Cheri Heflin, President
A born and bred coal miner’s daughter, Cheri has deep pride in our Mountain State’s history and is a strong believer in the future for West Virginia. A native of McDowell County, Cheri has a degree in Public Relations from the Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism at West Virginia University. She served in Governor Gaston Caperton’s administration as a state Development Office official and for the Governor’s Cabinet on Children and Families, while handling several Special Projects for the Governor.
At the age of 29, she decided to takethe first steps in her dream of owning a public relations and advertising business. Using a spare bedroom and a computer bought with a loan, she started as a graphic designer and event planner. Cheri is very proud of her success, and the success of her clients as a result of her team’s hard work. Today, as the President and Owner of Cheri Heflin & Company, she is responsible for management, business development and sales for her business, and the strategic and creative thinking for her clients. She considers writing and art direction as her two strengths.
For six years, Cheri owned and managed Hyperion Creative Group, which served more than 50 clients, employed 12 associates and garnered numerous awards, recognitions and honors. In 2000, Cheri evolved Hyperion Creative Group into a partnership, renamed Maple Creative LLC, where she was the founding partner. Hyperion’s team members and clients were the core of Maple from its inception. The first project Cheri undertook for her new company was the conception and implementation of Governor Bob Wise’s Inaugural logo and invitation design package. That design won a PRSA Crystal Award. While at Maple, Cheri served as account manager for numerous clients, overseeing all advertising and public relations activities and supervising staff. In addition, she was responsible for the firm’s sales and marketing activities, and lobbying for several clients.
Since forming her sole proprietorship Cheri Heflin and Company in 2002, Cheri has focused on delivering personalized services to a deliberately limited number of clients.
Until 2006, she served as the Executive Director and Lobbyist for the West Virginia Nurses Association, as her company was the contract management firm for almost 10 years. The firm handled all responsibilities including budgeting, planning and organizing, conferences, meetings and events for groups as large as 1,000 attendees. The company directed and managed a wide range of activities including production of a quarterly newsletter, certifying continuing education and policy planning on health care. The firm was responsible for fundraising and selling sponsorships, advertising and related materials for all events and promotions.
She was one of the founders of and managed the Women’s Health Policy Conference, an event which attracted national speakers on the latest trends and information on women’s health. She has been a small business advocate, and has a particular passion of helping those businesses cost effectively market their businesses. She has worked on numerous political campaigns, which have been funded primarily through fundraising activities and financial contributions.
Cheri has been speaker at conferences for associations and groups on a wide range of topics including effective communications and women’s health.
Cheri is a graduate of the 1998 Leadership West Virginia Class. She has worked with many diverse organizations as a board or committee member, and often has worked on sales and fundraising for their related activities. These groups include the YMCA Resolve Family Abuse Program, Thomas Memorial Hospital Foundation, Governor Joe Manchin III Transition Team, Inaugural Committees for both Governors Bob Wise and Gaston Caperton, Chemical Alliance Zone, American Heart Association, Kanawha Players and Kanawha Valley Chapter of the WVU Alumni Association. Cheri currently is appointed by the Governor to the West Virginia Women’s Commission, and serves on the Board of West Virginians for Accessible Health Care.
Email: Cheri Heflin |
