five years it’s been open, the Huntington Pita Pit has received numerous accolades both locally and nationally. Since the very beginning, one of Myers’ main goals in opening his own business was making sure he had the opportunity to give back to his community, which is an effort he continues to make a priority.
“I can take a lot of our earnings and put them right back into the community,” he said. “We try to give back as much as possible, and when choosing organizations to support, we make sure they are ones that are active here locally. It’s great to see that direct relationship, to see how success at the Pita Pit translates into support for these local groups.”
Myers said he has two main goals for Huntington’s future, and each one relies on the other for success. First, he’d like to see policymakers take the appropriate steps to support business growth in downtown Huntington, and second, he hopes to see more job opportunities created for Marshall graduates so that they will not move away in search of careers.
Sarah Walling
Sarah Walling is an attorney at Jenkins Fenstermaker, where she practices in the firm’s litigation group. An Ashland native, Walling moved with her family to Texas, where she earned her B.A. from the University of Texas. She later obtained her J.D. from the University of Kentucky. Since returning to the Tri-State in 2010, Walling has become involved in numerous community groups, including Dress for Success, Junior League, the Huntington Dance Theatre, the Cabell County Bar Association and the Huntington Young Professionals Committee.
“I always knew I’d come back eventually,” she said. “When I graduated and started looking for jobs, I knew this was where I wanted to be. This is where I plan to make my home.”
For Walling, the most rewarding aspect of her work is helping clients work through unfamiliar aspects of the legal system.
“Most people have never been sued before, and the threat of litigation can be frightening and stressful for our clients,” she said. “Helping them navigate unfamiliar territory and relieving their stress and anxiety is my favorite part of practicing law.”
In addition to the inherent rewards that come with her career, Walling said she enjoys the quality of life in Huntington and the abundant civic opportunities available outside of work.
“I’ve lived in larger cities, and there are as many opportunities available here as in those other places,” she said. “The difference is that here in Huntington, organizations are actually looking for people to get involved. It’s so much easier to find your place in a community like ours.”
She said the Generation Huntington award was an honor to receive and hopes that the recognition of young leaders in the future will lead other young professionals to choose Huntington as their home and place of work.
“There is an incredible work ethic among my peer group,” she said. “It’s not just the work ethic they have in their jobs; it’s their dedication to their community and their desire to make Huntington a better place to live. I’ve seen a very exciting influx of new businesses and opportunities, and I look forward to finding new ways to attract more young professionals to our area.”
The five winners of the first annual Generation Huntington award represent so many of the qualities needed to foster Huntington’s success. In spite of opportunities to pursue their goals elsewhere, they have all chosen to make Huntington their home.
“This is a testament not only to our winners, but also to Huntington’s business community, the social community and the outreach community,” Lockhart said. “These five individuals show that there is opportunity in Huntington for all age groups, especially young professionals, to truly find their niche and make a name for themselves.”
Nominations for next years Generation Huntington award will be accepted beginning September 2012.
