Frank Vitale

Senior Vice President, Clear Mountain Bank

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Website: www.clearmountainbank.com/pdf/Frank_Vitale_Generation_Next_PR_4-15-11.pdf

Frank Vitale has always been competitive, and his uncompromising spirit and tireless determination have brought him far. From an ambitious young boy growing up in Alloway, NJ who wanted to be either a police officer like his father or president of the United States to a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army to senior vice president of Clear Mountain Bank in Morgantown, his drive has not left him without success.

Vitale has come a long way since his first job as a maintenance operative working for his grandfather, and it is a culmination of his diverse experiences that has helped him thrive. He holds degrees from Valley Forge Military College and West Virginia University (WVU), and he began his professional career as a training manager for a long-term health care company that serviced 26 locations throughout West Virginia.

During his 18 years of active military experience, Vitale was noticed for his leadership skills. He has received awards and honors such as the Meritorious Service Medal for leadership, as well as the Army Commendation Medal with oak-leaf cluster for exceptional initiative. Becoming a captain and senior instructor for the Officer Candidate School for the West Virginia Army National Guard offered Vitale the unique opportunity to help train and mentor service men and women.

Though his service to country continued, Vitale left the health care industry in 2002 for a career in banking and joined Centra Bank. Today, he works for Clear Mountain Bank, where he leads the Private Banking Group.

While his career path has not been particularly straight, his hard work ethic has benefited him greatly. “No matter what I have done,” he says, “there has always been a direct correlation between how hard I worked at something and how successful I was at accomplishing the goal.” He also credits his success to his faith in God and the blessing of having many mentors.

Despite being an army officer, a bank executive, husband and father, Vitale takes time to give back to his community. In 2010, he co-founded VetConnection, a West Virginia-based nonprofit whose goal is to offer reintegration assistance to military veterans and their families. The one-stop portal, www.vetconnection.org, offers assistance in the areas of employment, education and health care by connecting individuals and families with local resources. Vitale has been acknowledged for his work with Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in developing this grass-roots support system for military veterans.

“Having the opportunities to work with veterans and their families has been a great honor,” Vitale says. “I realize how fortunate I am to enjoy the freedoms provided to me by those who have made a costly sacrifice. Thomas Jefferson once said that the tree of liberty is often watered by the blood of patriots, and we should not forget this.”

Vitale was honored earlier this fall for being an active leader and volunteer in the Morgantown community by the WVU Alumni Association at WVU’s homecoming festivities. He currently serves as the chairman of the board for the Morgantown Area Chamber of Commerce, chairman of WVU’s College of Business and Economics MBA Board of Advisors, commissioner of the Monongalia County Deputy Sheriff’s Civil Service Commission and member of the advisory board for the WVU School of Pharmacy. Vitale also holds appointments as an adjunct assistant professor from WVU’s School of Medicine and School of Dentistry.

Even though he has jumped out of planes, Vitale considers his greatest life challenge to be balancing his career and service with his personal life. “My wife, Ashley, and I are very fortunate to have three beautiful children—Max, Izzy and CeCe—along with busy careers, so balance can be a serious struggle,” he says. “For us, it’s not only important to be there for our kids, but we want to be at our best for them as well.”

What is your favorite…?
Color – Blue
Food – Italian
Cartoon Character – Tom and Jerry
Ice Cream Flavor – Mint chocolate chip
Animal – Deer
Book – The Bible
App – ESPN Sports Center
Midnight Snack – Ice cream
TV Show – “Monday Night Football”
Movie – “Patton”
Smell – Spaghetti sauce
Sport Team – West Virginia University Mountaineers
Car – Humvee
Pet – Blue Moon, Max’s beta fish
Place – Home