George Hohmann (left) receives a plaque recognizing him as a Fellow of the Society of John Wesley. Making the presentation is Steve Nailor, president of the United Methodist Men Foundation. (Caption by WV UMM March 24, 2023; Photo by Mark Lubbock)
George Hohmann had spent his entire life serving others. He had worked tirelessly in his community, volunteering at his church, district, state, and national United Methodist organizations and dedicating his time to those in need, scouting and men’s ministries. Despite any personal challenges along the way, he never lost sight of his commitment to helping others.
On March 9, 2023, on his retirement as Secretary for the United Methodist Men Foundation (UMMF), George was recognized for his service for his gifts of leadership and writing given to help so many, especially in the United Methodist Men organization. He was selected to become the 866th member of the Society of John Wesley Fellows. The John Wesley Award, is a prestigious honor given to individuals who demonstrate outstanding service and commitment to their community. It is the highest award for a United Methodist Man.
Overwhelmed with emotion, George could hardly believe it. He had never sought recognition for his work, but it was humbling to be acknowledged for the impact he had made.
George was born in Fairmont, WV. He attended West Virginia University (WVU). While at WVU he was on the rifle team. After graduation, he went to work for the newspaper in Fairmont. A job became available at the Charleston Gazette, which he took, and through the years he became editor.
George attends First United Methodist Church in South Charleston where he is a certificated lay speaker. About 23 years ago he became part of the church's boy scouts group, a member of the Administrative Council and other church committees.
From 2014 to 2018, he served as Vice President of the WV United Methodist Men. In 2018, he was elected President of the United Methodist Men, serving as a member of the Boy Scout Committee and Co-chair of the Mon Valley District Golf Committee raising funds to send the Boy Scouts for a weekend at Jackson's Mill.
In 2020, he became the Secretary of the national United Methodist Men’s Foundation. He has led the UMMF team for Vision/Planning /Marketing. He has been an outstanding UMMF Secretary and contributed greatly to the success of the Foundation.
From 2020 to March 2023, he also served as Secretary to the Northeastern United Methodist Men.
At the award ceremony, George was surrounded by his brothers and friends from the UMMF he had served since 2020. He was presented with the award by Steve Nailor, President of the UMMF, who spoke about the countless ways that George had helped the UMMF and make the community a better place.
George took the stage to accept the award, and the room erupted in applause. He spoke about the importance of giving back to others, and the joy that comes from helping those in need. He thanked his wife for her support and sacrifice, which allowed him to work tirelessly along with so many volunteers to make a difference in communities, church, scouting, and men’s ministries.
Credits: Our thanks to Steve Nailor and Wayne Custer for their contribution to this story