The Buckhannon-Upshur Chamber of Commerce honored local business people and organizations at its annual awards dinner Thursday night at the Event Center at Brushy Fork.
Buckhannon Mayor Robbie Skinner announced the winners. Receiving awards were Matt Scott, Businessman of the Year; Ronna Dittman, Businesswoman of the Year; Weyerhaeuser, Business of the Year; Shane Jenkins, Citizen of the Year; and Mountain CAP of West Virginia, Organization of the Year.
Matt Scott — Businessman of the Year
Matt Scott, Director of Marketing and Communications at WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital, was named Businessman of the Year.
A West Virginia Wesleyan College graduate originally from Elkins, Scott began his career in tourism marketing, working with the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad and the former American Mountain Theater, where he helped produce a weekly nationally televised program on RFD-TV.
His path changed after he battled two different types of cancer. The experience led him to transition into healthcare, joining Davis Medical Center in Elkins — first on the marketing team, then rising to Director of Physician Recruitment and later Director of Medical Staff Operations.
Scott now serves on the senior leadership team at WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital, overseeing marketing strategy, internal and external communications and community engagement. He is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration at West Virginia Wesleyan College with a concentration in healthcare administration, with plans to graduate in the summer of 2026, and is a member of the 2026 graduating class of the West Virginia Hospital Association Leadership Academy. He is also an active member of the Buckhannon-Upshur Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Buckhannon-Upshur.
Ronna Dittman — Businesswoman of the Year
Ronna Dittman, Chief of Staff at Community Care of West Virginia, was named Businesswoman of the Year.
A Braxton County native and graduate of the University of Charleston, Dittman began her professional career in Florida as Director of Customer Relations for a nationwide telecommunications company before relocating to the Washington, D.C. area. She later worked in the hospitality industry along the Delaware coast before returning to West Virginia.
Back in the Mountain State, Dittman served as Director of Constituent Services in the administration of Governor Cecil Underwood. She then spent a decade in higher education, serving as Executive Director of the Glenville State College Foundation, Executive Director of Valley College in Beckley, and as Annual Fund Director and Director of Alumni and Parent Relations at the University of Charleston.
She joined Community Care of West Virginia in 2013 as an office manager in Gassaway, later serving as Director of Marketing before moving into her current role as Chief of Staff. In Upshur County, she recently completed a two-year term as president of the Buckhannon-Upshur Chamber of Commerce and continues to serve as past-president on the Chamber’s Executive Board. She also serves as vice president of the Upshur County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Weyerhaeuser — Business of the Year
Weyerhaeuser was named Business of the Year in recognition of its long-standing economic and community impact in Buckhannon and Upshur County.
The company has operated a manufacturing facility in Buckhannon for more than 25 years, employing hundreds of local workers and contractors while supporting additional jobs throughout the region.
Beyond the city, Weyerhaeuser sustainably manages hundreds of thousands of acres of West Virginia forestland, supporting the state’s forest products industry and rural communities across the region.
In recent years, the company has expanded its community commitment beyond employment, investing in initiatives that support education, workforce development and the long-term vitality of Upshur County.
Shane Jenkins — Citizen of the Year
Shane Jenkins, a career firefighter for the City of Buckhannon, was named Citizen of the Year for his decade of volunteer leadership with the West Virginia Strawberry Festival Association, including service as its president.
The presidency is an entirely volunteer role that carries responsibilities the Chamber described as resembling those of a full-time job — coordinating one of the largest festivals in the state. Jenkins has also become active with the West Virginia Association of Fairs and Festivals, working to preserve and strengthen community events across the state.
Jenkins’ connection to the Strawberry Festival traces back to childhood, when he watched his grandfather — a member of the Warren District Fire Department — march in the festival’s Fireman’s Parade.
Jenkins went on to become a firefighter himself and has dedicated years of volunteer effort to the festival.
Mountain CAP of West Virginia — Organization of the Year
Mountain CAP of West Virginia was named Organization of the Year, recognized for 60 years of service to rural communities across the region.
The organization works to improve the lives of individuals and families through programs covering education, employment support, community health and affordable housing. In a typical year, its work impacts more than 1,000 families and nearly 3,000 individuals.
Mountain CAP’s programs include a nationally accredited Child Advocacy Center, the Creative Beginnings Child Development Center for early childhood education and Family Support Centers offering workshops and resources for families. Its housing programs support homeownership and provide income-based rental housing across multiple counties. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization launched eviction prevention and rapid rehousing programs that continue to serve veterans, young adults and families in crisis.
Executive Director Kathy McMurray has led the organization for more than 15 years.
