The Milan Puskar Award Dinner

The Milan Puskar Award Dinner is an annual event on the Morgantown social calendar that honors a person or persons for consistently demonstrating exemplary leadership in improving the quality of life for their fellow citizens. The dinner is also a major fundraising event of the Mylan Park Foundation, Inc., providing support to the operation and expansion of Mylan Park.

2009 MILAN PUSKAR AWARD DINNER
Sunday evening, March 8, 2009, at the Waterfront Place Hotel
Please save the date.

The Milan Puskar Award

Mylan Park Foundation, Inc. seeks to recognize an outstanding contribution to the community from an individual who possesses the vision and spirit to improve the quality of life for people around them. The inaugural award recognized one such person, Milan "Mike" Puskar. Through his continued commitment to the community, this award is now given on an annual basis and is known as "The Milan Puskar Award". This award recognizes a person who has consistently contributed time, money, encouragement and/or skill development to further the cause of education and recreation in our area. Such personal commitments are fueled by the depth and character of an individual.

Milan Puskar Award nominees and winners can represent any walk of life. They will be the men and women whose hard work and creativity have not only changed their lives, but ours as well. Candidates will exemplify a "create change for the better" process.

The Milan Puskar Award was created to celebrate accomplishments of the area's citizens who bring the highest distinction to themselves, their community, and the region. In addition, the award was designed to make the community more aware of the benefits and good works provided by such exemplary citizens, as well as to encourage others to come forward. Winners of the Milan Puskar Award will be an exclusive body of individuals whose commitment to making a difference in the lives of families is unparalleled.

Criteria

• Giving Back - Demonstrates a personal commitment to giving back that goes beyond one's own position; encourages peers to give back to their communities; and engages them in outreach efforts. Has served as a catalyst to mobilize people and resources to advance the cause.
• Impact - Demonstrates a significant impact on developmental projects and raises the visibility and importance of the enterprise.
• Visionary Leadership - Demonstrates commitment, vision, and early involvement in supporting the development and growth of community projects relating to education and recreation. Has acted as a principal or driving force behind the initiative or program.
• Excellence - Creates an atmosphere in which excellence in life's endeavors is both encouraged and supported.

Milan Puskar

The generosity of Milan (Mike) Puskar has enabled the Mylan Park Foundation, Inc. to annually present the Milan Puskar Award.
Mr. Puskar was the inaugural recipient of this award, which recognized his philanthropic efforts throughout the Morgantown community. Through his efforts, the Milan Puskar Award is now bestowed annually upon an individual who, like Mr. Puskar, has made a lasting impact in the community.

In 1961, Mr. Puskar co-founded Mylan Laboratories, Inc., a company dedicated to making quality pharmaceuticals more affordable for the patients who need them. Since that time, he has become a successful and respected leader. His philanthropic activities have touched the lives of many throughout the Morgantown area, surrounding counties, the state of West Virginia, and nationwide. He has focused special interest and generosity on higher education, and serves as friend, mentor, and enthusiastic advocate for many individuals and organizations.

Honoree: Mark R. Nesselroad

Mark R. Nesselroad began his career in 1974 as a maintenance worker at a local nursing home while enrolled at Fairmont State College. In 1979 he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Finance from Fairmont State. After graduation he began his business career in the heath care field. Mark, along with his partner Glenn, are celebrating their 24th year of being in business in West Virginia. They launched their first business venture in 1984 by purchasing The Willows Nursing Home in Parkersburg, WV. Together they built Glenmark Associates, Inc. into the largest Nursing Home and related ancillary service company in West Virginia. In 1995, the company sold its Health Care Holdings to Multicare Companies, Inc. while keeping its construction and development arm Glenmark Holding, LLC. From 1995-1997, Mark served as both C.E.O. of Glenmark Holding LLC and Senior Vice President of acquisition and development for Multicare Companies, Inc. a New York Stock Exchange Company. In 1997, Multicare sold its stock to Genesis Health Ventures. Since 1997, as CEO, Mark has focused his attention on the growth and expansion of Glenmark Holding and its development and ownership activities. The company has grown to over $56 million in assets and over 530,000 square feet of owned properties.

The greater Morgantown community has benefited from the vision and involvement of Mark Nesselroad, resulting in an improved quality of life for so many area residents and visitors. Mark is the President of The Mylan Park Foundation, Inc., and was one of the initial visionaries who converted surface mine land at Chaplin Hill into what is now a 320 acre Mylan Park. In 2001, Mark was a founding board member of the EdVenture Group, and remains an active member of their board today. He is also a member of the Campus Neighborhoods Revitalization Committee. Mark serves on the Board of Directors of Centra Bank and Centra Holdings, West Virginia University Health Systems and West Virginia Housing Development Fund.

In 2002 Mark was nominated and won the Governor's Service Award. The Junior Chamber of Commerce has recognized Glenn and Mark as Outstanding Young Entrepreneurs of the year and twice they were finalists for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneurial Award. In 1994, the West Virginia University College of Business and Economics lauded them as West Virginia Entrepreneurs of the year. In 2000 they were chosen by the Small Business Administration as Small Business Person(s) of the Year and represented West Virginia in the national competition in Washington, DC.

