When West Virginia University alumnus Frank Scott Rotruck heads to campus for this month’s Homecoming festivities, he’ll be more than an excited participant.

He’ll be an award recipient.

Rotruck will be honored Oct. 18 during the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences’ Homecoming reception with the 2013 Eberly Alumni Recognition Award.

The award acknowledges the important contributions alumni make in their community and within their profession.

“The Eberly College created this award to recognize exceptional folks like Scott. His sense of community, pride in his state and commitment to being an active contributor to a better tomorrow make him the ideal recipient,” said Dean Robert H. Jones.

From 1999 to 2001, Rotruck worked as a senior advisor to the president, where he worked on the University’s Economic Development Initiative as the economic development director for WVU.

From 2002-06, Rotruck chaired the WVU Extension Service visiting committee and served as president of the Morgantown Chamber of Commerce. He also returned to the University to teach entrepreneurship at the College of Business and Economics.

In 2006, he became the vice president of Chesapeake Energy Corporation. He retired from the position in 2013.

Rotruck remains heavily involved at WVU.

“West Virginia is extraordinarily important to me. I love this state deeply—passionately. I also love this institution because it can and does do so much for the state,” he said.

“I care about (the University) a whole lot. I don’t think there’s any other land grant institution in the country that’s as important to a state, as this land grant institution, West Virginia University, is to the state of West Virginia.”

Rotruck graduated from WVU in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in history.

He earned a master’s degree in business administration while working for CSX Corporation during the late ‘70s and ‘80s. After earning his master’s degree, he worked for Norfolk Southern and completed the Management Training Program.

Rotruck also worked in the energy sector of the coal industry as president/CEO of the Maryland Coal Association from 1987 to 1994 before being named vice president of regional affairs for Anker Energy Corporation.

The annual Eberly College Homecoming reception will be from 7:30-9:30 p.m. in the Clarion Hotel Morgan Ballroom, 127 High Street. To RSVP, go to eberly.wvu.edu/homecoming or email ecas@mail.wvu.edu.

-WVU-

ma/10/18/13

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304-293-6867, Devon.Copeland@mail.wvu.edu

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