Trending
WHEELING -- The Mountaineer Area Council of Scouting America announced the honorees for the 2025 Distinguished Citizens Dinners, which recognize outstanding individuals and businesses for their dedication to youth, community service and the values of Scouting.
Each year, these events celebrate leaders who exemplify the Scout oath and law in their daily lives, while raising support for Scouting programs across the region.
This year, two community leaders and two corporate partners were recognized for their contributions.
Craig Walker and William Wilmoth were recognized as Distinguished Citizens for their long-standing commitment to service, leadership and youth development.
Walker was honored during the Morgantown Distinguished Citizens Dinner on Oct. 23 at the Erickson Alumni Center. He is the CEO of FCX, a Morgantown-based manufacturer of solid-state ground power equipment with installations in more than 80 countries. His 48-year career includes leadership roles as vice president and CFO of the WVU Foundation, director of business services for Glenmark Holding and chief of staff to the WVU president.
Wilmoth, a seasoned attorney and former U.S. attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia, spent decades defending clients and advising organizations in complex legal matters involving commercial law, healthcare compliance and white-collar crime. He is a dedicated civic leader and member of the Mountaineer Area Council Board of Directors, where he played a role in facilitating the merger of the Mountaineer Area Council and Ohio River Valley Council to better serve youth across the region.
He was recognized Nov. 6 at the Distinguished Citizen Dinner at the White Palace at Wheeling Park in Wheeling.
The Scouting America Council recognized two outstanding corporate partners as Distinguished Corporate Citizens for their ongoing support of community and youth initiatives.
Hope Gas of North Central West Virginia was honored Oct. 23 for its philanthropic and community support projects throughout the region. Hope Gas believes in helping the communities they serve, including volunteerism and grantmaking. Its employees are always ready to lend a helping hand to organizations that need one, officials stated, saying they arrive on site equipped with necessary tools and supplies to spend the day doing whatever it takes to complete a community vitality project.
More than 1,200 volunteer hours have been logged this year by those with the company. Grant funds are available to qualifying organizations, schools and volunteer fire departments for projects and programs that support educational, environmental, basic human needs and community vitality initiatives.
WesBanco was recognized in Wheeling Nov. 6 for providing foundational financial support and education to communities. For more than 150 years, WesBanco has remained a strong and stable financial institution with deep community roots. With branches and offices in nine states, the company is headquartered in Wheeling.
Throughout the past decade, it has built a national reputation as a safe, sound and profitable bank holding company that always strives to do better by its customers.
WesBanco views community development not just as a responsibility, but as an opportunity to create strong, vibrant communities through financial investment, education and strategic partnerships. Its commitment is guided by Five Pillars of Community Development that focus on ensuring economic opportunities for all, with a special emphasis on low and moderate income areas.