The West Virginia University Foundation has announced the recipients of its 2011 Outstanding Philanthropy awards.

The awards honor donors who display exceptional generosity, commitment, leadership and proven records of outstanding civic and charitable devotion to the West Virginia University.

This year’s recipients are Fred T. Tattersall, Outstanding Philanthropist; Dolores J. and Alfred F. Ware, Outstanding Volunteer Philanthropists; the Nutting Foundation, Outstanding Philanthropic Foundation; and United Bankshares, Inc, Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation.

“We salute this year’s honorees for their willingness to give to our University in so many ways from financial and in-kind support, to time, effort and expertise,” said R. Wayne King, president and CEO of the WVU Foundation. “Their caring and commitment have truly made WVU a better place.”

The awards were first given in 2005 to mark the WVU Foundation’s 50th anniversary.

Fred T. Tattersall
Fred T. Tattersall of Richmond, Va., is being honored for his commitment and generosity to West Virginia University.

A renowned investment expert and prominent businessman, Tattersall recently provided a gift of $3 million to the WVU College of Business and Economics. The gift represents the largest single donation for an endowed faculty chair position in University history, and the largest single donation ever to the WVU College of Business and Economics.

Tattersall graduated with honors in 1970 from WVU’s College of Business and Economics with a degree in finance. He went on to serve as a senior vice president in the Fixed Income Division in what today is the Bank of America. He continued his career in investment management, and in 1997, created the Tattersall Advisory Group, which currently manages more than $52 billion for institutional accounts. After retiring from the Tattersall Group, he became chairman of 1607 Capital Partners LLC, the position he currently holds.

Tattersall currently serves on the WVU Foundation Board of Directors; the University of Richmond board; the Spider Management Company committee, which oversees the University of Richmond’s endowment fund; the Virginia Museum Board of Trustees; and the Hollywood Cemetery Board of Directors. He served as the past chair of The Community Foundation serving Richmond and central Virginia. In addition, he recently ended 20 years of service to the Jenkins Foundation.

Dolores J. and Alfred F. Ware
Woodburn Circle Society charter members, Alfred and Dolores Ware, are being honored for their strong history of support for WVU, both through their wide-ranging philanthropy and leadership.

Most recently, the Wares donated a piece of land along with funds to maintain a large gateway plaza, serving as a marker for the historic downtown campus.

The Wares and the Ware Family Foundation have supported a wide range of programs and initiatives at the University, including the Ware Distinguished Professorship in Physical Education, Ware Student-Athlete Scholarships, the Ware Presidential Scholarship for Monongalia County, Blaney House renovations, and the Erickson Alumni Center, where the Ware Family Alumni Walk is named in their honor.

Al and Dee Ware both earned bachelor’s degrees from the WVU School of Physical Education in 1950 and 1952, respectively. Al received his master’s degree in speech/communications from WVU in 1952. He has been inducted into the Order of Vandalia and the WVU Academy of Distinguished Alumni, and currently chairs the WVU Emeritus Reunion. Dee is a former chairperson of the WVU College of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences as well as the Blaney House Visiting Committees. The Wares are both members of the School of Physical Education Hall of Fame.

Nutting Foundation
The Nutting Foundation is being recognized for its commitment and service to WVU.

The Nutting Foundation has made many contributions to the University including Nutting Hall at Blaney House, the Ogden Newspapers Visiting Professorship in Journalism, the Ogden Newspapers Seminar Series in Journalism, the Ogden Newspapers Multimedia Classroom in the P.I. Reed School of Journalism, the Ogden Newspapers Scholarships for the School of Journalism, and the Nutting Gallery at the Erickson Alumni Center (to open summer 2011).

The Nutting Foundation and Nutting family have been longtime generous supporters of higher education at WVU and in West Virginia. G. Ogden Nutting has been recognized for his exceptional service to WVU with the Most Loyal West Virginian Award, the WVU Distinguished Service Award, the Paul A. Atkins “Friend of the Journalism School” award, and with induction into the Order of Vandalia. Nutting is a former member of the WVU Foundation Board of Directors. William Nutting has served on the WVU Board of Governors since 2007.

United Bankshares, Inc.
United Bankshares Inc. is being recognized for its unwavering support of WVU and many of its endeavors.

United is well-known throughout the WVU community as a primary sponsor of Mountaineer athletics. Other areas of support for WVU include the Erickson Alumni Center, Rosenbaum Family House, Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Center and general scholarship support.

United Bankshares is West Virginia’s largest bank and the only Fortune 500 company headquartered in the state. The bank has grown from a single-office community bank in Parkersburg, W.Va., to the 50th largest bank holding company in the United States. United Bankshares has grown through successful acquisitions to over 100 offices in four states and the nation’s capital.

United has its roots in Parkersburg National Bank, which WVU alumnus Richard Adams took over as president and CEO in 1975. Under his leadership, the bank has grown to be not only one of the primary corporate leaders in the state, but also a significant philanthropic presence.

The WVU Foundation is a private, nonprofit corporation that generates, receives and administers private gifts for the benefit if WVU.

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mc/bn/06/01/2011

CONTACT: Bill Nevin, WVU Foundation
304-284-4056; WNevin@wvuf.org

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