Posted on Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Westminster College alumnus David Deal ’86, vice president of operations for NVR Inc., will receive the Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the 2026 Westminster Entrepreneurship Center (WEC) Symposium on Saturday, April 11. The event will be held in the Witherspoon Rooms of the McKelvey Campus Center.
Deal earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in business management and history from Westminster in 1986. Since graduating, he has built a distinguished career in the homebuilding industry, growing alongside NVR—one of the nation’s leading homebuilders—through a series of leadership roles, including market manager, regional manager and vice president of operations.
Throughout his career with NVR, Deal—who resides in Bethesda, Md.—has remained closely connected to his alma mater. He has actively supported Westminster students by creating internship opportunities within his company and has helped more than 60 Westminster graduates secure full-time positions at NVR.
Deal is also a dedicated participant in the College’s annual Professional Networking Symposium, where he meets with students to discuss career paths, professional development and industry opportunities. In 2013, Deal was honored with the Westminster College Distinguished Alumni Award.
“David Deal was chosen for this distinguished award because of his dedication and extensive use of an entrepreneurial mindset that has helped NVR Homes grow,” said Eric Gaber, WEC director and entrepreneur-in-residence at Westminster College. “He exemplifies the kind of innovative thinking and ethical leadership we strive to instill in our students. He’s an inspiring example to our Westminster students.”
The 2026 WEC Symposium will feature Deal alongside distinguished guest panelists, including Mark Gaber, chief operating officer of Marriott International US East; John Miles, chief executive officer of Steelite; and Jim Landino, chief executive officer of JCL Energy and JCL Development. This year’s symposium theme, “Corporate Intrapreneurship,” will explore the evolving role of large companies in fostering entrepreneurship, innovation and economic development.
The symposium will begin with an hour of networking for students, as well as the display of over 25 student led external engagement projects with organizations all over the country. The event will conclude with the Westminster School of Business 2026 Scholarship Awards.
The Westminster Entrepreneurship Center, housed within the College’s School of Business, provides students with opportunities to develop business concepts, innovate ideas and explore business ownership strategies. The WEC offers dedicated space, resources, competitions and experiential programming designed to help students transform ideas into viable enterprises.
For more information, contact Gaber at gaberea@westminster.edu or 724-946-7161.
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By Ava Karpa
Ava Karpa is a student writer in Westminster College's Office of Marketing and Communication. The junior English major is from Coraopolis, Pa.
