Marshall University’s Lewis College of Business (LCOB) released a statement today about the passing of longtime supporter and community advocate, Janet Smith Vineyard.
Bob Simpson, interim dean of the college, said: “Jan Vineyard will be missed by everyone who knew her, and especially by the Marshall University Lewis College of Business. She was a strong leader and valuable member of our LCOB Advisory Board. Her generosity and legacy of involvement will benefit students of the college for many years to come. Her death was very sad news and is a loss to the Marshall University community. The Lewis College of Business family extends its sympathy to her family in their time of grief. Our hearts and prayers go out to the Vineyard family and their friends.”
Marshall President Jerome Gilbert tweeted from his Twitter account: “Sad to hear of the passing of Jan Vineyard, a true #daughterofmarshall. She was a good friend to Marshall University and a fine person.”
Vineyard held an A.S. in retailing, B.B.A. in marketing and transportation and an M.B.A. from Marshall. While at Marshall, she was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority.
Following her graduation from Marshall University, Vineyard worked for Ashland Oil Inc. for 15 years, dealing with the supply, transportation and sales of gasoline, diesel fuel and other petroleum products.
In July of 1993, she became the executive director of the West Virginia Petroleum Marketers Association (WVPMA) and West Virginia Association of Convenience Stores (WVACS). Three years later, Vineyar led the merger of these two groups to create the WV Oil Marketers and Grocers Association Inc. (OMEGA) and was named president of the new organization.
She was inducted into the Lewis College of Business Hall of Fame in 2015 and had been a valued member of the college’s advisory board since 2000, Simpson said.
Vineyard, a longtime lobbyist representing OMEGA as well as various entities in transportation, insurance, trucking and other businesses, died Tuesday from complications from a recent illness, the association announced.