West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has appointed Wheeling business leader Lisa Allen, president and chief executive officer of Ziegenfelder Company, to the West Liberty University Board of Governors. She will be sworn in at the board’s next regularly scheduled meeting on Dec. 7.
She heads a family business that has operated in Wheeling for more than 140 years. Ziegenfelder produces Budget Saver Twin Pops, frozen treats available in a variety of flavors.
President Robin C. Capehart, noting that Allen is a member of the Business Advisory Board of the Gary E. West College of Business, said, “The appointment of a successful business leader of Lisa Allen’s stature is a tremendous addition to the board of governors. Her expertise and business acumen will be invaluable as West Liberty University continues to develop innovative approaches to education, learning, leadership and entrepreneurship.”
Allen will replace board member Michael Stolarczyk, whose four-year term has ended. The Board of Governors is responsible for the oversight of WLU’s programs, finances, and many other supervisory and administrative matters.
After World War I, Abe Lando began working for Ziegenfelder Co. His granddaughter Lisa Allen, an honors graduate of Ohio University, had built her own successful consulting business before joining her father Charles Lando at Ziegenfelder in 1999. In the last 12 years, the company has tripled its growth. Under her direction, the company’s branded product is the top-selling item in the retail category in every retail chain where it is sold. This year, the company began a $5 million project to expand its capacity by 40 percent, the anticipated completion date of which is February 2012.
She also has served as a member of the boards of the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce, the National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Association, Ohio Valley Regional Economic Development Corp. and Temple Shalom in Wheeling.