Bridgeport's David Alvarez among Four to be Inducted to WVU's Prestigious Order of Vandalia on Sept. 10
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on September 08, 2026
In recognition of their loyalty and service to West Virginia University, four Mountaineers will be inducted into the Order of Vandalia during a Sept. 10 ceremony.
The 2026 inductees, who all have invested in the University’s continued success in a variety of ways, are David Alvarez, Steve Antoline, David Hendrickson, and Bill Wilmoth.
A Harrison County native and University alum, David Alvarez serves as president of Applied Construction Solutions, an energy infrastructure
construction firm specializing in natural gas facilities, liquefied natural gas, renewable natural gas, and electric power generation nationwide; and CEO of Energy Transportation, LLC, which supplies the natural gas industry. Alvarez was a member of the WVU Board of Governors from 2012 to 2022, including two years in leadership roles as vice chair and chair.
construction firm specializing in natural gas facilities, liquefied natural gas, renewable natural gas, and electric power generation nationwide; and CEO of Energy Transportation, LLC, which supplies the natural gas industry. Alvarez was a member of the WVU Board of Governors from 2012 to 2022, including two years in leadership roles as vice chair and chair.
Steve Antoline is a Nicholas County native and University alum who founded Superior Highwall Miners in Beckley, and oversaw its growth into the world’s largest manufacturer of highwall mining equipment. With his son, he now oversees diverse operations, including natural gas and oil production, property development, home building, and other company interests. Previously, Antoline co-chaired the “Grow Hope” fundraising campaign to support construction of WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s Hospital.
A two-time University graduate and former U.S. Army captain, David Hendrickson is a founding partner of legal firm Hendrickson and Long, PLLC, and the president and founder of Hendrickson Mediation Services. He previously served as chair of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission from 2008 to 2013, and spearheaded fundraising efforts for the Pride Practice Field and Facility, the permanent rehearsal space for the Mountaineer Marching Band.
Born in Elkins and raised in Fairmont, William “Bill” Wilmoth is a WVU College of Law graduate and partner with Steptoe & Johnson PLLC who previously served as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia from 1993 to 1999. For a decade, he was a member of the WVU Board of Governors, including two years as chair. Later, he was part of the search committee for the hiring of President Michael T. Benson.
The ceremony will also honor the memories of five Vandalians who died in the past year: Mildred Fizer, Class of 1989; Dee M. McKnight Brown and Gordon Thorn, Class of 2002; and Elizabeth “Betsy” Brown, Class of 2013.
The Order of Vandalia, the highest recognition for service to WVU, dates back to 1960 when WVU President Elvis J. Stahr outlined his idea for a special honor to be bestowed on the University’s most loyal servants.
Inductees through the years have included U.S. Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, Carolyn Eberly Blaney, Joseph Gluck, John T. Chambers, Earl L. Core, Ken Kendrick, and Milan Puskar.
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