Michael “Shane” Ashley, a West Virginia native, attended Concord College and Bluefield State College for a few years before switching lanes to become the youngest manager of ACME Markets in Tazewell, Virginia. The store was 50,000 square feet, and contained a combination of groceries and hardware. It employed close to one hundred people and grossed around 7.5 million dollars in sales annually. Shane was manager there for five years before he came to Monroe County.
On December 12, 1983, Shane and his wife Terry bought Ashley’s IGA in Union, West Virginia. The store, which has now been in operation for twenty five years, has employed over 300 local residents throughout the years. This experience, Shane says, taught him about helping people, creating jobs, working on budgets, and setting goals.
Shane is a member of the Union United Methodist Church, where he has participated in numerous mission trips. He has been a member of the volunteer fire department for 18 years and an EMT for 6 years. He is a member of the Monroe Health Center Threat Prep Team and the Greenbrier Valley Red Cross.
As a commissioner, Shane says he has found the job to be “educational, interesting and challenging“. He is open to any and all feedback from the community, so if you have any ideas or suggestions, he encourages you to call or e-mail him at 304-772-5904, omb00606@mail.wvnet.edu.