Kris Warner
West Virginia's 31st Secretary of State
Kris E. Warner is a sixth generation West Virginian having been born and raised in Charleston, WV. He was educated in Kanawha County public schools and attended West Virginia University in Morgantown.
On November 5, 2024 after his first attempt at election to a statewide office, the voters of West Virginia overwhelmingly elected Kris to become the state's 31st Secretary of State entrusting him to serve as the state's Chief Elections Officer as well as the state's Chief Business Registration & Licensing Official.
An entrepreneur and successful real estate developer for more than 30 years, Kris' expertise was called upon in 2017 when he was appointed by President Donald J. Trump to serve as the West Virginia State Director for USDA Rural Development. In that capacity, Kris led the USDA in partnering with state and local governments with investments that exceeded $1.2 billion in just four years - an incredible investment for a state the size of West Virginia. Those investments helped address the financial need for safe water projects and upgraded water treatment systems throughout the state. Kris also led the USDA effort to invest major federal funding into rural housing as well as into West Virginia's broadband development in unserved and underserved areas of the state.
With that track record of success at the federal level and a thorough understanding of the value of public-private partnerships, in 2021 Kris was appointed by Governor Jim Justice to serve as the Executive Director of the WV Economic Development Authority. From March 2021 through 2024, the WVEDA worked closely with the Governor and the West Virginia legislature to identify and create economic development opportunities with more than $2 billion in state funding through game changing investments in strategic industries.
Kris has also been recognized at the local, state, and federal level as an innovative and successful Republican Party leader. He served as the State Chairman of the WV Republican Party from 2000 to 2004. From 2012 to 2016, Kris served as West Virginia's National Committeeman for the Republican National Committee. He also served as a West Virginia Delegate to three National GOP Conventions in support of President Donald J. Trump.
Kris and his wife Joyce, a public school teacher in Kanawha County, have been married for 36 years. They have five children—two sons and three daughters—all of whom have attended the United States Air Force Academy. Kris and Joyce have four grandchildren.
