Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History announced that he has named John F. Bowyer as director of administration for the agency effective, February 1. A resident of South Charleston, Bowyer comes to the agency with more than 30 years of experience in business and human resources.
Bowyer will be responsible for the administrative functions of the agency, including budget analysis, fairs and festival grants, financial services, security, information technology, facility operations and maintenance, as well as human resources.
“We are thrilled to have John Bowyer join the agency,” Reid-Smith stated. “His accumulated depth of knowledge developed in the private sector will translate into great success for us. The agency is very fortunate to have someone of John’s caliber particularly in the leadership he has demonstrated in the human resource field. His experience will be invaluable to the division and the state.”
Bowyer said, “The varied activities of the agency greatly enhance the quality of life in West Virginia and help to make it attractive to new people and industry. I’m looking forward to joining the Commissioner’s team as we work together to preserve our heritage and promote the arts to our fellow citizens.” A native of Charleston, Bowyer has degrees in business and liberal arts from the Florida Institute of Technology and the University of Cincinnati.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Cultural Center in the state capitol complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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