Edward Tucker Architects celebrates 25 years

This August, Edward Tucker Architects will mark its 25th year of business with a celebration gathering for clients, colleagues, staff, and their families. While celebrating 111 years of continuous practice through ownership transitions, the Huntington, West Virginia, based firm is announcing that it is positioned to continue its growth for years to come through the next generation, with Nathan Randolph and Phoebe Patton Randolph as managing principals, architects J.D. Maynard, Josh Dygert, Eddie Bumpus, Katharine Lea, and Angela Maxwell, interior designer Amber Yost, student interns and co-ops, and office manager Lisa Black.

Huntington native, Edward Tucker began his career in Nashville, Tennessee, building experience in health care architecture and planning. Having worked out a purchase of Dean and Dean Architects, Tucker re-started the Huntington-based business in 1996 with one employee and a part-time secretary.

He recalls that, “there were many nay-sayers at the time who said there wouldn’t be enough work here, that people only hired architects outside of Huntington. But we found that people would rather work with local professionals as long as they could perform at or above the level of out-of-state firms.”

Through the trust and confidence of an increasing list of clientele, the firm’s commissions and staff have steadily grown. Starting in offices in the West Virginia Building and then The Hines Building, the firm has operated from 1401 Sixth Avenue since 2014. Built in the 1950s, the two-story structure was completely renovated to create a modern, open workspace with an emphasis on sustainability and energy-saving goals. With a full array of roof-top solar panels, it uses only a third of the power required for similarly-sized office buildings.

Establishing a world-class architectural practice to serve the Huntington community and surrounding region with captivating designs has been the driving force over the past 25 years. Whether designing new, modern structures or renovations of existing or historic buildings, the confidence of the firm’s many, loyal, repeat clients comes from an appreciation for attentive service and value-driven design.

“We believe that our firm offers superior service and accessibility to our clients, and we have built a reputation for conscientiousness and design excellence that has helped us recruit and retain amazing professionals,” said Phoebe Randolph, Principal. “We are all honored to have the opportunity to provide much-needed services and enhance the region that we call home.”

The firm inherited an architectural legacy beginning with Levi Johnson Dean, who opened his practice in 1910. The nineteenth architect to be licensed in West Virginia, his sons Brooks and Keith Dean continued the family tradition, forming Dean and Dean, Inc., Architects in 1956. Growing to become the premier architectural firm in Huntington, many of the Deans’ designs are still prominent in Huntington, including structures at Marshall University, scores of public schools, libraries, banks, medical facilities, and commercial buildings.

With a focus on education and healthcare, major projects in recent years have been completed for Cabell Huntington Hospital, Marshall University, Marshall Health, Huntington Federal Savings Bank, Cabell County Schools, Raceland-Worthington Schools, West Virginia State University, Bluefield College, the City of Huntington, the Cabell County Commission, Cabell County Public Libraries, the Huntington Museum of Art, and many others.

Among projects receiving Honor Awards, the highest level of recognition from the West Virginia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, are the Marshall University Forensic Science Center, the renovation of the former Stone and Thomas building into Marshall University’s Visual Arts Center, and the Cox Landing Library for Cabell County Public Library.

“Architecture is a process of blending creative, artistic talent with in-depth, technical know-how,” said Nate Randolph, Principal. “Adding factors like the state’s topography, financial realities, and other complexities can present big challenges, but I enjoy the work of creative puzzles.”

The firm’s culture includes giving back to the community by offering their problem-solving skills as architects to support civic, non-profit, professional, and other volunteer organizations.

Nathan Randolph has served on Huntington’s City Council and chaired the City of Huntington Urban Renewal Authority to oversee the establishment of the city’s land bank.

Phoebe Patton Randolph was the founding president of the community engagement organization Create Huntington and has served on many non-profit and economic development entities in the region, as well as serving as President of AIA West Virginia.

Edward Tucker chaired the Huntington Planning Commission for many years and currently serves on the National Council of Architectural Registration Board’s Licensing Exam Writing Committee, as well as the WV Board of Architects. He is a past president of AIA West Virginia and Regional Director for the AIA Region of the Virginias. In 2018 he was elevated to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects.

“It’s been great to work in Huntington and see our city grow and transform but, reflecting on the past 25 years, I’d have to say the most rewarding aspect has been nurturing young professionals who have now become the leaders of our firm and community,” Tucker said.

More information on the firm is available at www.etarch.com.

