NICHOLAS PRESERVATI Director, West Virginia Office of Energy
A true collaborator at heart, H. Toney Stroud serves as Marshall University's General Counsel and VP for Strategic Initiatives and Corporate Relations. His department encompasses more than 80+ employees and converges external affairs with policy and economic development to maximize Marshall's efforts to grow Appalachia. An accomplished attorney with more than 24 years of experience, Toney also serves as Marshall University's Chief Legal Officer and manages the institution's legal department. Prior to joining Marshall University, Stroud was an assistance vice president at Encova Insurance, managing outside counsel in 28 states, providing legal support for the company's human resources team and advising on legislative and government relations matters. Prior to Encova, he was a member at Steptoe & Johnson PLLC from 1998-2013. Stroud earned his law degree from West Virginia University College of Law and a bachelor's degree in business administration from Marshall. He is an avid runner, having completed more than 30 marathons. He and his wife, Cassie, are active in their church, enjoy attending Marshall events and live in Ona with their two daughters. H. TONEY STROUD General Counsel and Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Corporate Relations, Marshall University Nick obtained his Master of Science Degree in Energy Policy and Climate in 2021 from Johns Hopkins University, graduating summa cum laude. He received his Juris Doctorate from Loyola University School of Law - Chicago in 1997 and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame in 1994. Nick currently serves as the Director of the West Virginia Office of Energy and the Executive Director of the West Virginia Public Energy Authority. He began his legal career in Chicago, where he worked for the AmLaw 200 firm Hinshaw & Culbertson. He then served as Regional Counsel for American Electric Power before starting his own boutique-law firm in Charleston, WV, focusing on energy litigation. For over a decade, he served as a managing member and general counsel for multiple energy companies, including CNP Properties, LLC, Met Resources, LLC, and Onyx Energy, LLC. He has received an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale Hubbell, which is the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards, reflecting the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and Judiciary. He has been nominated by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of Energy Law and Natural Resources and has been recognized as one of America's leading lawyers for Energy Law by Chambers USA.
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