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Vienna man named West Virginia Oil and Gas Festival Man of the Year

SISTERSVILLE — Charlie Burd of Vienna said it was humbling to receive the honor of 2017 West Virginia Oil and Gas Man of the Year.

With this honor, Burd was parade marshal at last Saturday’s 49th annual Oil and Gas Festival parade in Sistersville. In the parade, Burd, executive director of the West Virginia Independent Oil & Gas Association, rode in a 1960 Chevrolet Corvette driven by its owner, Mike McCown of Mineral Wells, who was named W.Va. Oil and Gas Man of the Year in 2014.

Riding in the front seat of McCown’s Corvette was Burd’s son, Nathan, 19, a student at West Virginia University. The Burds handed out candy from the Corvette as it proceeded along the parade route crowded with spectators.

Charlie Burd said he had ridden in the Oil and Gas Festival parade before but never as parade marshal. “It was a fun time; it is such an honor,” he said.

Burd was presented his award at a luncheon before the parade on Saturday.

Burd noted that Sistersville was the hub of oil and gas production in the Eastern United States at one time and Tyler County is important today in the Marcellus shale gas production.

Burd said it was an honor to be on the “same page” with others who have made significant contributions to the oil and gas industry in West Virginia.

The Parkersburg South and Williamstown high school bands were among the bands participating in the Oil and Gas Festival parade.

Burd was selected by the Board of Directors of the West Virginia Oil and Gas Festival.

Burd worked for Hope Gas for almost 29 years. He also served as the economic development director of the Wood County Development Authority for three years as a loaned executive from Hope Gas. He is a 2001 graduate of Leadership West Virginia.

Burd became executive director of the West Virginia Independent Oil and Gas Association in 2002.

Since then, he has led IOGA WV through growth in membership, the transition from vertical to horizontal drilling and a public outreach program associated with this transition. Burd also serves on the Industry Advisory Committee for WVU’s College of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering; WVU’s Advisory Committee for the Energy and Land Management Program; WVU’s Advisory Committee for the West Virginia Manufacturing Extension Partnership; is active with the Independent Petroleum Association of America, the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the Polymer Alliance Zone of West Virginia, and the West Virginia Manufacturers Association.

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