Community Bulletin
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BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — The Buckhannon-Upshur Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the appointment of Lauren Spadafore Gall as its new executive director. Spadafore Gall officially began her role Monday, August 10, succeeding former executive director Tammy Reger.
A Harrison County native, Spadafore Gall first came to Buckhannon in 2015 to attend West Virginia Wesleyan College and quickly found a home in the community. She graduated from Wesleyan in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in public relations and a minor in business.
“I started college at West Virginia Wesleyan in 2015 and, as I like to say, never left,” Spadafore Gall said. “I really fell in love with Buckhannon during my time at Wesleyan, and it has been home ever since.”
Spadafore Gall brings a great wealth of experience and positivity to her new role. Earlier in her career, she worked as an insurance representative, where she developed skills in communication, building relationships, overcoming objections and working toward goals. Most recently, she served as a project coordinator with a marketing agency, gaining additional experience in organization, problem-solving, time management and coordinating projects among multiple stakeholders.
For Spadafore Gall, the opportunity to lead the Chamber represents a chance to combine those professional experiences with her personal commitment to the community she now calls home.
“I love this small town, and when I saw this role open up, I knew I could use the skills I’ve gained throughout my career to support the Chamber’s mission and give back to the community that has given me so much,” she said.
Among her initial priorities, Spadafore Gall plans to spend time connecting directly with Chamber members and other local businesses to better understand their needs and identify ways the organization can continue to strengthen its role as a resource and advocate for the business community.
“I’d really like to spend my first year getting to know our local businesses, hearing what they need and figuring out how the Chamber can be a better resource for them,” Spadafore Gall said.
She also hopes to develop engaging events that bring people together, something she believes is especially important as Buckhannon and Upshur County continue recovering from the devastating flooding that impacted the community in July.
“This town has recently suffered such horrible loss from the flood, and I think some fun is right up everyone’s alley, especially with the colder months coming up,” she said. “I would love to host some fun events and give people a reason to get out and enjoy our community.”
Spadafore Gall sees Buckhannon-Upshur’s locally owned businesses and strong sense of community as some of the area’s greatest assets and believes the Chamber has an important role in helping showcase them.
“What drew me to Buckhannon, as I’m sure a lot of people can relate to, are the businesses that make it great,” she said. “We have so many unique local businesses and people who truly care about this community. I think there’s a great opportunity to continue getting people excited about shopping local, supporting our businesses and showing off everything Buckhannon-Upshur has to offer.”
Her connection to Buckhannon extends well beyond her professional life. Since arriving for college more than a decade ago, Spadafore Gall has built her life in the community, forming lasting friendships, meeting her husband and eventually getting married here.
“Buckhannon is home,” Spadafore Gall said. “I can’t think of a better place to start this next chapter of my career, and I’m really excited to be able to give back to the community that has given me so much.”
Outside of work, Spadafore Gall enjoys spending time with her family and her two German Shepherds, Maggie and Nala. She also enjoys arts and crafts, has recently taken up gardening and describes herself as someone who enjoys staying busy and trying new things.
As executive director, Spadafore Gall will work with the Chamber’s board of directors, members and community partners to support local businesses, strengthen connections throughout the region and advance the Chamber’s mission of promoting a vibrant business environment in Buckhannon and Upshur County.
