Denny Magruder sworn in as 57th Mayor of Wheeling
Denny Magruder, 75, was sworn in as the 57th Mayor of Wheeling on July 1, 2024, along with members of the 2024 city council. Magruder says he is “deeply honored and humbled” to serve in the position.
WHEELING, W.Va. – Denny Magruder, former executive director of the Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority, took his oath of office at noon on Monday, July 1 to become the city’s 57th mayor. In a brief speech, Magruder said he was “deeply honored and humbled” to serve in the position.

Dignitaries from the city came to the Capitol Theatre to witness the event. Senator Laura Wakim Chapman and Delegate Shawn Fluharty were in attendance. Notably, former Mayor Glenn Elliott and former Vice Mayor Chad Thalman–who lost his bid for mayor–did not appear. Former Councilor Rosemary Ketchum was the only mayoral challenger to attend Magruder’s inauguration.
Freshman councilors Tony Assaro, Ward 1, and Connie Cain, Ward 3, and returning councilors Ben Seidler, Ward 2, Jerry Sklavounakis, Ward 4, Ty Thorngate, Ward 5, and Dave Palmer, Ward 6, were inaugurated as well, swearing to support and defend the U.S. Constitution, West Virginia Constitution, and the Charter of the City of Wheeling.

Magruder, speaking after his swearing in, said “there couldn’t be a better time to become mayor of Wheeling,” citing the revitalization efforts around town. “I couldn’t be happier with the team [I have] right now,” Magruder said of the city council he will preside over. He also thanked the previous council for their work on improving the area’s parks and investing in infrastructure.
Magruder listed several priorities he hopes to focus on over the next four years.
Rebuilding relationships with state and federal agencies and officeholders are of particular importance to the new mayor. Last week, Magruder met with Governor Jim Justice in Charleston to talk about the city.
City beautification is another priority of Magruder’s council. He mentioned cleaning streets, planting flowers, helping neighbors, and instilling pride in neighborhoods as examples. Magruder asked the citizens of Wheeling to “step up” and to develop a relationship with their city councilor, make their concerns known, and to contribute to the work being done in the city.
Magruder ended his speech by saying he “salute[s] the dreamers and idealists” of the city. He traced the history of the city asking if our ancestors could imagine the city would still be here today. “It’s you [the dreams and idealists] who make Wheeling resilient,” Magruder said. “I am so proud to be your mayor.”

With Magruder, Assaro, and Cain’s ascension to the council, and Elliott, Thalman, and Ketchum’s departure, the average age of a member of city council increased by 10 years–now sitting at 54-years-old. The city will retain a female representative in Cain who is also the first Black councilor to sit on the body in decades.
The new city council will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, July 2.