about us

The Fairmont Community Development Partnership is a private, non-profit
organization which promotes community and economic development along
with neighborhood revitalization and affordable housing in targeted
low-income areas.

Our Mission

The Fairmont Community Development Partnership is a private, non-profit organization which promotes community and economic development along with neighborhood revitalization and affordable housing in targeted low income areas. 

Our goals are to improve quality of lives by assisting low-income families with safe, decent, housing; and by promoting business growth as part of a local community development. 

Our Code Of Ethics

We are committed to:

Acting honestly, truthfully, and with integrity in all our transactions and dealings;

Avoiding conflicts of interest;

Handling appropriately any actual or apparent conflicts of interest in our transactions;

Treating every person in our community fairly;

Treating every individual with dignity and respect;

Treating our employees with respect, fairness, and good faith ;

Providing conditions of employment that safeguard our employees’ rights and welfare;

Being a good corporate citizen and complying with both the spirit and the letter of the law;

Acting responsibly toward and for the benefit of Marion County; and

Being responsible, transparent, and accountable for all of our actions.

 

Membership

JOIN THE PARTNERSHIP

Membership with the Fairmont Community Development Partnership means being part of an organization that strives to make Fairmont a better place to live. Our membership approves changes to the organization’s by-laws and approves nominees selected to serve the Board of Directors. 

To qualify as a member of the Partnership, an individual needs to have attended the two of the three previous or current Annual Meetings and/or a past or current member of the Board of Directors. Members needs to be at least eighteen years of age and residents of Marion County, or a person whose place of employment is in Marion County.  

Our Staff

Jessica Varner

Jessica Varner serves as the Executive Director.  She has 10+ years of experience in local nonprofit with grant funding development, accessible design/aging in place and community collaboration. She is passionate about impact driven goals and being involved with community growth.

Michele Bowen

Michele Bowen currently serves as the Property Manager, where she manages 54 residential rental properties and 8 commercial rental properties as well as processing applications, facilitating move-ins, move-outs and renewals.

Steve Arthur

Steve Arthur is currently our Maintenance Technician, providing general maintenance including but not limited to: electrical, plumbing, roofing, framing, drywall, painting and inspections. 

 

Governance

Our Board of Directors

Nick Fantasia

Board President

Nick was a charter member of the partnership and has served on the Board of Directors for a number of years. Nick has experience working with nonprofits in the area as well as being an entrepreneur. He is the President and Chairman of the Board for Marion County Development Corporation, and serves with a multitude of other local organizations that have a direct impact on the community and economic development of Marion County. He was awarded one of the 2021 Hero Awards with Marion County Family Resource Network.

Toby Heaney

Board Treasurer

Toby Heaney is a retired veteran and previously was the Partnership’s Finance Administrative Assistant. He facilitated all accounting procedures and worked with the Executive Director and Finance Committee to ensure fiscal responsibility and maximize financial resources. He has his Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Charleston, is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Economics from WVU, and serves in a number of community organizations, including acting as commander of VFW Post 629.

Houston Richardson

Retired, City Council

Houston is retired, he has been the President of the Dunbar School Foundation, a member of the Marion Co. Development Authority, and a member of the Marion County Planning & Zoning Committee. He has been a long-time supporter of The Partnership and is passionate about the redevelopment and revitalization of Marion County. He is a supporter of the BLM movement and was formerly on the city council.

 

Brandon Parrish

 

A resident of the City of Fairmont, Brandon is an IT professional with CPA firm Hill, Barth, and King in Pittsburgh. He studied Information Systems at Fairmont State University and is also a graduate of Marshall University. Brandon serves as a volunteer member of the non-profit Sarah’s Table, an organization that, in partnership with St. John’s University Parish, serves hot meals every week in downtown Morgantown. He also brings extensive private sector experience in technology sales and marketing.

Alex Petry

Board Vice President

Alex is an Assistant Planner for the City of Fairmont and has been appointed to the FCDP Board of Directors by the City Manager. In this role, he assists with the economic development of the city, which includes coordinating and implementing projects and programs that support commercial, office and industrial development, business attraction, and retention.

Bob Kelly

Associate Professor of Architecture, Fairmont State University

 Robert is currently an Associate Professor at Architecture at Fairmont State University. He has extensive experience working as an architect, maker, and educator, frequently teaching design studios, history/theory courses, and facilitating travel programs.

 

Belinda Biafore

Coordinator, Marion County Grants

Belinda is the Marion County Grants Coordinator and serves on the Partnership’s Board of Directors as a representative of the Marion County administration. Her experience in writing proposals, particularly state and federal grants has been beneficial to FCDP. She also helps us locate property through tax sales and is familiar with GIS mapping and records room searches.

Michael "Lane" Kolat

Lane is from lived in a very rural town in West Virginia, called Hundred in Wetzel County. He graduated from Clay Battelle high school in the western end of Monongalia County. Lane currently works at longhorn steakhouse in Morgantown, and previously worked at Tennant funeral home and Legacy Integrity, a pipeline surveying company. He is currently studying Business Administration, concentrated in economics, with a minor in Political Science at Fairmont State University. Lane intends to use this to become an apprentice or shadow at a business law firm and become a business litigator. In his degree, he has taken a plethora of specific courses that have given him a wide variety of skills and knowledge that he can apply in many fields. Lane finds himself very geared to help others. He has donated many hours to volunteering, such as helping with the community pool and setting up events for Young life (a high school youth group).

Kevin O'Connor

Board Secretary

Kevin serves as a business lender for the Natural Capital Investment Fund which is a CDFI and CDE. Kevin is also a former mortgage lender and CPA. He brings his vast knowledge and extensive experience to his role as Treasurer of the Board of Directors. Prior to his work with the Partnership, he served on the local Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors.

Marcella Yaremchuk

President, The Women’s Club of Fairmont

Marcella was a charter member of the partnership and a past president of the organization. During her time on the board of directors, the partnership purchased the YMCA building and she’s excited to return to assist in the completion of this project.

Kelley Rose

 Juvenile Victim Offender Mediator, National Youth Advocate Program

Kelley is a Juvenile Victim Offender Mediator for the National Youth Advocate Program.  The National Youth Advocate Programs focuses on Prevention/Intervention, Positive Youth Development, Out-of-home-Placement, and  Reunification/Permanency. Before this she was the children’s case manager at HOPE, Inc., private, non-profit agency that offers shelter and confidential supportive services to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. She also was employed by the Human Resource Development Foundation where she helped diverse clients start careers, get jobs and maintain employment. Her professional experience has allowed her to build relationships and serve the communities that the Partnership supports. Her knowledge of programs that work to help the unemployed give the partnership an understanding of how we can best reach underserved populations and expand the reach of the organization.

CONTACT US

Call: 304-366-7600
Email: info@fcdpartnership.org
Visit: 517 Fairmont Avenue, Fairmont, WV 26554