HONORED ALUMNI — Four were inducted into the Brooke County Schools Wall of Excellence on Thursday for their professional accomplishments and service to the community. On hand for the occasion were, from left, inductees Dr. Matthew Darmelio; Milton “Mitch” Smith; Paul “Bud” Billiard, who accepted for Mike Gundling, who wasn’t able to attend; and inductee Bill Bayless. -- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — The four Brooke High School alumni inducted to Brooke County Schools’ Wall of Excellence said their families and education had much to do with their success.

In each of the last five years a volunteer committee formed by the school board has accepted nominations for alumni who have distinguished themselves through professional accomplishments, leadership or community service.

Inducted this year were Mike Gundling, who has founded several software ventures; Bill Bayless, founder of one of the nation’s largest campus housing developers; Dr. Matt Darmelio, president of Mountain State Orthopedics of Morgantown; and Milton “Mitch” Smith, an award-winning chemistry professor and researcher at Michigan State University.

Gundling, co-valedictorian of Brooke High School’s Class of 1987, has established several software businesses, including TerraGo Technologies of Sterling, Va., which has developed dark web threat intelligence for government agencies and smart grid applications for the cities of Chicago and Toronto.

The company was presented the Smart 50 award by the Smart Cities Connect industry association for its development of a wireless lighting network for Toronto.

Paul “Bud” Billiard, Gundling’s former football coach, read a letter in which Gundling expressed regretted at not being able to attend, saying the honor “holds a special place in my heart.” He thanked the staff and former fellow students at the school for being “my second family” and his parents, George and Sarah Gundling, for instilling in him values and a faith in God.

A 1982 Brooke graduate, Bayless founded American Campus Communities in Austin, Texas, building the company with $2,000 and a handful of staff to one with a $9 million budget and 2,300 employees. He has been interviewed for CNN, Forbes and the Wall Street Journal, among others; and his company has been named one of America’s 100 Most Trustworthy Companies by Forbes; an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year regional winner and national finalist; and on three occasions, One of Texas’ Best Places to Work.

Bayless is founder and chairman of the American Campus Charity Foundation, which helps disadvantaged youth in Austin and the communities of schools served by his company; and a board member of the Rise School of Austin, which serves special needs children.

The son of William “Buck” and Lucille Bayless, he was named the Wellsburg Chamber of Commerce’s 2017 Citizen of the Year for his support of Brooke Hills Park.

A 1985 Brooke graduate, Darmelio is a board certified orthopedic surgeon, team physician for West Virginia University athletics and past chief of staff at Monongalia General Hospital.

He also is in a band with other medical personnel whose performances have raised $250,000 for pediatric care.

Darmelio thanked his parents, Philip and Joanne, for stressing the importance of education and the teachers and coaches who “encouraged me to work hard and give 110 percent and not to give up.”

A 1982 Brooke graduate, Smith went on to earn a doctorate in inorganic chemistry and teach for 25 years at Michigan State, receiving several awards for his teaching and research.

Smith said his parents — Milton, a Bethany College professor, and Dottie, a Brooke High School math teacher — also stressed the value of education. He added he was fortunate to have had several dedicated teachers while at Brooke.

Bayless, Darmelio and Smith were invited to offer advice to Brooke students being presented academic awards on Thursday.

Bayless said his track coach, Lynn “Ace” Ellison told him, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.”

Smith advised, “Follow what you’re passionate about and pursue it. But don’t be afraid to change directions.”

“Work hard at whatever you do and don’t live your life in (computer) apps. Get out and see and do things. If you really want something, keep at it. Give it 110 percent,” Darmelio added.

Seniors, juniors and sophomores were presented gold, silver or bronze pins for earning a 3.5 grade point average for each consecutive semester of their high school careers.

