On his first paying job: 'I worked at Oglebay Park as a teenager, a job I got pretty much as soon as I could ... because it came with a free pass to do everything at the park.'
DAVID H. McKINLEY
Owner, McKinnley Investment Group, Wheeling, 35
His/Her story: A Wheeling native, McKinley's company is one of the largest, if not the largest, independent investment groups in West Virginia. McKinley started his company in 2001 as a subsidiary of Wachovia Corp. It became an independent corporation in September 2005 and since then has grown to $120 million in assets under his management.
McKinley and his six full-time associates have clients in 10 states. The company develops retirement plans for institutions and individuals, provides money management consulting services for endowments and foundations and designs tax-sensitive wealth management strategies for high-net-worth individuals.
'Failure is not an option. Either you go after something all the way or just bag it,' McKinley said. 'I believe you need to surround yourself with trustworthy and loyal people, ideally brighter than you.'
McKinley earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from West Liberty State College. He also has completed investment training through the Center for Fiduciary Studies at the University of Pittsburgh's Katz Graduate School of Business and the Investment Management Consultants Association at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
David is a member of the Wheeling Area and West Virginia Chambers of Commerce, Wheeling Rotary Club, St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley, Regional Economic Development Partnership, Northern West Virginia Rural Health Education Center and the Business Advisory Council at West Liberty State College.
McKinley and his wife, Meredith, live in Wheeling with 22-month-old son David.
