William Neal, M.D, a native West Virginian from Huntington, he graduated from Xavier University in 1962 and the WVU School of Medicine in 1966. Dr. Neal completed a rotating internship at Milwaukee County General Hospital and served two years as a Navy Flight Surgeon before completing his pediatric residency and cardiology fellowship at the University of Minnesota in 1974. He was recruited by founding chair, Dr. Klingberg, to WVU as a junior faculty member in cardiology in 1974. He is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.

Dr. Neal’s early accomplishments include initiating outreach clinics through the state of WV, establishing the first NICU in WV with an eventual statewide system and transport structure that was responsible for significant reduction in infant mortality. His current clinical and research interest is in Coronary Artery Risk Detection in Appalachian Communities (CARDIAC Project).

Dr. Neal has served on multiple national committees including two years as President of the National Perinatal Association, he has served on the Board of Directors as well as President of the Board for the Children’s Miracle Network, and on Naval Research Advisory Committee for Naval Medical Research and Development. In 1996, he was recognized as the WV Pediatrician of the Year by the state chapter of the AAP.

In 1985, at the beginning of his chair tenure the department had 12 full time faculty with an annual budget of $2 million, in 1998 there are 35 full time faculty and 2 part time faculty with a budget of $7 million. Under his direction WVU Children’s Hospital was opened as part of Ruby Memorial. Pediatric clinics moved to the Physician Office Center and Cheat Lake. Evening and Saturday clinics were started. The first graduates of the combined medicine/pediatric residency program completed the program in 1985. He received national recognition from the Rural Health Association with the Louis Gorin Award for Outstanding Achievement in Rural Health Carein 2003. In 2004 he received the Heebink Award for outstanding service to the citizens of West Virginia by a faculty member of West Virginia University.