Morgantown Area Partnership Honors the Region’s Best at the 2026 Annual Dinner
The 2026 Morgantown Area Partnership Annual Dinner drew hundreds of business leaders, community partners, and regional stakeholders for an evening that was equal parts celebration and momentum — a snapshot of a city with a lot of recent growth.
From the moment the doors opened, the room was alive with energy. Conversations flowed easily, new connections were made, and longtime colleagues caught up across tables. But this year, the backdrop made it feel different.
Downtown Morgantown recorded 5 million visits in the past year. Two new murals now anchor the streetscape. The Harmony Grove Interchange is being redesigned. The airport’s runway has been expanded. BUILD WV is driving new housing investment across the region. There was a lot to talk about — and even more to celebrate.
A Class of Winners Worth Knowing
The evening’s award presentations put faces to the work happening across the region, honoring businesses and leaders whose impact goes well beyond their bottom lines.
Forge Business Solutions took home Veteran-Owned Business of the Year. Founded by Frank Vitale — a military veteran, civilian aide to the Pentagon, and author of Forge Ahead — the strategic consulting firm has become a trusted partner for businesses across the region, including Trilogy, who spoke to the difference Vitale’s guidance has made in their decision-making.
Inner Action Media was named Small Business of the Year. The Morgantown-based video production and digital marketing agency has grown rapidly in recent years, with clients like WVU Medicine citing the team’s ability to earn trust with storytelling as what keeps them coming back.
Blue Gold Development earned Mid-Sized Business of the Year honors. Founded at the onset of the pandemic, the construction firm has grown quickly, built a reputation for partnership and community investment, and taken on projects that are reshaping the region — including work alongside March Westin.
Laurita Inc. was recognized as Large Business of the Year. A multigenerational construction company with deep roots in the region, Laurita has built not just buildings but a reputation — one defined by reliability, craftsmanship, and a genuine commitment to giving back, including ongoing work with Habitat for Humanity.
Jazzy’s Sweet Spot and Seb Donuts claimed New Business of the Year, and their story was one of the night’s most memorable. Mateo Martinez started Jazzy’s as a teenager, grew it from a trailer to a storefront in Star City, expanded into a donut concept, and somehow fit it all in while juggling college. Star City Mayor Sharon Doyle was among those who spoke to what Mateo’s entrepreneurship means for the community.
The WV Botanic Garden was honored as Nonprofit of the Year. With new additions including an event space, gift shop, and café — and a steadfast commitment to remaining free and accessible to all — the garden has grown into a regional treasure that serves everyone from schoolchildren to dedicated regulars like board member Beth Gross, who spoke to what the space means to families in Morgantown.
Dr. Lydotta Taylor of The EdVenture Group received the Milan Puskar Entrepreneur of the Year Award. A former classroom teacher turned educational consultant, Taylor built EdVenture into an organization that works across state lines to strengthen school culture and support educators — a journey that, as those who know her noted, required vision, tenacity, and a willingness to bet on herself.
Billy Atkins and Dr. Carolyn Peluso Atkins were presented with the Earl L. Core Award for their decades of community service — from historic preservation efforts to developing student leadership programs at WVU. Now in what they call “pretend retirement,” the two continue saying yes to the work that makes Morgantown a better place.
David Raese, longtime publisher of the Dominion Post and a fixture in Morgantown civic life, received the Chairman’s Award — recognition for a career spent telling the community’s story and investing in its people.
The Bigger Picture
The award winners this year reflect something true about Morgantown: the people building it aren’t waiting for someone else to show up. They’re veterans turned consultants, teachers turned entrepreneurs, teenagers turned small business owners, and longtime families still showing up for their city.
Against a backdrop of real infrastructure progress — a revitalized downtown, a growing airport, new housing investment, and a streetscape with fresh public art — the 2026 Annual Dinner felt like more than a recap. It felt like a preview.
The Morgantown Area Partnership looks forward to seeing the community again next year.
