Berkeley Co DCA

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The Potomac District of the Shenandoah Area Council of Scouting America proudly announces Berniece Collis as the 2025 Distinguished Citizen Award Honoree for Berkeley County.

A native of Berkeley County, Collis graduated from Martinsburg High School and Shepherd University, then earned a master's degree from West Virginia University with a certification in Specific Learning Disabilities K-12.  From 1979 until 1990, she served as a Specific Learning Disabilities Resource Teacher for Berkeley County Schools, during which time she was named Jaycee Outstanding Educator for West Virginia, received Berkeley County Teacher of the Year honors, a Women's Commission Outstanding Educator Award, and was named a Leaders of Learning Award winner for Innovative Programs.  Elected to the Berkeley County Board of Education in 1994, she served eight years on the board, including two as its vice president.  She has been vice president since 1990 and co-owner, with her husband Craig Collis, since 1988 of Minghini's General Contractors, Inc. Under the Collises' leadership, the commercial contracting firm has expanded its footprint in the Eastern Panhandle and the surrounding area while retaining its founding business philosophy, dictated by the Golden Rule in serving customers and dealing ethically in its business transactions.  Minghini's offers its customers solutions in the construction of new buildings, remodeling of existing facilities, and handling of ADA and adaptive-reuse retrofits for business, industrial, government, service, religious, professional, and retail customers.  Collis has been involved in Scouting programs for nearly her entire life, having recently received her 60-year pin from the Girl Scouts of the USA. She was the last president of the Shawnee Girl Scout Council prior to its merger with Girl Scouts of the Nation's Capital in 2009 and has continued in leadership positions with the latter organization to the present day. In 2011, she was recognized as a "Woman of Distinction" by the council.  In addition, she has served on the committees for Cub Scout Pack 25 and BSA Troop 25, and the Potomac District nominating committee.  Collis has a long and distinguished history of service to her community. A past president of the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce, she received that organization's Les Golliday Business Person of the Year Award in 2009 and its Citizen of the Year award in 2019.  A member of Rotary since 1997, she has twice been named Martinsburg Rotary's Rotarian of the Year and the Rotary President's Award of Excellence. She organized Rotary's Interact and Rotaract youth service and leadership programs in local schools.  A past board member of the local United Way, she served for 15 years as project manager for the campaign's annual Day of Caring.  Collis has also been involved with the Apollo Civic Theatre, The Arts Centre, Friends in Action of the Eastern Panhandle, and Faith Christian Academy. She is a member and volunteer at Crossroads Church, and a member and past junior church and Bible school teacher at Johnsontown Bible Church.  Professionally, she has been a board member of MVB Bank and Associated Builders & Contractors, and a member of the Eastern Panhandle Business Association.  The Distinguished Citizen Award is the latest in many accolades received by Collis. In addition to those cited above, her honors include Outstanding Young American Woman, Beta Sigma Phi "First Lady," Association of Fundraising Professionals Distinguished Volunteer, and WV Executive Sharp Shooter. In 2003, her alma mater, Shepherd University, named her its Distinguished Alumna of the Year.