ALUMNI “WALL OF HONOR” The West Liberty University Alumni Board of Directors instituted a project in 1990 to demonstrate to current students, visitors, and friends that the college has some very successful graduates. This project, known as the “Alumni Wall of Honor,” is a dramatic way to honor some of the college’s most distinguished alumni and display pride in the accomplishments of its graduates. The concept was suggested by then Associate Professor of Physics Robert W. Schramm, who is a 1958 graduate of the college and a 2002 Alumni Wall of Honor inductee. The Alumni Wall of Honor is housed in the south end of the Union known as the Alumni Lounge.
Nick Sparachane
Inducted 2022Nick is one of the original founders of Main Street Bank and senior vice-president of USI Insurance Services, where he serves as its Director of Construction Industry Group. He also serves as Vice-Chairman and owner of Undo’s Family Restaurants which operates three locations in the Upper Ohio Valley area. In 2020 he opened the Alpha Tavern in Wheeling.
Nick served as Mayor of Wheeling, WV from 2000 to 2008. During his tenure the former Wheeling Stamping Building became the Global Operations Center for the international law firm Orrick. Mayor Sparachane worked hard to pitch Wheeling to Orrick officials — including a personal visit to their San Francisco headquarters. As a result of these efforts, there are now roughly 400 employees working in what had become an abandoned factory.
But it doesn’t stop there. Bringing Orrick to the Wheeling Stamping Building helped catalyze the redevelopment of Celeron Plaza, including the Staley Communications Building and The Wagner Building. Working closely with Wheeling’s City Council and RED, Mayor Sparachane helped facilitate the redevelopment of the Stone & Thomas building in Downtown Wheeling, which was vacant in the early 2000s. Today, the Stone Center is nearly fully occupied, with the primary tenant — Williams Lea — following Orrick to Wheeling with hundreds of jobs of its own.
During Mayor Sparachane’s tenure, the city also made important investments in its future. Major renovations to the then-Wheeling Civic Center were undertaken. The city worked with various partners — including the Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau — to save The Capitol Theatre.
Nick and his wife Patti, also a WLU alum, have five children and five grandchildren.