DuBois Alumni Fellow and gas industry leader shares expertise on campus

DUBOIS, Pa. -- David Spigelmyer, the recipient of the 2014 Alumni Fellow Award for Penn State DuBois, spoke Oct. 9 in Hillier Auditorium on campus to an audience of students, faculty and staff, as well as members of the public, about his work in the natural gas industry.

A Penn State DuBois alumnus and a 1982 graduate of the University with a bachelor's degree in public service, Spigelmyer is president of the Pittsburgh-based Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC), the region’s largest shale gas development trade association. He works on behalf of its members to advance policies that promote responsible shale gas development by promoting fact-based dialogue of community education to enhance the region’s economy and environment. Spigelmyer was instrumental in the MSC’s 2008 founding, and has served as the organization’s chairman, vice chairman and as lead of its legislative committee prior to joining the MSC in October 2013.

In his presentation, Spigelmyer shared information on all areas touched by the natural gas industry, including environmental issues, economic impact and industry growth. He said his chief goal as president of the MSC is to spur economic growth in the region by expanding the natural gas industry itself, as well as other industries. He explained that a large number of other businesses can also benefit from a thriving gas industry by providing services or products to drilling companies, creating a boom in the economy and the job market.

"I watched nearly my entire high school class leave the area to find work," Spigelmyer said.  "If we do this right, we have the ability to put our kids to work here at home, and to see our grandkids work here at home."

Spigelmyer received his Alumni Fellow Award during a ceremony the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 8, at the Nittany Lion Inn at University Park. The Alumni Fellow Award is the most prestigious award given by the Penn State Alumni Association. Since 1973, the Alumni Fellow Award has been given to select alumni who, as leaders in their professional fields, are nominated by an academic college and accept an invitation from the president of the university to return to campus to share their expertise with students, faculty, staff and administrators. Spigelmyer was nominated for the award by Penn State DuBois chancellor Melanie Hatch, as a fellow representing the campus. He was honored with the Penn State DuBois Outstanding Alumni Award in 2012.

Having built a career spanning more than 30 years in the natural gas industry, Spigelmyer has built bridges between state and local government officials, communities and community leaders, philanthropic organizations and advocacy groups. He began his career working as a director at his hometown YMCA. He moved into the natural gas industry in 1983 in Meadville, Pennsylvania, working for Buffalo, New York-based National Fuel Gas. He served in numerous capacities for National Fuel prior to his selection to serve as a loaned-executive and director of energy research and development at the American Gas Association in Washington, D.C. There he served as the natural gas industry’s liaison with the U.S. Departments of Interior, State, Energy and Commerce; the Environmental Protection Agency; and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Spigelmyer has served in various industry roles at Consolidated Natural Gas, Dominion Resources, EQT Corporation and Chesapeake Energy prior to joining the MSC. He has been responsible for managing media relations, crisis communication, state government relations and public policy. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Moraine Trails Council of the Boy Scouts of America, is a former president of the board of directors for the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association, and is a member of a variety of additional professional organizations.

Spigelmyer was born and raised in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and now resides in Cranberry Township. He and his wife, Francie, are life members of the Penn State Alumni Association and have two children, both currently enrolled at Penn State. John is a senior at University Park while Suzanne is a sophomore at Penn State Mont Alto.