Morgantown, W.Va. (September 13, 2024) – Judy Moore, Deputy Director of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) and Executive Director of the West Virginia Hive, has been named a 2024 “Wonder Woman” by the West Virginia Living magazine. This prestigious honor recognizes extraordinary women who are making significant contributions to their communities, industries, and the state at large. Moore will be celebrated alongside fellow Wonder Women, including Jina Belcher NRGRDA Executive Director (named in 2021) and Tammy Jordan, visionary behind Fruits of Labor (named in 2020), during a luncheon on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, in South Charleston, W.Va.
Jina Belcher said about her colleague, “Judy embodies daily the role of a Wonder Woman. Her dedication, passion, and grit have helped West Virginia entrepreneurs accomplish the unachievable. I’m incredibly fortunate to work alongside Judy and experience the knowledge she brings to the table.”
Moore, who was born in Summersville and raised in Craigsville in Nicholas County, returned to the New River Gorge region in 2017. She and her husband settled in her hometown where she started at NRGRDA as a business advisor for its entrepreneurial arm — the WV Hive.
Within six months, Moore moved into the director role and under her leadership, the WV Hive has transformed into a thriving entrepreneurial network that supports businesses across 13 counties in the region. WV Hive has grown into one of the most significant resources for entrepreneurs in the state, providing essential technical assistance, access to capital, and mentorship. Moore’s dedication has enabled hundreds of startups and small businesses to overcome challenges and succeed in a competitive marketplace.
“I am 100% certain there is not another career path that would make me happier than the work I am currently doing,” she said. Moore’s journey to this achievement is marked by her passion for supporting entrepreneurs and her extensive career in business and economic development. After returning to the New River Gorge region in 2017, Moore quickly established herself as a leader by growing the WV Hive into a cornerstone of economic development for rural West Virginia. Through her leadership, WV Hive has become a hub for aspiring business owners, providing them with the tools and guidance they need to flourish in the region’s challenging landscape. In addition to her role leading the WV Hive, Moore serves as the Deputy Director of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority, working in lockstep with Belcher to ensure that businesses of all sizes thrive and grow in the New River Gorge region.
“Being recognized as a Wonder Woman is a tremendous honor,” said Moore. “I am fortunate to work with incredible individuals and organizations that share my commitment to strengthening our communities. This recognition reflects the hard work and collaboration of so many people who believe in the potential of southern West Virginia and its entrepreneurs.”
After high school, Moore worked at the Sears and Roebuck catalog center where she learned the importance of taking care of customers, taking that mentality with her to her next role at Bright of America in Summersville. After five years, she was promoted to executive assistant to the CEO of Bright Enterprises. In this role, she helped the CEO lead not only Bright of America but Land Use Company, Winter Place Ski Resort, Glade Springs, and multiple other companies.
“This position helped prepare me for my current role at the WV Hive, providing experience working within multiple types of businesses and carrying a load of responsibility, including my first supervisory role,” she says.
After moving to Florida and working for a global concrete producer, Moore and her family moved back to West Virginia where she earned a bachelor’s degree in visual communication from American Intercontinental University and a master’s degree in integrated marketing communications from West Virginia University (WVU). She led marketing, communications, and event planning for a WVU research corporation program.
Moore’s immersion into the environment of Southern West Virginia’s entrepreneurs provided her the alignment she sought between her career and helping the community she loves. “I took the position of business advisor with WV Hive not only as a career move but also as an opportunity to return to my roots in Southern West Virginia where my heart remained,” she says. “The WV Hive has always been a very important program to me because it is something that I built and will last long after I’m gone.”
Moore’s influence extends beyond her role at WV Hive. Moore has given back to her community through her 20 years of not-for-profit and nonprofit work, and she sought opportunities to mentor students throughout their careers, build leaders among her staff and volunteer for church functions that help people who need it most. She also serves on three boards, including Tamarack Foundation for the Arts, West Virginia Women’s Business Center, and the West Virginia Community Development Hub.
Moore’s recognition as a 2024 Wonder Woman highlights the impact of her leadership and her dedication to empowering entrepreneurs and building a more resilient economy. As West Virginia continues to see opportunities for economic and community development, Moore’s work will remain pivotal in driving progress and strengthening the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Reflecting on Moore’s contributions, Jina Belcher, Executive Director of NRGRDA said, “Judy Moore has played a transformative role in building one of the largest entrepreneurship support networks in the state. Her leadership, compassion, and dedication to the success of small businesses in our region have been instrumental in driving economic progress.”
“Since 2014 WV Living magazine has been honoring West Virginia Wonder Women, amazing women who are raising the bar in their communities, serving as beacons of light in their industries, and forcing change for the greater good,” the magazine’s website reports. “WV Living is proud to celebrate these Appalachian mothers, millennials, and mavens proving that in a time full of uncertainty, divisiveness, and hate, love for one another is all we really need. No need for bulletproof bracelets or a golden lasso of truth—these women are creating a better West Virginia with their can-do attitudes and Mountain State spirit.”
Jack and Kathleen Taggart, owners of New River Farms Sawmill in Danese, made their home in West Virginia after Jack’s service in the United States Army to settle and start the business of their dreams.
Leaders of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) and its entrepreneurial program – the West Virginia Hive – are seeking the community’s input by the end of the year on several aspects of a new Food Business Incubation Hub in Fayette County.
Leading local non-profit organizations — Forward Southern West Virginia and New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) — are donating $10,000 each to help propel an education and training campaign, Project GRACE (Gathered Response to Address Child Exploitation), being coordinated by Just for Kids Child Advocacy Center serving Fayette and Raleigh counties.
Click here to signup for our newsletter!
