Officers and Board Members

Jim Rorrer, Chair

Jim Rorrer is a retired institutional investment consultant. After graduating from Marshall University in 1971 and beginning his career at First Huntington National Bank, he spent nearly four decades in the investment industry in Richmond, VA. He and his wife, Trish, returned to Huntington’s Southside in 2014.
Jim has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Marshall University Foundation, Big Green Scholarship Foundation, Lewis College of Business Advisory Board, Huntington Water Quality Board, Huntington Municipal Development Authority, and the Woodlands Retirement Community Board. He remains actively involved in supporting the city and preserving the Southside.

Whitney Gesner, Vice Chair

Whitney is a real estate broker and owner of Hood Realty Company and co-owner of Hood Enterprises in Huntington. She is a Huntington High School, Marshall University, and Xavier University graduate. Before becoming a licensed real estate broker, Whitney worked in administration with King’s Daughters Medical Center in Ashland, KY. She is a lifelong Southside resident. In 2006, Whitney purchased the Southside home she grew up in and now raises her children, Kendall and Grant, there with her husband, Tom. Whitney joined the Southside Alliance with the motivation to help preserve and improve the neighborhood that is such a significant part of her family and friends’ lifestyles.

Brittany Trippett, Executive Director

Brittany is the founder and owner of Connect and Create Marketing, where she helps clients strengthen their brands through strategic digital marketing, community engagement, and event planning. With more than a decade of experience, she brings a strong background in nonprofit leadership and storytelling-based development. Brittany previously worked with the Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau and currently volunteers with the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center and Huntington Young Professionals. She is passionate about balancing preservation with meaningful progress in the Southside community.

Timothy Stanley, Treasurer

Timothy grew up in the tristate area and is a USC Healthcare graduate.  He has spent more than 25 years in the healthcare industry, focusing on bringing medical talent to small communities in need.  After being gone for several years, he returned to Huntington because of his love of the area. Timothy resides in a 1921 Colonial home near Ritter Park that he has carefully restored over the past 4 years.  He has always been involved in community organizations, wherever he has lived, and is an enthusiastic supporter of The Alliance and promoter of Huntington’s Southside.

Parker Ward, Secretary

Parker is a lifelong Huntington resident and co-owner of Realty Advantage with his wife, Amy. Since moving to the Southside in 1995, they have raised their two children and supported neighborhood schools and amenities.
Parker has served on the Huntington Zoning Board for nine years, was the first president of the Marshall University Quarterback Club, and is a past president of The Big Green Scholarship Foundation. He’s also a proud member of the Huntington Rotary Club. He enjoys travel, music, sporting events, and time with his grandchildren.

Christina Bailey

Christina Bailey is a native of Morgantown and holds a bachelor’s degree in Interior Design and Art History from West Virginia University. She currently works as a professional organizer with Simplicities, a small business based in Huntington’s Southside. In addition to her organizing work, Christina has taught dance at Huntington Dance Theatre for five years and remains actively involved in the annual Huntington Nutcracker production.

Christina has served as a founding board member and secretary (2019–2024) of the Southside Alliance. She has also served on the board of Create Huntington, was president of the Southside Neighborhood Organization, and currently chairs the City of Huntington’s Historic Preservation Commission.

She and her husband have lived in the Southside since 2008, where they have raised their three children.

R.B. “Booky” Bookwalter, Board Member

Liza Caldwell, Board Member

While wrapping up her work in renovation and interior design, Liza knew which neighborhood she would like to call home upon returning to Huntington. A lover of the Southside, Liza now calls the house she renovated on Whitaker Boulevard home. She is an experienced businesswoman and is greatly involved in the community, serving on numerous development boards such as the Municipal Development Authority, the Urban Renewal Authority, and Huntington’s Historic Preservation Commission. Liza believes that education is the key factor to future success of the Southside. She desires for the homeowners and residents of the Southside to be aware of the benefits they can reap from working alongside their neighbors to restore and maintain the beautiful neighborhood they all call home.

Dan Ferguson, Board Member

Dan is a retired Huntington police officer who has served as the Cabell County Chief Magistrate. A lifelong resident of the Southside, Dan is a proud graduate of Huntington High School and Marshall University. He and his wife, Arlene, live near the Memorial Arch. His military service took him briefly away from the area, but his roots and passion for the neighborhood brought him back. He continues to serve the city in an official capacity (current title to be confirmed) and brings years of community service experience to the Alliance.

Dan Gooding, Past-President

Dan and Kellie enjoy their 1915 Southside home with their adult, autistic son, Daniel.  Dan, a Marshall graduate and Certified Financial Planner, owns a wealth management firm.  He spent thirteen years with Xerox in Morgantown, WV, before relocating to Lewisburg, WV, following Kellie’s radiology residency and fellowship at Cleveland Clinic.  He was Morgantown’s Ronald McDonald House founding president. He served multiple terms as president of The Lewisburg Preservation Alliance and was an officer of The Preservation Alliance of WV for 10 years.  Having had a lifelong interest in historic preservation, Dan served seven years as Lewisburg’s Landmarks Commission architectural advisor.

Bob Hansen, Board Member

The former CEO of Prestera Center, Bob is now retired and spends his days working as a community volunteer. Bob and his wife, Linda, moved to the Southside from Teays Valley. He has always had an interest in the development and improvements of the City of Huntington, serving on various boards here. Bob is chairman of the sub-committee to re-restore the old Huntington High School building. His goal is to work in collaboration with the Huntington Housing Development Authority to secure additional funding to make the facility again a source of pride for the residents and the city.

Michael Johnson, Board Member

Michael Johnson is the Chief Revenue Officer for Huntington Hose and Hydraulics, a division of Air Hydro Power. He was formerly the President and CEO of his company before merging with Air Hydro Power three years ago to expand operations and establish an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) environment for his employees.

Michael has enjoyed a career rooted in industry and entrepreneurship within Huntington and the surrounding marketplace. The Johnson name has been proudly associated with the local economy for over 75 years.

A graduate of Huntington High School, Michael attended Marshall University and earned his degree from the University of Kentucky. He is deeply committed to growing the Huntington business climate and maintaining the Southside as his permanent residence. His passion for the Southside is evident in his desire to help preserve and promote the community he views as a truly wonderful place to live.

Richard G. Jones, Jr., Board Member

Rich was born and raised five hours from Huntington in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. He received his Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Denver in 2009 and accepted a tenure-track position in the School of Communication and Journalism at Eastern Illinois University in 2010. He is the author of the award-winning textbook Communication in the Real World and founded and operated a communication consulting company in St. Louis, MO, from 2020 to 2022. He moved to Huntington in June of 2023 after accepting a position as Department Chair and Professor of Communication Studies at Marshall. Joe, Rich’s partner of 16 years and a native of Denver, Colorado, works for the Dean of Libraries at Marshall University. Rich and Joe live in Enslow Park and have been delighted to be welcomed so warmly by the Herd and by the people of Huntington.

Jason Pennington, Board Member