Chamber Welcomes New Board Members
Preston County Chamber of Commerce
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kristy Ash, 304.329.0576
Chamber Welcomes New Board Members
Kingwood, W.Va., – September 10, 2024
The Preston County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the addition of 3 new members to the Chamber’s Board of Directors. Matt Conard – Clear Mountain Bank, Richie Stone – Stone Paving, Inc. and Thomas Barlow – Camp Dawson Event Center.
“It is a pleasure to welcome this outstanding group of business and civic minded leaders to the Preston County Chamber of Commerce. Their knowledge and expertise represent the very best of our Preston County business community. I feel certain that our new Board members will bring significant contributions to the Chamber for years to come,” stated Kristy Ash, Executive Director.
Matt Conard currently works for Clear Mountain Bank as the Branch Manager at their Bruceton Mills location. He has worked for Clear Mountain Bank for 18 years, holding different roles. Matt takes great pride in helping the community and his clients. He has also volunteered countless hours with multiple organizations in the Preston & Monongalia County area. Matt currently lives in Morgantown with his wife, Sarah, and two sons, Landon and Tucker. He loves to travel, camp, and hike the hills of West Virginia.
After graduating from Preston High School in 1992, Richie Stone attended Fairmont State College. During a summer break, Richie worked for his uncle’s paving and excavating business and decided not to return to college that fall. The following year, his uncle offered to sell his business to him. With a loan from his brother to take the contractors test, a co-signature from his grandfather and a little help from his uncle, Stone Paving, Inc was established in 1996. The very small company consisted of one paving crew of 5 employees. In 2003, the company experienced a pivotal project, which was to pave a 60-acre shopping mall complex. This project was three times their normal annual revenue and ultimately moved Stone Paving into larger scale projects. They then began bidding on WVDOH projects. In 2010 Richie expanded the company and added site excavating and utility installation. In 2013, Richie began residential developing, providing land, infrastructure and paving for single family home sites. Stone Investments was created and is currently working with some of the top builders in the nation, with over 8 communities and 400 home sites completed. In 2016 Stone Asphalt was created as the material supply of the company and purchased their first asphalt plant with a location in Masontown, WV. Richie employees over 50 people and performs work throughout north central WV, Pennsylvania and Maryland. Richie resides in Kingwood with his wife Meloney and their four daughters.
Thomas Barlow is a native of Preston County, born and raised in Kingwood. He is a graduate of Preston High School, class of 2016 and later graduated from West Virginia University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in Hospitality and Tourism Management and minoring in Public Relations. He is currently the Asset Manager of the Camp Dawson Event Center, a government hotel and conference facility, where he has been employed since 2019. Thomas began working at the early age of 15 at Kingwood Parks and Recreation for the city of Kingwood. His love for his community and his county has inspired him to continue to devote his extra time with this organization. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Kingwood and the Catholic Church of Preston County. Thomas owns his home in Kingwood where he resides with his beautiful Spaniel, Ruby.
The Preston County Chamber of Commerce serves more than 180 businesses in Preston County. The Chamber’s mission is to take a leadership role in enhancing the county’s business environment by involving itself in economic, governmental, educational and civic affairs with concern for the present and long-term interests of its members. Additional information is available at www.prestonchamber.com.