WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., December 4, 2023 – David H. McKinley will address West Liberty University students at the Fall Commencement ceremony on Saturday, December 9 at 11 am.
McKinley is the president and chief investment officer of McKinley Carter Wealth Services in Wheeling, W.Va., and currently serves as the chair of the West Liberty University Board of Governors. He will share with the students and families some of the life lessons he has learned in his career.
After attending other institutions of higher education, David returned to the area to attend and graduate from West Liberty. While still in school, due to the flexible scheduling offered on the Hilltop and at the former Kruger Street campus, he launched a career in investments at the trust department of the regional bank now known as WesBanco.
His career continued to develop as vice president of investments at a national brokerage firm now known as Wells Fargo. After realizing the merits of a fee-only investment advisory firm, he left the brokerage industry to found in 2003 what would become McKinley Carter Wealth Services, a large SEC-registered advisory firm with over $2 billion of assets under management.
Over the last 15 years, he went on to found or acquire a dozen other operating companies ranging from additional wealth management firms, commercial real estate development, several technology consulting and managed services companies, and an architectural design, engineering, and construction services firm.
As a lifelong learner, David is a member of the Young Presidents Organization and annually pursues knowledge on business strategy, management, finance, and investments through executive education programs offered by Harvard Business School. He has also attended an advanced investment management program at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Having served West Liberty University on the foundation board and school of business advisory board, he is now chair of the University’s board of governors. He is also a commissioner of the system overseeing Oglebay and Wheeling Parks and a board member for organizations including the Oglebay Foundation and Regional Economic Development Partnership.
Doors open at 9:30 am for the 187th Fall Commencement in the Academic, Sports, and Recreation Complex (ASRC). The ceremony will be live-streamed on TopperStation.com and social media (Facebook and YouTube) for those unable to attend.
West Liberty University is West Virginia’s oldest public university, and it offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and 12 graduate programs, both online and on campus. Learn more at westliberty.edu.