President & CEO, Philanthropy West Virginia
Twitter:
Work – @WVGrantmakers
Personal – @Pddy or @Daugherty4WV
LinkedIn: Paul Daugherty
Paul Daugherty has established himself as a leader in the philanthropic sector in West Virginia simply by focusing on his personal mission of a better future for the Mountain State. Growing up in a large family where the focus was on serving others, his civic entrepreneur-centered career should come as no surprise. “Being actively involved in the community through service is how I was raised,” says Daugherty. “Some of my best childhood memories are rooted in the hours spent working alongside family and friends, developing programs to create opportunities for Doddridge County and its citizens while enhancing community pride.”
As a child, Daugherty dreamed of growing up to be Santa’s helper, a choice that, even at a young age, exemplified his desire to have the greatest impact on the largest number of people. While he didn’t quite make it to the North Pole, his dream of a career in service has come true. Daugherty is the president and CEO of Philanthropy West Virginia, formerly known as West Virginia Grantmakers, a position he has spent his whole life preparing to fill.
Daugherty’s career began as a part-time regional representative for Our Community’s Foundation, where he gained valuable insight he uses today as the country’s youngest CEO of a regional association of grantmakers. “This position was an opportunity to give back to make sure others have great opportunities in life,” he says.
Motivation comes in many forms for Daugherty, all of which center around solving problems and helping his fellow West Virginians. “Growing up, I was encouraged to leave West Virginia, travel the world and begin my career somewhere else. I was assured that the challenges here would still exist in 10, 25 or 40 years,” he remembers. “Then it dawned on me. Why should I wait until I’m 60 to help when I could have an impact through my career, grow philanthropy in the state and be an active leader? Leadership is about taking action. If each of us would invest even just a few hours a week, we could move West Virginia forward so much faster.”
Passionate about engaging young West Virginians, he sees one of the state’s greatest assets as its young talent. This vision led him to co-found Generation West Virginia in 2007, a statewide coalition of young leaders committed to cultivating talent for the state’s future. Daugherty didn’t stop there, though. He is also co-founder of the West Virginia Nonprofit Association, Young Emerging Leaders of the Mid-Ohio Valley and the Doddridge County Education Foundation, and he is a founding member of the Governor’s Council on Young Talent. He serves on the FORUM’s National Government Relations Committee, and his volunteer efforts include Bethlehem Farm, the Graduate and Young Professionals group within his church, the Good Shepherd Tree and various Generation West Virginia committees.
Daugherty’s knowledge and skills could take him anywhere in the world, but he chooses to remain in the Mountain State. “I don’t know of a place that would allow me to be an agent of change in my teens, 20s and now 30s to shape our state’s future to be the vibrant, healthy and robust community our people deserve. Here, I can be a part of a generationally diverse group of leaders who are setting the course for our state’s next 150 years.”
On his journey to a better, brighter West Virginia, Daugherty will continue experimenting with the eclectic selection of instruments he’s picked up along the way, which includes steel drums, brass instruments and the piano. And when he gets a spare moment or two, he’ll train for a marathon and maybe even finish that book about growing up in a large, diverse, comical and never dull West Virginia family he’s been planning to write with relatives for a while now.
What is your favorite . . . ?
Color – Kelly green
Food – Mediterranean or Italian
Cartoon Character – Snoopy
Ice Cream – Pistachio or Coconut
Animal – Bald eagle
Book – “The Impossible Will Take a Little While: A Citizen’s Guide to Hope in a Time of Fear”
App – Anything music
Midnight Snack – Hummus and veggies
Movie – “Mr. Holland’s Opus” and “Sherlock Holmes”
Smell – A bonfire or a fresh-cut Christmas tree
Sports Team – Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Steelers and West Virginia University Mountaineers
Car – Classic 1961 Corvette or Mini Cooper
Pet – Our family dog, Molly
Place – Dolly Sods, WV; the state of Maine; Ireland and Italy
Written by Jennifer Jett
Photography by Tracy Toler on location at Smith Company Motor Cars
