Parkersburg mayor appoints Schoenhut as interim personnel director

PARKERSBURG -- Mayor Tom Joyce has appointed an interim personnel director.

Joyce announced that Jennifer Schoenhut will step into the post that opened Friday with the retirement of Personnel Director Sondra Wallace after seven years with the city.

Schoenhut has worked for the city since 2016, first in the Finance and Public Works departments, according to a release from the mayor.

In 2019, she joined the Personnel Department as a payroll/legal specialist and was promoted to benefits coordinator in 2021.

In the release, Joyce said Schoenhut has shown a commitment to learning and professional development, particularly with regard to human resources and employment issues.

"I plan on evaluating Jennifer's performance over the coming weeks and will decide in collaboration with our city attorney and other department heads in short order before seeking council confirmation," he said.

Schoenhut is a longtime Parkersburg resident who graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in Christian education and church leadership and completed a certification in human resources management from the HR Certification Institute.