Last weekend, our Revenue Officer, Mark Hatfield, and Vice President of Sales, Jose Loera, made a trip to White Sulphur, West Virginia, to attend the 115th Mid-Atlantic Mutual Advantage Convention, hosted by the Pennsylvania Association of Mutual Insurance Companies. The three-day event included educational and motivating speakers who discussed topics such as evolving with the challenges that businesses are facing since Covid, tracking trends in the industry, and pushing forward through adversity. The Confianza team was featured in the exhibit hall where Mark and Jose presented our fresh new look at booth 8, reconnecting with old friends as well as creating new connections. With their endless energy, the duo was able to reach the mutual insurance community; a demographic Confianza had only previously dipped their toes in.
Of course, for some, the event was more of a reunion, where they brought their significant others and children along to experience the luxury that the Greenbrier has to offer. Deemed America’s Resort, the Greenbrier has something for the entire family with outdoor activities, a spa, shopping, golf course, casino, and more. The first guests arrived in 1778 to a simpler layout of only cottages, hoping the water of the White Sulphur Spring would improve their health. It gained more traction in the 1800s and began hosting a more prestigious crowd from politicians, judges, and lawyers, to clergyman, diplomats, and merchants. At 2,000-feet above sea level, it provides respite from the hot summer days.
It wasn’t always a fun and relaxing atmosphere at the Greenbrier though. During the Civil War, the resort closed and both sides used it as either a hospital or a military base. In 1942, the U.S. Army purchased the property and created the Ashford General Hospital, with 2,000 beds, admitting 24,148 soldiers over the course of four years. Finally, in 1948, the Greenbrier reopened and reclaimed its reputation as America’s Resort.
Sometime in the 1950s, the U.S. government looked to the resort once more, in need of an Emergency Relocation Center, or bunker, for Congress to flee to in case of war. They began construction on the West Virginia Wing, while secretly building the underground bomb shelter below. They kept the location hidden from the public for thirty years, codenaming it Project Greek Island and maintaining its operational readiness. In 1992 however, word got out of the bunkers location and the project was declassified. Visitors can explore the narrow halls of the underground shelter today. The Greenbrier has earned its title as a National Historic Landmark, and we look forward to attending more events there in the future.
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