Follow Edward Tucker Architects on Facebook and Instagram @edwardtuckerarchitects

Cabell Huntington Hospital RNs & Technical Workers Speak Out About Contract Negotiations With Hospital Executives

Huntington, West Virginia – Yesterday, nurses and technical workers with SEIU District 1199 WV/KY/OH at Cabell Huntington stood united for a fair contract. Workers state that in negotiations with hospital executives, their concerns are not being addressed. A press event with participants wearing masks and practicing social distancing was held outside on Tuesday, July 7th at 7:30 pm on Hal Greer Boulevard adjacent to Cabell Huntington Hospital.

In negotiations, nurses say that hospital executives have offered no wage increases and have proposed decreased starting wage rates for nurses and technical workers. Additionally, extreme healthcare costs have been imposed on workers at the hospital. Furthermore, nurses say that they continue to work short-staffed and that safe staffing is integral to quality care.

“Workers with Cabell Huntington Hospital were heroes in our community long before this pandemic,” said Joyce Gibson, Regional Director with SEIU District 1199 WV/KY/OH. “They are standing together and speaking out because they know how important it is that they have a voice on the job – safe hospital staffing saves lives,” Gibson continued. 

In 2018, Cabell Huntington Hospital acquired St. Mary’s Medical Center in a $165M transaction. In 2020, Cabell Huntington Hospital received $46,209,463 in funding under the Cares Act and St. Mary’s Medical Center was issued $25,221,816. Additionally, amid the COVID19 pandemic, in May 2020, St. Mary’s Medical Center submitted documents to the State of West Virginia Health Care Authority that indicated that they planned to spend over $10M to acquire the Huntington Internal Medicine Group

At the press conference workers shared firsthand details about what has been happening behind the scenes since they voted to unionize. They were joined by local leaders including Delegate Sean Hornbuckle, Jeanette Rowsey who is running for the West Virginia House of Delegates in District 17, Dakota Nelson who is a candidate for the West Virginia House of Delegates in District 16, and Hillary Turner who is running for the U.S. Congress in West Virginia’s Third District. “The nurses and technical workers and the people of this region deserve better. We ask hospital executives with Cabell Huntington Hospital to offer a fair and equitable contract and that they hear the voices of these nurses and technical workers as they speak out in regards to quality care,” Gibson concluded.  

SEIU District 1199 has represented workers with Cabell Huntington Hospital for over 40 years. In the largest victory since West Virginia became a “right-to-work” state, nurses at Cabell Huntington Hospital joined SEIU District 1199 in November 2019. Technical workers with Cabell Huntington Hospital joined SEIU District 1199 in February 2020.

Cabell Huntington Hospital RNs & Technical Workers to Hold Press Conference

Cabell Huntington Hospital RNs & Technical Workers to Hold Press Conference – Give a Behind the Scenes Update on Negotiations With Hospital Executives

Nurses and technical workers with SEIU District 1199 WV/KY/OH at Cabell Huntington are standing united for a fair contract. These workers state that in negotiations with hospital executives, they have been met with resistance, excuses, and delay. A press event will be held outside on Tuesday, July 7th at 7:30pm on Hal Greer Boulevard at the front on Cabell Huntington Hospital.

What: Press Event With Cabell Huntington Hospital Nurses and Technical Workers
Where: Outside at the Front of Cabell Huntington Hospital at Hal Greer Boulevard
When: 7:30 PM on Tuesday, July 7th

In negotiations, hospital executives have offered no wage increases and have proposed decreased starting wage rates for nurses and technical workers. Additionally, extreme healthcare costs have been imposed on workers at the hospital. Furthermore, nurses say that they continue to work short staffed.

“Workers with Cabell Huntington Hospital were heroes in our community long before this pandemic,” said Joyce Gibson, Regional Director with SEIU District 1199 WV/KY/OH. “They are standing together and speaking out because they know how important it is that they have a voice on the job – safe hospital staffing saves lives,” Gibson continued. 

In 2018, Cabell Huntington Hospital acquired St. Mary’s Medical Center in a $165M transaction. In 2020, Cabell Huntington Hospital received $46,209,463 in funding under the Cares Act and St. Mary’s Medical Center was issued $25,221,816. Additionally, amid the COVID19 pandemic, in May 2020, St. Mary’s Medical Center submitted an application to the State of West Virginia Health Care Authority that indicated that they planned to spend over $10M to acquire the Huntington Internal Medicine Group.

At the press conference workers will share firsthand details about what has been happening behind the scenes since they voted to unionize. “The nurses and technical workers and the people of this region deserve much better from hospital executives with the Cabell Huntington Hospital System,” Gibson concluded.

