Josephine ‘Jo’ Fannin was born in Huntington in 1944. She attended Monroe Elementary, West Junior High and Huntington High School. Jo is married to Michael Fannin. They have one daughter, Michelle Rene’.
At the age of 45, Fannin returned to school to earn her bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees.
Her career started in banking in St. Louis and Philadelphia for Commerce Bank and Central Penn National Bank.
While living in Yuma, Arizona, she was hired by the National Retired Senior Volunteer Program and served as volunteer coordinator for the State of Arizona.
It was while traveling the world for her husband’s career that she was introduced to volunteer service.
When Fannin returned to Huntington in 1999, she was approached with an opportunity to be the fundraiser and overseer of the planned Hospitality House of Huntington. She became the executive director, fundraiser, house manager and volunteer coordinator. Jo served at the Hospitality House virtually seven days a week, often working 70-plus hours and on-call when she wasn’t there.
After the death of co-founder Dr. Jeffrey George in 2008, the future of the house was uncertain. The next year Fannin realized a lifelong dream. She became a volunteer for the Jeffrey E. George Comfort House at $1 per year, allowing her to continue as president and chief executive officer alongside two dozen other volunteers.
Fannin served on the City of Huntington Foundation Board, Rotary Club of Huntington, Home Healthcare Outreach Board and was scholarship Chairwoman for the Association of Fundraising Professionals for the West Virginia Chapter.
Josephine ‘Jo’ Fannin’s affiliations and awards include business and professional women’s clubs: Phi Theta Kappa Alumni Award, Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow Service Award, Who’s Who in American Women in 1995, Who’s Who in Executive and Professionals 2003, and Who’s Who in Finance and Industry 2004.