High school students receiving gold award awards were Shelby Adams, Peyton Bates, Kamryn Bedore, Jordan Bernardini, Brianna Bish, Paige Braniff, Kristen Breen, Kylie Byers, Margaret Camilletti, Alanna Cervenak, Gracie Chapline, Jenna Cooper, Nathaniel Coursin, Nikayla Croce, Evan Cuomo, Sydney DeFranco, Jacyn Diamond, Kallie Delatore, Julia Donell, Autumn Dodson, Ashley Eby, Aleigha Edgar, Marissa Elliott, Andrea Fahey-Pannett, Matteo Filippelli, Mckenzie Fox, Coby Frye, Alyssa Garretson, Olyvia George, Kadee Grzybeck, Bethany Harlan, Kacie Harvath, Matthew Harvey, Martin Hayes, Colin Heilman, Mary Hicks, Cammie Hill, Adam Horvath, Jacob Huntzinger, Garret Jackson, Austin Jenkins, Johnna Jones, Mackenzie Jordan, Sarah Kazmirski, Austin King, Joshua Kittle, Brent Kowalsky, Noelle Lamantia , Brittany Lish, Adam Long, Krissa Lusk, Eron May, Hunter McGaughey, Megan Miller, Katelyn Moffo, Alexia Murdock, Allison Myers, Brandon Myers, Garrett Pauls, Justin Pennybacker, Sophia Perrone, Anthony Ptaszek, Jacob Rahr, Treston Sawon, Ethan Secrist, Sierra Sesto, Justin Shelton, Karoline Smith, Syndey Smith, Michael Spitak, Aryana Talbott, Mario Taverne, Sydney Virtue, Mikayla Wood, Tucker Yano and Mason Zopp.

Receiving silver awards were William Barney, Tess Barnhart, Hailey Beadle, Abigail Beckelhimer, Cheyenne boyer, Brett Brown, Tyler Brozstek, Iris Byers, Josh Caswell, Talon Chambers, K.C. Colley, Connor Combs, Rebecca Conaway, Katlynn Cottrill, Cara Cox, Carly Crawford, Caitlyn Cross, McKenzie Cross, Kaitlyn Crow, Nicholas Cruny, Lilli Delguzzi, Alexis DiPaolo, Emily Donley, Shelby Ferrell, Syndey Fisher, Chloe Fox, Lauren Giles, Ashley Grim, Landyn Haynes, Enrique Herrera, Adam Himmelrick, Trevor Hruschak, Kenneth Iverson, Andrew Joseph, Carolann Julio, Mary Koscevic, Carleigh Lantz, Michaela Mahan, Hannah Main, George Makricostas, Mia Marino, Katherine Marks, Meile Morris, Markell Oliver, Mary Ossman, Livia Paris, Gloria Prosser, Aleksey Rasz, Cierra Raszkiewicz, Matthew Reed, Makennah Rice, Malachie Schooley, Katilynne Seminsky, Taylor Sesto, Ekaterina Shul, Adam Smith, Isaac Smith, Gabrielle Snyder, Geneva Stafford, Lilly Stanley, Seth Thoma, Hannah Thomaseth, Rainey Tsekouras, Kierra Vietmeier, Kyleigh Williams, Evita Yang and Gage Yost.

Receiving bronze awards were: Ashley Arca, Jordan Arca, Aaron Aten, Autumn Barlow, Camden Bates, McKenna Berkoben, Erica Bierschwale, Haley Birmingham, David Boardley, John Bober IV, Nicholas Brown, Maxwell Camilletti, Garrett Cessna, Rachel Clampitt, Gage Conant, Kira DeLong, Sophia Dermargosian, Gabriel Dobbs, Kaitlyn Doyle, Courtney Engle, Jonah Eggert, John Ewing, Joshua Ferguson, Cassidy Gerst, Megan Gilchrist, Savannah Grooms, Kylie Guercio, Abigail Hair, Alfred Hamilton, Hannah Hanlon, Christopher Heinen, Kayla Hess, Noah Horvath, Gabriel Hudson, Mark Huff, Maria Kamarados, Rachel Kazmirski, Tabitha Keenan, Matthew Kolb, Brandon Kopko, Madison Mason, Emily Matteson, Riley McAllister, Aaron Merckle, Katrina Miles, Kolby Mitchell, Matthew Monroe, Sarah Moore, Emily Moran, Caitlyn Munger, Adam Pearson, Courtney Raszkiewicz, Brandon Roach, Katlyn Roberts, Ryan Richard, Shalyn Secrist, Autumn Shifflett, Dylan Silver, Anna Snoderly, Gabriella Soplinski, Anthony Taylor, Civanna Tomes, Cheyenne Tredway, Emily Truex, Gavin Utt, Kendall Vangilder, Hailee Vizyak, Lainee Walnoha, Joshua Wells, Austin Williams, Paige Williams and Noah Wilson.