Elkins – The Mountain State Forest Festival Association has announced Ben Shaffer has been elected president of its Board of Directors.
Shaffer was born and raised in Elkins and is a graduate of Elkins High School. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from West Virginia University and is a professional engineer in West Virginia.
He holds a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Missouri. He completed 20 years of service with the West Virginia Division of Highways and recently began a career with the USDA Forest Service.
He was first appointed as an Assistant Director of the Mountain State Forest Festival in 2009 and served in that capacity through 2013. After serving as Director General in 2014, Shaffer returned as Assistant Director in 2015. Elected to the MSFF Board of Directors in 2015, he served as Secretary/Treasurer of the Board in 2021 and has been a member of the Executive Committee.
Shaffer serves on the Board of Trustees of the Elkins-Randolph County Public Library, is the assistant girls’ basketball coach at Elkins High School, a member of Elkins Kiwanis, and a mentor with Randolph County CLIMB.
He is married to Lisa Shaffer, who served as an assistant to the Queen’s Department of the MSFF from 2015 through 2018 and serves in the same role this year.
Other elected members of the Mountain State Forest Festival Board of Directors include Scott Harris, Bill Hartman, Hugh Hitchcock, Lydia Jones, Mike Karlen, Ray LaMora, Cricket Leary, Kathy Leombruno, Cliff Marstiller, Robin Miler, Frank Santmyer, Chad Shoemaker, Bob Wamsley and Bob Woolwine.
“It is a privilege to serve as the president of the Board of Directors of the Mountain State Forest Festival as we plan for a full slate of events after a two-year hiatus,” Shaffer said. “I look forward to working with Robbie Morris as the Director General of the 84th Mountain State Forest Festival and the excellent team of Assistant Directors he has assembled.”
“As a unified team, Board and Assistants, we appreciate the opportunity for the return of our beloved festival.”
The state’s largest and oldest festival is scheduled for Oct. 1 through Oct. 9.
