Member Profile  By James H. Shott, III

 February 28, 2005

B.G. "Bev" Blalock

Bev Blalock was a senior in high school when he moved to Bluefield from Roanoke, Virginia, in 1943. Soon thereafter he went to work at National Electric Coil, beginning a relationship that lasted 31 years.

But after only a few months, Bev joined the U.S. Navy, and spent the next 18 months serving his country aboard the U.S.S. Hornet. Following his discharge from the Navy, he rejoined National Electric Coil in the engineering department, and worked as senior catalog clerk, draftsman, and assistant to the chief engineer before being promoted to sales engineer for the southeast, and transferring to Charlotte, North Carolina.

In 1969 Bev returned to Bluefield as plant manager, and joined the Bluefield Rotary Club that same year. After five years as plant manager, Bev and Merte Corte bought the Platnick Brothers company and renamed it “Blacor Steel.” Fifteen years later, he retired from Blaycor, but Bev has not retired from community activities.

Bev and Rachel were married 55 years ago, while he worked at National Electric Coil. They have two children, Larry, and attorney for Jackson Kelly living in Wheeling, W.Va. with his family, and Beth, a nurse who lives with her family in Highlands, North Carolina. The kids have given Bev and Rachel two grandchildren each.

He is an active volunteer in the community; having worked on several projects with the Chamber of Commerce, and has held positions in the Masonic Lodge. Bev is Past Worshipful Master at Harmon Lodge 22 in Bluefield, Virginia, and two years ago he served as District Deputy Grand Master for the 45^th Masonic District.

The Community Foundation of the Virginias is a primary interest of his, and he says he thoroughly enjoys that work. “I enjoy seeing it grow,” he said. “It’s grown in assets about 45 percent since December 31 of 2003.”

As a long-time Rotarian, and past president, Bev explained, “Rotary has always been very special to me. When I joined, Rotary was meeting in the West Virginian Hotel. That was quite unique. I have many fond memories of the meetings, and the friends I’ve been associated with,” he said. “It’s been a great experience for me.”

“One of the outstanding things was the year I served as president we celebrated the 60^th anniversary of the Bluefield Rotary Club,” he said. “We presented a Paul Harris Fellowship posthumously to Mr. Brown, from Bluefield State College. I think he was the first black member of Rotary in the state of West Virginia to receive this award. That was a highlight of that year for me as president,” Bev said.

Bev’s many years of tireless work for the betterment of our community exemplifies what Rotary is all about. We’re glad that Bev came to Bluefield 62 years ago. He is a true gentleman, and an asset to our club.