SEIU District 1199 has represented workers with Cabell Huntington Hospital for over 40 years. In the largest victory since West Virginia became a “right-to-work” state, nurses at Cabell Huntington Hospital joined SEIU District 1199 in November 2019. Technical workers with Cabell Huntington Hospital joined SEIU District 1199 in February 2020.

Southern Ohio farm offers beef for sale during national shortage

News of the temporary closures of meat processing plants around the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic has left some store shelves empty and some people looking for alternative ways to stock their freezers and feed their families.

One local farm owner said the issue is not the amount of cattle available but is an issue of limited ability to process cattle. As production slows because of plant workers testing positive for COVID-19 it is creating shortages in some areas of the country.

“Local butcher shops also are seeing an increase in demand,” said Dr. Stephen Walker, owner of Double Shoe Ranch in South Point, Ohio. “We have steers available but appointments for slaughter are now into July.”

Walker began promoting his grass-fed beef for sale this year and has seen a surge in interest and sales. With a background in chemistry and veterinary medicine, he and his family have worked for more than 75 years to perfect their herd as well as their process to produce some of the best tasting, lowest fat, healthy beef available today.

“We want to be proud of what we produce,” Walker said. “That is what drives us to look at every step of production and make it the best it can be.”

Although the price for beef is rising nationally, Walker continues to offer his grass-fed beef at a reasonable cost and at nearly grain-fed prices. Orders of whole beef, half beef, quarter beef and eighth beef are available to reserve at https://doubleshoeranch.com/beef-for-sale/.

Double Shoe Ranch, located in the foothills of Southern Ohio, was started by the Walker family in 1943. What began on just 65 acres has grown into what now is nearly 1,000 acres of owned and leased land used to foster an exceptional herd of cattle. Find out more at https://doubleshoeranch.com/ and follow them on Facebook at @doubleshoeranch.

Passion for community earns Fast Change national recognition

Community service is so important to Fast Change Oil & Lube that it is integrated into the way the company does business every day. Their passion to serve others in their communities has been recognized by National Oil and Lube News (NOLN), the quick automotive industry’s leading trade journal for more than 30 years.

Founder and Chief Operating Officer Kevin Davis is featured on the February 2020 cover of the magazine which highlights his lifestyle of giving and serving and helps inspire his employees to do the same.

“My heart is always to give and help others,” Davis said. “I’ve been entrusted with this business, but I’ve wanted to utilize it to help others.”

Examples of the company’s service mantra include spearheading Operation Soldier Care in 2015 to help send care packages to soldiers overseas. The effort has grown from raising $5,000 at its inception to $40,000 in 2019. The company also exceeded its goal last year in providing more than 300 free oil changes for the military on Veterans Day.

The Fast Change mission statement is integrated into the way they do business every day – “To serve with PRIDE in a manner consistent with Our Values honoring God and others in all we do.”

The NOLN article can be found at https://www.noln.net/articles/3958-serving-through-pride.

Established in 1994, Fast Change Oil and Lube has grown throughout Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Virginia while striving to be the best place anywhere our customers can go for an oil change or other preventative maintenance service. With more than 20 locations and growing, Fast Change promises to treat customers with professionalism and respect, to operate with integrity and dependability, and to deliver excellence at a fair price.

Bloss & Dillard hires new Business Development Representative

Reid Sutton is joining the team at Bloss & Dillard Inc. as a business development representative, traveling in Virginia to meet with current and new agents.

“Reid is a great addition to our team and has the management and people skills that will benefit him in this position,” said Kerry Dillard, president of Bloss & Dillard.

Sutton earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor in Business Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2017. His background also includes work as a soccer referee for Central Virginia Soccer Referee Association/Sports Center of Richmond where he also managed groups of associate referees.

Bloss & Dillard recently moved to a new location at 7374 Creighton Parkway, Suite 100, Mechanicsville, Virginia. The company offers a wide and diverse variety of specialty and traditional insurance products to independent agents in West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maryland and Virginia.

Bloss and Dillard, Inc. was founded in 1954 and has grown into a successful insurance enterprise with thousands of clients throughout the Southeastern and Eastern United States. As a Certified Managing General Agent, the Company provides insurance products and services to Independent Agents in many traditional and non-traditional markets. More information can be garnered about the firm from www.bloss-dillard.com.

New Pet Supply Store Opening in Ceredo

Ceredo, W.Va., : The City of Ceredo is expanding with the opening of a new pet supply store that will support high-quality foods and treats along with pet-friendly accessories and toys.

