Scholarship Gift Aids WVU Business Students in Memory of Doug Skaff Jr.

Support for the scholarship comes from memorial gifts made by family and friends following his passing due to a June 10 accident on Interstate 79 in Lewis County.

Skaff served as SGA president from 1999-2000 and was voted Mr. Mountaineer that same year in recognition of his academic achievements and extracurricular activities. He also belonged to Delta Tau Delta fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity and Mountain Honorary.

Doug’s sister, Teresa Skaff, said WVU was a way of life for her brother from an early age, when he attended football games and cheered for the Mountaineers alongside his parents, grandparents, siblings, uncles and cousins.

“When it came time for Doug to apply to colleges, he only had one on the list — WVU,” she said. “He found that same passion for cheering on the Mountaineers in student government and fraternity life. He came up with Mountaineer Maniacs idea hoping the passion would spread throughout all students at WVU. He prevailed in all aspects of college life, and when he graduated, he kept that passion and tried everything he could to instill the Mountaineer spirit in everyone he encountered.”

Post-graduation, Skaff spent several years working for Owens Corning, where he gained valuable experience in human resources, distribution, marketing, management and more. He began his career outside of the state and eventually worked with the company to return to the Mountain State.

After moving back to West Virginia, Skaff pursued public office. He represented Kanawha County in the West Virginia House of Delegates from 2008 to 2014 and again from 2018 to 2023. He served as House Minority Leader from 2020 until he resigned in 2023 to run for Secretary of State. He previously announced a bid for state Senate in 2026.

Skaff’s commitment to West Virginia was also apparent in his business ventures. He was the president of HD Media, which operates West Virginia newspapers including the Charleston Gazette-Mail and The Herald-Dispatch in Huntington. Earlier this year, Skaff partnered with others to purchase Fazio’s, a beloved Italian restaurant in Charleston.  

Skaff’s WVU pride was always front and center, reflected in his daily personal and professional interactions.

“He wanted the world to know that WVU was the dominant university in the state and entire country,” Teresa Skaff said. “He’d find a way to slip in WVU in every conversation. If there was no conversation and he was just passing by a fellow Mountaineer, he’d yell ‘Let’s Go, Mountaineers!’ with a number one held high in the air. His passion was that of a true Mountaineer.”

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