Medal of Honor Recipient “Woody” Williams Keynotes ALMBS Veterans Appreciation Assembly

Hershel “Woody” Williams was born on a dairy farm in 1923 in Quiet Dell, West Virginia. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served in the Battle of Iwo Jima with the 21st Marines, 3d Marine Division. During the battle, Mr. Williams displayed “valiant devotion to duty” and service above self as he “enabled his company to reach its objective”. Mr. Williams’ actions, commitment to his fellow service members, and heroism were recognized on October 5, 1945, when he received the Congressional Medal of Honor from President Truman at the White House. Mr. Williams is the sole surviving Marine from WWII, to wear the Medal of Honor.

Medal of Honor Citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as demolition sergeant serving with the 21st Marines, 3d Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano

Judge Kurt Hall Issues Oath of Office to 82ND ALMBS Elected Officials

Judge Hall is a native of Brunswick, Ohio. He has a bachelor’s degree (1990) in Mining Engineering Technology from Fairmont State University and worked as a project engineer/Certified Mine Foreman’s Assistant before earning a law degree from West Virginia University College of Law in 1995.

Judge Hall was elected to a new seat in the Twenty-Sixth Judicial Circuit (Lewis and Upshur Counties) in May 2016. He took office on January 1, 2017.

He was a law clerk in an Elkins law firm, a public defender in the Second Judicial Circuit (Marshall, Tyler, and Wetzel Counties) and then a Randolph County assistant prosecuting attorney. He was an assistant prosecuting attorney in Harrison County for eleven years before then-Governor Earl Ray Tomblin appointed him to the circuit bench in the Twenty-Sixth Judicial Circuit (Lewis and Upshur Counties) in 2013. He served sixteen months but was unsuccessful in retaining the seat in the 2014 election.

WVU’s E. Gordon Gee Inspires ALMBS Citizens

Dr. E. Gordon Gee is one of America’s most prominent higher education leaders, having helmed universities for more than three decades. In 2009, Time magazine named him one of the top 10 university presidents in the United States. Recently, the website Great Value Colleges named him the nation’s top university president.

In 2014, Gee returned to West Virginia University, where his career as a university president began. His leadership goals include putting students first, advancing the university’s research agenda, partnering with West Virginia communities and making sure that 1.8 million West Virginians know in their hearts and minds that West Virginia University is their university.

Born in Vernal, Utah, Gee graduated from the University of Utah with an honors degree in history and earned his J.D. and Ed.D. degrees from Columbia University. He clerked under Chief Justice David T. Lewis of the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals before being named a

WVU President E. Gordon Gee Addresses ALMBS

Dr. E. Gordon Gee is one of America’s most prominent higher education leaders, having served as president of some of the most prestigious public and private universities for more than three decades.

When he returned to lead West Virginia University in 2014 as the institution’s 24th president, it was a homecoming of sorts. He was first named WVU president in 1981 at age 36 – at the time, among the youngest persons to ever serve as a university president.

He led WVU until 1985 when he went on to presidencies at the University of Colorado (1985-90), Brown University (1998-2000) and Vanderbilt University (2001-07). He served as president of The Ohio State University from 1990-97 and again from 2007-13.

On his return to the Morgantown campus, he said, “This is not a job to me; it is a calling.” His leadership style bears that out as he works tirelessly to advance the University’s land-grant

US Representative Alex Mooney Welcomes ALMBS

Congressman Alex X. Mooney and his wife live in Charles Town in Jefferson County with their three children. Their third child, Gabrielle, was born in Charleston, West Virginia in October 2014. The son of a Cuban refugee and Vietnam veteran, Alex grew up with a deep sense of appreciation for the American ideals of individual freedom and personal responsibility.

Alex’s mother, Lala, was born and raised in Fidel Castro’s Cuba, where she and other members of her family were thrown into jail for seven weeks for opposing Castro’s communist regime. When she was 21, Lala escaped Cuba and fled to America with barely a penny to her name.

Alex’s father, Vincent, was sent to Vietnam when Lala was expecting their first child. He served as an Engineering Captain and was awarded the Bronze Star.

Listening to his parents’ inspiring stories, Alex knew from a young age that he wanted to spend his life

WVU President E. Gordon Gee Addresses ALMBS

Dr. E. Gordon Gee is one of America’s most prominent higher education leaders, having helmed universities for more than three decades. In 2009, Time magazine named him one of the top 10 university presidents in the United States.

In 2014, Gee returned to West Virginia University, where his career as a university president began. His leadership goals include putting students first, advancing the university’s research agenda, partnering with West Virginia communities and making sure that 1.8 million West Virginians know in their hearts and minds that West Virginia University is their university.

Born in Vernal, Utah, Gee graduated from the University of Utah with an honors degree in history and earned his J.D. and Ed.D. degrees from Columbia University. He clerked under Chief Justice David T. Lewis of the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals before being named a judicial fellow and staff assistant to the U.S. Supreme Court. In this role,

WVU President E. Gordon Gee Speaks to ALMBS

Dr. E. Gordon Gee is one of America’s most prominent higher education leaders, having helmed universities for more than three decades. In 2009, Time magazine named him one of the top 10 university presidents in the United States.

In 2014, Gee returned to West Virginia University, where his career as a university president began. His leadership goals include putting students first, advancing the university’s research agenda, partnering with West Virginia communities and making sure that 1.8 million West Virginians know in their hearts and minds that West Virginia University is their university.

Born in Vernal, Utah, Gee graduated from the University of Utah with an honors degree in history and earned his J.D. and Ed.D. degrees from Columbia University. He clerked under Chief Justice David T. Lewis of the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals before being named a judicial fellow and staff assistant to the

Commander Robert "Greek" Fochalis

Commander Robert “Greek” Fochalis speaks at ALMBS

The American Legion Department of West Virginia Commander gave an inspiring speech to ALMBS at this evening’s assembly. Please click “Read More” for a biography of Greek.

Secretary of State Natalie Tennant

Secretary of State Natalie Tennant speaks at ALMBS

Natalie E. Tennant was sworn in as West Virginia’s 29th Secretary of State on January 19, 2009. Since taking office, Secretary Tennant has focused on initiatives to create an open and engaging government for our citizens, maintaining fair and honest elections and implementing efficient technologies to better serve the businesses and agencies of our state.

Read her biography by clicking “Read More”