The West Virginia University Alumni Association elected three new members to its Board of Directors during its annual meeting held May 12. Mike John of Charleston, W.Va.; Richard Stephens of Madison, W.Va.; and Woody Thrasher of Clarksburg, W.Va., were elected to serve a two-year and six-year terms, respectively.

“We are so pleased to welcome our newest board members,” said Stephen L. Douglas, president and CEO, WVU Alumni Association. “Their dedication and passion are vital to moving our organization and University forward. Their individual backgrounds and unique expertise will enable us to expand our programs and services to meet the ever-changing needs of our alumni base.”

Mike John

John is founder and president of Northeast Natural Energy, LLC, which focuses on assembling a strategic acreage position in Appalachia that will support the efficient large-scale development of shale reserves.

He previously served as vice president of Operations of the Eastern Division for Chesapeake Energy from 2005 to 2009. Prior to joining Chesapeake Energy, John was a senior executive occupying various roles at Triana Energy/Columbia Natural Resources where he also served on the company’s board of directors. He served in that capacity until Columbia Natural Resources was sold to Chesapeake in November 2005.

John is a West Virginia native and a 1981 graduate of WVU with a degree in petroleum engineering. For more information about him, visit: http://go.wvu.edu/JUGLmx.

Richard A. Stephens

Stephens, a native of Madison, graduated from WVU in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He is the owner/operator of Stephens Auto Center, a Ford, Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep dealership near Madison.

After graduating from WVU, he worked for Chrysler Credit and held numerous positions before returning to Madison in 1988 to work with his father at the family-owned business, before assuming the role as dealer principal.

Stephens was the West Virginia nominee for the 2002 Time Magazine Quality Dealer Award and the recipient of the 2003 Northwood University Automobile Dealer Education Award. Stephens Auto Center also has been honored with the 1993 Ford Credit Partners in Quality Award, and the 1996, 2001, and 2009 Ford President’s Award.

Stephens maintains a strong commitment to his alma mater. He is a proud member of the WVU Wheels Club and a life member of the WVU Alumni Association. He also served as president of the Boone County & Friends Chapter of the WVU Alumni Association for two years. View Stephens’ full bio at http://go.wvu.edu/JfaGzR.

H. Woodrow “Woody” Thrasher

Thrasher graduated from WVU in 1977 with a degree in civil engineering. He is President of Thrasher Engineering, Inc., a leading Mid-Atlantic civil and consulting engineering firm, and Resource Engineering Group, Inc.

He and his father, the late Henry Thrasher, formed Thrasher Engineering in Clarksburg, W.Va., in 1983 and since then, the firm has grown to 250 employees in their offices located in Clarksburg, Beckley, and Princeton, along with offices in Oakland, Md.; Canton, Ohio; and Pennsylvania.
In addition to his business pursuits in engineering and architecture, Thrasher also has interests in commercial and residential developments in North Central West Virginia through High Tech Development, LLC, the developing company of White Oaks Business Park.

Mr. Thrasher enjoys being active in his local community and in charitable and professional organizations throughout the State of West Virginia. To view Thrasher’s full bio, visit http://go.wvu.edu/Lcoe3m.

The Alumni Association Board of Directors also elected Jack Rossi of Charleston, W.Va., to serve a second term as chair; John Fahey of Morgantown, W.Va., as vice chair; Jim Bill Harvey of Bristol, Va., as treasurer; and Heather Heiskell Jones of Charleston as secretary.

New members are elected each year at the WVU Alumni Association’s Annual Business Meeting. Individuals can be nominated by submitting a letter of consideration to the president of the WVU Alumni Association.

For more information about the WVU Alumni Association, visit http://alumni.wvu.edu/ or follow us on Twitter @WVUAlumniAssoc.

-WVU-

CONTACT: Tara Curtis, WVU Alumni Association
304-293-0972, tecurtis@mail.wvu.edu

Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.