William “Bill” McKee came to Concord College in the late 60s, drawn by the reputation of the business department. He graduated in 1970 with a BS in Business Administration, concentration in accounting, a degree that provided a firm foundation on which he built a successful career.
“One of the first things I remember organizing after graduation was renting the paddle wheel boat—the PA Denny—in Charleston for $100. It did not leave the dock and had a cash bar. It was promoted by word of mouth to Concord alumni, and I remember about 100 people showed up,”
Bill McKee
Gathering Concord alumni together would come back into play much later in Bill’s life. He has helped organize many events in the Charleston, West Virginia area, including football tailgates and alumni events. He also helped raise scholarship money for the Concord University Foundation by helping organize the Charleston-Concord Dinners and others that followed.
“We had some big crowds and raised a lot of scholarship money for the Foundation,” Bill said. “The first dinner was a coup in the Charleston area. We got the Dow Chemical CEO to be the speaker at our dinner, just as they were buying a huge long-time West Virginia company, Union Carbide. The universities based in Charleston were surprised when we pulled this off. We ended up having several company CEOs and politicians speak at these Charleston dinners.”
He retired with Arnette Carbis Toothman, LLP in Charleston, WV, but continued to use his experience in wealth management and as a Certified Financial Planner and CPA to give back to Concord as a member of the Foundation Board and CU Board of Governors.
“I have always said I felt like I owed Concord for successes that I have been fortunate to enjoy,” Bill said.
He established the William H. McKee, Jr. Scholarship in 2011 to support West Virginia students pursuing accounting degrees at Concord University with a preference given to students from Fayette, McDowell, Mercer, Monroe, Summers, Raleigh, and Wyoming counties.
“It gives me a good feeling to get notes from people thanking me for grants from my scholarship fund,”
Bill McKee
If you would like to contribute to the William H. McKee, Jr. Scholarship, visit the website at concord.edu/donate or contact the Office of Advancement at 304-384-6067. Checks can be mailed to The Office of Advancement, P.O. Box 1405, Athens,