In the heart of Barboursville, the Blatt family, consisting of Ryan and  Holly, and their children Tristan 17, and Addison, 11, along with their dogs Arya, Willow, and Bell, brings a dynamic energy to the community. 

Ryan is originally from Huntington graduated from Huntington High School, and attended Marshall University. Holly is from Buckhannon and attended Buckhannon Upshur High School. She  pursued higher education at Marshall University and St. Mary’s School of Radiologic Technologies

Holly told Stroll Barboursville, “We met at Marshall our freshman year. We both worked in downtown Huntington at Chi Chis. We then started to see each other on campus more and eventually started dating on January 18th, 2000.” The couple was married on August 24, 2002.

Professionally, Ryan is a Licensed Personal Account Representative at Jason Elkins State Farm, where he excels as a top sales and team member coach. His role involves not only educating people about their insurance but also adding additional value to their situations. With six years in this role, Ryan's ability to connect with people and teach them about insurance has made him an invaluable asset to the team. Ryan enthusiastically shared, “I teach people about their insurance and what it means to them as well as adding additional value to their situations. My ability to talk and connect with people is second to none.”

Holly has 22 years of service and is the IR Services Supervisor at Cabell Huntington Hospital.  In her role, Holly manages a team of technologists and nurses in conjunction with the Nurse Manager. Using imaging guidance (X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan) she assists the radiologist in coordinating and performing percutaneous surgeries such as brain aneurysm coiling, stroke intervention, biopsies, drainage catheters, etc.. She has spent years maintaining a high-volume work environment while providing the best care to patients and keeping the department running smoothly.

The Blatt family's activities and hobbies revolve around supporting their children's endeavors. Tristan, a senior at CMHS, excels in cross country and track, making his mark as the 2nd fastest male in the 800/1600 in Midland history. Ryan commented, “He’s milliseconds (Tristan 154.92 with the school record at 154.01 and state record at 153.69) away from breaking the WV state record and Midland school record in the 800 and only about 6 seconds shy in the 1600 for the state.” Tristan is a multi-year All-State and First-team runner and is currently being recruited by Davis and Elkins, Marshall,  and Appalachian State. Holly stated, “At this time, a decision has not been made yet, but he is very excited to run at the next level and the interest that has been shown in him.” Tristan is also involved in the youth ministry at Lewis Memorial.

Addison, a fifth-grader at Martha Elementary, is a passionate basketball player. Ryan expressed, “Addison is a basketball player, and has played for the Barboursville buddy league and is currently playing in the Fairland league. She also plays travel basketball and has spent the last 2 seasons with OJ Elite where they won several tournaments as well as playing in the Ladies Ball National Championships where they placed 2nd. She will now start a new season with the West Virginia Thunder 2031 team which she is looking forward to.” Addison  plans to run like her brother when she hits 6th grade, joining the cross country and track teams. She also enjoys playing softball with her friends. Holly adds, “we look forward to all the possibilities this young lady has in the future as a bright, helpful, caring, and very athletic 11-year-old.”

Ryan and Holly enjoy their respective hobbies. Ryan loves mountain biking on local trails like Meeks Mountain Trails in Hurricane, Barboursville Park, and Beech Fork, “they all offer some incredible riding.” he stated.” Ryan is also a photography and streaming enthusiast. Holly shared, “I enjoy spending time at home with our 3 dogs, taking walks at the park, hiking at one of our favorite spots, Dolly Sods, and trying out new recipes.”

The family's favorite vacation spots include Canaan Valley, Florida beaches, and Holly's parents' farm in North Central WV. Holly said, “We love the outdoors as well as the comfort and relaxation of the beach, and the kids love to visit their grandparents and help out on the farm.

The Blatt Family passionately supports CMHS teams and the Thundering Herd. Ryan commented, “We are all excited about the new MU baseball field.”

Ryan told us “about the family's dinners, “Anything Holly cooks is great; she is a phenomenal cook. I’m ok on the grill and cook a decent pot of chili. We enjoy eating as a family either at our island or dining room.” Holly shared one of the family's traditions, “One of our biggest traditions is July 4th when Ryan and his brother spend countless hours setting up a firework show, and getting it all wired up for the whole neighborhood to enjoy. Several neighbors get involved in the action by donating or helping out with set up or allowing us to use their yard for optimum viewing for the neighborhood.”

Having lived in the current neighborhood for 5 years, the Blatt family appreciates the close-knit community. They actively volunteer at their children's sporting events, and maintain the cross country course at Midland,  Ryan adds, “Holly is usually found volunteering at the finish line at cross country events. We have also volunteered at an aid station for the Kanawha Trace 50K race for the last several years.”  

The Blatt family loves Barboursville its schools, and the convenience of various shops and eateries. Their favorite, the 1861 Public House, stands out, and they actively support local businesses. Ryan summarizes “Barboursville is an awesome community and after we got married and started house shopping, we knew we wanted to live here. We love to support our area by visiting many of our local shops and eateries owned by local people. Our kids love our neighborhood, especially in the summertime, we love it here and it just feels like home.”

We are blessed to have such a wonderful family as part of our community.