‘A great place to live, learn, work and play’
Claysville Area Business Association strives to enhance life in borough
Rick Newton is an affable guy, but when it comes to Claysville and surrounding communities, he is a tough cookie.
A longtime resident of nearby East Finley Township, Newton is a business management consultant, owner of Newton Institute, which helps companies develop leaders, teams and cultures.
He is staunchly devoted to his company – and beyond.
Newton also is president of the Claysville Area Business Association, an organization composed of local entrepreneurs and business leaders who are equally dedicated to enhancing life in a borough of 800 and other local municipalities in western Washington County.
The operative words in CABA’s title are Claysville Area, where the group, according to its mission, pledges “to see our community thrive economically, relationally and culturally.”
Community, in this instance, Newton stressed, is made up of the borough and towns nearby, with the objective to “make the Claysville area a great place to live, learn, work and play.”
Claysville, to be sure, is a centerpiece in this endeavor. Its evolving business district, along Route 40 (the National Pike), is the only such entity within the vast, largely rural McGuffey school system. McGuffey encompasses two boroughs (Claysville and Green Hills) and seven townships (Blaine, Buffalo, Donegal, East Finley, Morris, South Franklin and West Finley).
Unity among local communities, however, is paramount in this endeavor. “We work to bring people together,” said Newton, whose business sits on Route 40.
CABA’s objectives, according to a brochure it produced, are many. Primary among them are “catalyzing economic development; providing resources for business startups; conducting workshops intended to improve existing businesses; stewarding membership fees for the common good; facilitating business and workforce networking; serving and supporting community projects; and collaborating with area organizations.”
The group says on its website that its DNA is Cultivating Community, Connection and Commerce. We plow, plant and nurture the seeds necessary for a thriving community.
“We are supporting not just businesses, but other initiatives,” Newton said. “We helped Claysville Elementary School with signage. We have grant applications for improvements in downtown Claysville.”
The annual National Pike Festival remains a May tradition in the downtown area, and was considered a regional success this year. In what could be the beginning of a tradition, there will be a local farmers market the second Sunday of each month from July through October. “We’ll see how it does in 2025,” Newton said.
Newton, a 1981 graduate of McGuffey High School, heads the organization, which also features Jessica Finch as vice president, Ashley Sprowls-Gatts as treasurer and Wayne Vanderhoof as secretary.
The group meets early – 8 to 9 a.m.- on the third Tuesday of every month. They gather either at Main Street Café or the community center, located at 224 and 212 Main St., respectively, in downtown Claysville.
CABA welcomes new members, who pay an annual fee of $50. (Nonprofits can join for free.) The organization has more than 50 members, who include area residents, and established, newer and regional businesses. It also has nonprofit and local government organizations and officials, including the Washington County Chamber of Commerce.
The group has more than 700 Facebook followers and 680 Facebook likes.
“When I started to attend meetings 10 years ago, we had a handful of people involved,” Newton said. “It was more of a networking type of gathering. We still do that, but this has evolved with the collaboration of CAPRI,” a community organization based in the borough that likewise is working to improve the local economy and quality of life.
CABA is one of several business committees that have operated in the Claysville area. Newton said a group of business owners formed the Claysville Business Association a half-century ago or so.
“At the time, Interstate 70 was not in existence here,” Newton said. “We had heavy traffic in town (Claysville).”
CABA formulates and works to achieve 15 goals each year and is in the midst of that now – to make the Claysville area, as intended, “a great place to live, learn, work and play.”