Austin’s Pet Supplies plans its grand opening on Saturday, April 6, at its new location at 302 Main St. Suite B in Ceredo across from Tudor’s Biscuit World. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Special activities for the day include pet food samples, refreshments and door prizes.

“We believe in 100 percent of the products we sell and wouldn’t have them in our store if we wouldn’t give them to our own pets,” said Brandon Austin, co-owner of the store.

Brandon and his wife Tori moved from Kentucky to Kenova last year with their family of three pups, Griffey, Gracie, and Chronos. When searching out a local pet supply store, they soon realized the area was desperately lacking.

“We set out on a mission to make it happen,” said Tori Austin, co-owner. “It’s taken a lot of research and love for what we want to do.”

Austin’s Pet Supplies will include brands such as Primal, Zignature, and Fromm foods, Himalayan chews, and Kurgo accessories.

Austin’s Pet Supplies is a pet supply store based in Ceredo, West Virginia, that offers high-quality pet foods, treats, toys and accessories. Products, specials, and information can be found at https://www.austinspetsupplies.com/.

Bulldog Creative grows with three new hires

Huntington, W.Va., : Bulldog Creative Services, an advertising agency based in Huntington, West Virginia, recently expanded its team with three new employees.

Video Producer Erin Gilleece, Account Executive Peyton Hebb, and Operations Assistant Kay Thomason have joined Team Bulldog adding a plethora of knowledge and talents to the agency.

“You’re always hearing about young talent moving away. We are proud to say we just brought in two extremely talented professionals from the Utah and Arkansas to West Virginia and gave another West Virginian the opportunity to come home. We’ve worked hard to bring in seasoned professionals that are recognized and respected in their fields and translate that into client achievements,” said Chris Michael, CEO of Bulldog.

An award-winning creative video producer and compelling storyteller, Gilleece brings experience in commercial production, documentary film, broadcast television and eCommerce digital media to help Bulldog clients communicate their messages with video. She most recently worked with clients in creating B2B and B2C multimedia video content and previously worked as a videojournalist at an NBC-affiliated television station and an ABC-affiliated television station in Arkansas. Gilleece received a Master of Art in Journalism and Documentary Film from the University of Arkansas where she also received a Bachelor of Art in Journalism.

West Virginia native Hebb will work closely with Bulldog’s clients to coordinate projects and campaigns and will serve as a liaison for clients with the creative, web and production team. She most recently worked in the marketing and advertising field with the Walt Disney World College Program in Orlando, Florida. Prior to her career with Disney, she was as a marketing assistant at both the Marshall Recreation Center and Marshall Artists Series with duties including graphic design, social media, communications campaigns, in addition to guest relations and customer services. Hebb received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the College of Arts and Media at Marshall University.

Thomason, a native of Utah, brings a background in administration and creativity and will assist clients with their billing and support needs. She recently relocated to Huntington from Utah where she worked for the federal government.

Bulldog Creative Services is a full-service advertising agency based in Huntington that assists businesses with strategic marketing research and planning, media management, graphic design, audio / visual production and website design, development, and maintenance. More information about the agency can be gained at www.bulldogcreative.com.

Huntington Tri-State Airport Awards Marketing Bid to Bulldog Creative Services

The Huntington Tri-State Airport is pleased to announce that they have retained Bulldog Creative Services through a competitive request for proposal process that ended at the beginning of September.

“Due to staffing changes, we knew we needed someone who could serve as our marketing director and our creative team,” said Brent Brown, Tri-State Airport Director. The airport formed a marketing committee that sent out a request for proposal document at the beginning of June with bid submissions due by June 29. After a proposal submission and presentation process, Bulldog Creative Services was chosen as the winning bidder.

“We know Bulldog has worked with the airport in the past and we are excited to continue that relationship on a larger scale moving forward,” said Brown.

Bulldog Creative Services is a full-service advertising agency that has worked with clients throughout the tri-state area and country for almost twenty years.

“I’m excited to start a new chapter in our working relationship with Huntington Tri-State Airport,” said Shannon Lester, Account Executive at Bulldog Creative Services. “The airport is a valuable resource for our region and I’m confident we can give them a refreshed presence within the community and to potential aerospace business partners.”

Huntington Tri-State Airport handles commercial airline, air cargo, military, and general aviation traffic. HTS has two major airlines serving five non-stop destinations, including Charlotte, Orlando, St. Petersburg/Clearwater, and Myrtle Beach. To learn more visit tristateairport.com or call 304-453-6183.