Brandon Porter received the Generation Putnam Young Leader Award at the Chamber of Commerce annual dinner on July 30.

Brandon has been a true servant and leader in Putnam County. As a young professional, he started his career in Putnam County at the AEP Hurricane Call Center as an engineer serving business and industrial customers. His career advanced with Appalachian Power as a Business Account Manager working with the surrounding municipal leaders in Putnam County, to his current role as Senior Account Manager assisting local engineers, schools, and industry/utility customers with their power needsWhat makes Brandon very special is his service to the community. He recently completed a two year term as the president of the Rotary Club of Putnam County where he exemplified “Service Above Self” the Rotarian Crede. As president elect, he helped lead the construction of a comfort station (a self contained outdoor restroom fully sustainable facility) in Eleanor Park. He led and served on many other projects to help Putnam County, such as trail clean-up, bridge/walkway construction, and other outdoor projects. During the pandemic, Brandon volunteered at multiple Putnam County Health Dept. COVID-19 vaccine clinics, helped fix up treat bags to support Generation Putnam’s trunk at the YMCA’s Boo Thru drive thru, and helped gather information from the Health Dept., Putnam Rotary, and local businesses for Generation Putnam’s submission for Putnam County to WV Healthy People Healthy Places program.

Brandon has volunteered numerous times for the United Way of Central WV and led AEP employees in completing service projects in Putnam County for the United Way Day of Caring. He also serves on the United Way on Citizens Review committee reviewing grant application requests. He has helped many Putnam County community organizations such as organizing fundraising events and drives to support foster children through Mission WV, volunteering with Putnam County builds with Habitat for Humanity, and helping construct a wheel chair swing for Putnam County “raindancers” through the Sweet Julia Grace Foundation serving special medical needs. His service extends outside the county coordinating gifts for at risk youth at the Cammack Children’s Center, handing out food at the Mountaineer Food Bank, bell ringing for the Salvation Army, and building wooden toys for donation with the Valley Woodworkers of West Virginia.