Commencement 2007 Speaker Attorney Thomas A. Heywood

This year's speaker at commencement will be Attorney Thomas A. Heywood. Assistant Managing Partner, Bowles Rice McDavid Graff & Love LLP

Education

• J.D., Harvard Law School (1982)
  • Editor, Harvard International Law Journal
  • Editor, Harvard Law Record
• B.A., Stanford University, with distinction (1978)
  • Phi Beta Kappa Honorary Society

Bar Admissions

• West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia

Affiliations

• American Bar Association
• West Virginia State Bar

Professional Highlights

• Assistant Managing Partner, Bowles Rice McDavid Graff & Love LLP
• Former Chief of Staff and Counsel to the Honorable Gaston Caperton, Governor of West Virginia (1989-1993)
• Law Clerk to the Honorable John A. Field, Jr., Judge, United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (1982-83)
• Named to Best Lawyers in America
• Chairman, Affordable Insurance Workgroup (2005)
• Co-Chairman, Finance & Benefits Committee, Health Advisory Council (2002-2003)
• Chairman, Results-Based Government Task Force, Vision Shared (2002 - Present)
• Chairman, TANF Advisory Council (2001)
• Chairman, Community and Technical College Implementation Board (2000)
• Co-Chairman, Celebration 2000 (1999-2000)
• Co-Chairman, Yes on 1 Committee(Stock Investment Amendment to West Virginia Constitution) (1998)
• Chairman, Transition Committee on Medicaid (1997)
• Chairman, Medicaid Crisis Panel (1995)
• Recipient of numerous public service awards, including the Alliance for Children Leadership Award (2006); Margaret Baldwin Friend of Education Award (2000) (awarded by the West Virginia Education Association); the Sam Walton Community Leadership Award (1999) (awarded by the Charleston Regional Chamber of Commerce and Development); Citizen of the Year (1999) (awarded by the National Association of Social Workers); the Distinguished Service Award (1996) (awarded by the West Virginia Hospital Association); and the Friend of Education Award (1995) (awarded by the Kanawha County Education Association)
• Active in many business, professional, civic and charitable organizations and activities