Mark and his wife Peggy live in Morgantown and have two children, Mark Joseph and Erica. Mark Joseph is a graduate student at West Virginia University pursuing a degree in law and Erica is a graduate of Furman University.

Keynote Speaker: Tom Whittaker

A most inspiring testament to human courage and determination took place on May 27, 1998 on Mt. Everest. Tom Whittaker became the first human with a physical disability to climb to the top of the world.

The son of a Welsh army officer, Tom Whittaker worked as a rig diver in the North Atlantic and as a night club bouncer in Gibraltar. In 1976 he arrived in the U.S. having worked passage delivering a 65 foot yacht across the Atlantic.

Pursuing his vision of becoming a world class mountaineer, he quickly established himself, taking on climbs like a winter ascent of the North Face of the Matter horn, Mt. McKinley, and the nose of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley.

Then on Thanksgiving Day of 1979, Tom Whittaker's life as he knew it came to an end. Shortly after completing a Master of Arts degree at Idaho State University in Pocatello, an out of control vehicle swerved into his lane striking his VW bus head on.

With two shattered legs and one severed foot, Whittaker refused pain medication in order to talk with the surgeon. His tenacity paid off. The original prognosis to amputate both legs was delayed.
Instead he emerged from surgery with two severely damaged knees - including the removal of his right kneecap - and the amputation of his right foot.

Having led a life of extreme adventure and outdoor pursuits, including a stint as an Outward Bound instructor, Tom was now faced with the seemingly impossible task of reinventing himself.
Tom painfully and slowly put his life back together. He earned another Masters degree and founded the Cooperative Wilderness Handicapped Outdoor Group (C.W. HOG). By harnessing the power of civic responsibility and volunteerism, he put the devastating lessons he learned to work for others. In the process Tom found a home and in 1986 became an American citizen.

On May 27, 1998, as the leader of his own expedition he climbed to the roof of the world by summiting Mt. Everest. He had not only overcome his innate fears and personal catastrophe, but had persisted against a tide of skepticism.

This was Whittaker's third attempt. On his first expedition in 1989, he survived a storm in which five mountaineers perished. At 21,000 feet he abandoned all gear and supplies to get off the storm bound mountain. Though barely escaping with his life, Whittaker's belief that he could climb the mountain was strengthened.

In 1995 he came within 1,500 feet of the summit before being beaten back. On returning to base camp, teammate Greg Child gave Tom a stone saying "I picked this up on the summit and I want you to put it back where I got it from".

The gauntlet was cast.

There on the Rhumbok Glacier at 17,000 ft. in Tibet, Whittaker began to plan his final expedition. This time he handpicked and led the team, was instrumental in making a documentary film and included his family and the HOGs, the handicapped group he founded in 1981.

This became one of the most ambitious and arguably successful mountaineering expeditions of all times. It created three world firsts and a prime time CBS documentary film, which won the 1998 Telly award for best adventure documentary. "A Footprint on Everest" was re-tooled for "48 Hours" with Dan Rather, under the title "Against All Odds" and aired on July 13, 1999.

After overcoming a lung infection, and medical opposition, Tom's perseverance and determination paid off. On May 27th, 1998, Whittaker made a footprint on Everest and climbing history by stepping onto the 'Roof of the World'. He returned the stone, he redefined the possible, but more than anything his achievement stands as a beacon to all of us that aspire to take a dream and turn it into something great.

Married with two young daughters, Whittaker spends his time between Granville Associates, his motivational speaking and corporate training business, and his WIND HORSE LEGACY, a charitable trust benefiting disabled people worldwide.

Milan Puskar Award Dinner
Honoring
Mark R. Nesselroad

Sunday, March 9, 2008
Cocktails - 6:00 PM
Dinner - 7:00 PM

Master of Ceremonies: Jack Bowman

Welcome..........................................................................Van F. Anderson
Invocation.............................................................................Clinton Baker
Milan Puskar Award History / Meaning.........................................Jack Bowman
Remarks from our Governor...................................................Joe Manchin, III
Remarks from our Congressman.............................................Alan B. Mollohan
Keynote Speaker..................................................................Tom Whittaker
Testimonies for Mark Nesselroad..................................................Glenn Adrian
.............................................................................................Doug Leech
............................................................................................Milan Puskar
Presentation of the Award and Introduction of Mark Nesselroad........Milan Puskar
Remarks by the Honoree.......................................................Mark Nesselroad
Closing..................................................................................Bruce Sparks

Music Provided by: Tatyana Ringer
Table Floral Arrangements: Galloway’s Florist

The Milan Puskar Award Dinner is sponsored by the Mylan Park Foundation, Inc.

Menu

Fresh Field Green Salad with Cucumber,
Cherry Tomatoes and Shredded Carrots
Choice of Dressing: Red Wine Vinaigrette or Ranch

Warm Assorted Rolls and Butter

Char-Grilled Filet with Caramelized Onions
and New Orleans Style Crab Cake

Roasted Red Potatoes Herb Roasted Vegetables

Wildberry Charlotte

Vegetarian Option:
Stuffed Baby Portabella Mushrooms