because of the many different things that may come across my desk on any given day ,” he explains . “ I may be dealing with a life insurance matter in the morning , a contract right after lunch and preparing for hearings and mediations later in the day .”
Because he got a later start on his legal career than most , Stroud has always felt the need to work a little harder and faster in order to catch up . He is grateful for the mentors who helped him along his way .
“ My mentor at Steptoe was a lawyer named Doug Lee ,” he says . “ Doug took me under his wing and really helped launch my career in the legal field . He instilled in me that in order to succeed , I must be a servant and put others ahead of myself . He taught me how to lead and build a successful team by working hard and being kind to others .”
Stroud was born in Logan , WV , but his parents moved to Huntington , WV , shortly thereafter , where Stroud continues to put the lessons of servant leadership into practice in his community to this day as a member of several boards and committees .
He conducts pro bono work for his co-workers and family members and believes he has an obligation to help others have access to the legal system . He currently serves on the boards of St . Mary ’ s Medical Center Foundation , Leadership West Virginia , the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences and the United Way of River Cities . He also serves as chairman of the
Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce and was appointed by Governor Jim Justice to the Marshall University board of governors in 2019 , where he was recently voted vice chairman .
“ As a first-generation college graduate , Marshall University started me on my path to success and has always been a very important part of my life ,” Stroud says . “ The people I met and lessons I learned at Marshall helped mold me into the person I am today . Being selected to serve on Marshall ’ s board of governors was a proud moment in my career , allowing me to give a little back to the institution that started me on my career path .”
In his spare time , Stroud also mentors others .
“ One of the greatest compliments I ever received was from a summer intern who told me that I not only taught her how to be a good lawyer but that my greatest impact was teaching her how to be a good person ,” he says . “ That was more important to me that any award or recognition I have ever received .”
A large part of who Stroud is as a lawyer and a person are reflections of his home state of West Virginia .
“ I love being a lawyer and love that I get to practice law in West Virginia ,” he says . “ I always strive to be the best at what I do , and it is an honor to me that I have been recognized as a leader in my chosen profession .”
Stroud focuses most of his volunteer efforts on making his community and the Mountain State better for future generations .
“ I have two daughters , and it is my desire that they both want to stay in West Virginia ,” he says . “ Communities are very important to our society and unite us as a people . Communities allow us to connect with other people from all walks of life and provide support . For these reasons , I believe we all have a duty to be involved in our community . The stronger our communities , the stronger we are as a people .” •
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