Greenbrier County Hero of the Week: Tammy Tincher

Tammy Tincher, renowned for her dedicated service to the communities in Greenbrier County as county commissioner, is being honorably recognized as the “West Virginia Daily News Greenbrier County Hero of the Week.”

With a degree in animal and poultry science – beef production from Virginia Tech, Tincher initially came to Greenbrier County to work at a purebred Angus cattle farm where she was elevated to the role of manager. She later assumed the role of executive director of The North House Museum and Greenbrier Historical Society, serving as a steward of local history and culture. Later she became a licensed insurance salesperson with State Farm, balancing her time between serving her community and managing her small business.

As a county commissioner, Tincher has been a continuous advocate for the interests and well-being of Greenbrier County’s residents, exemplifying a tireless dedication to service and community development.

[WVDN] Why did you choose to make Greenbrier County your home?

Greenbrier County felt very much like home, and I became involved with many community activities and my church and decided not to leave when opportunities arose to go elsewhere. I met my husband who grew up in Greenbrier County and our home is in Rainelle, West Virginia.

[WVDN] Why did you choose your career in public service as a county commissioner?

I was approached by some very special ladies urging me to consider running for public office. I was totally against it at first, but it was shortly after the flood of 2016, and I recognized we needed better representation for our residents on the western end of the county.

[WVDN] You’ve been a longtime advocate for community services, especially youth, libraries and animals like the Greenbrier County Humane Society. Why are these programs important, and how do they directly benefit the community?

Community programs are the lifeblood of Greenbrier County and without the work of volunteers who make up our community organizations, we would not have the many benefits that provide the way of life that makes our area so special.

[WVDN] Can you share a particularly memorable person or situation during your career and how it impacted you? How did it restore your faith in community and service?

The flood of 2016 truly impacted my life in many ways. It was a devastating experience for everyone in our county in some way or another, and our communities are still working through recovery.

There could have been no better experience to see the good that came from such devastation: neighbors helping neighbors, strangers helping those in need, different organizations preparing and serving food for weeks and weeks and other unnoticed acts of goodwill.

I would have never considered public office if I had not gone through the flood, and I would not keep the memories of hopelessness and regrowth in the back of my mind to push me to do the best I can for our County and its people every day.

[WVDN] If you could go back in time and spend an hour with any West Virginian from history, who would it be and what burning question would you ask them?

I would like to spend an hour with Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician from White Sulphur Springs, and ask her if she recognized at the time, she was making history how significant her impact would be on space exploration, women’s equality and the overall opportunities that would be afforded to women in the workplace?

About The Greenbrier County Hero

Greenbrier County Hero is a weekly column highlighting interesting people living in Greenbrier County. The column was originally named “Meet a Greenbrier Countian” which ran in The West Virginia Daily News for multiple decades.

If you know of a person or organization that embodies the spirit of humanitarian service, volunteerism and/or has exceptional talent, please, let us know! Send your nominations to hero@wvdn.com.