Richard M. Adams

Richard M. Adams' career in banking is marked by his exemplary leadership. By the age of 29, he had earned degrees from WVU and Rutgers and was named president of what was the Parkersburg National Bank.

During the next 26 years, he led United Bankshares Inc. to become the largest bank holding company headquartered in West Virginia, with full-service offices across the region, including the highly competitive Washington, D.C. market in 2002. At that time, United Bankshares Inc. was the only West Virginia corporation to be listed in the Forbes 500.

Adams has distinguished himself in important banking leadership roles. He is a member of the International Financial Conference and the Financial Services Roundtable; serves on the Board of Directors of the West Virginia Bankers Association (former president and chairman), the West Virginia State Chamber of Commerce, and the West Virginia Business Roundtable. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank and as president and board member of the Parkersburg Development Corporation. He has also served the Wood County Development Corporation, the Greater Mid-Ohio Valley Chamber of Commerce, and the Eastern States Bankcard Association, New York. His commitment to service extends beyond his profession to include involvement in a wide range of community organizations.

With this record, it is not surprising that he has been recognized for several important honors, including being named the 2002 West Virginia Bankers Association "Banker of the Year," the Parkersburg Area Jaycee's "Boss of the Year," the YMCA's "Citizen of the Year," and a member of The State Journal's "Who's Who in West Virginia Business." Adams is a graduate of West Virginia University and the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University.