Giving
Mr. Hardy was born in Charleston, West Virginia, where he attended public school. He also attended Choate School inWallingford, Connecticut, and furthered his education at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia and EastmanBusiness School in New York City. Mrs. Hardy was born in Butler, Pennsylvania, then raised in Parkersburg. She attended school in Parkersburg and received a post-secondary education from Marietta College.
In May 1957, the Hardy's settled in the Parkersburg area when Mr. Hardy became engaged in the brokerage business as a partner in Waller C. Hardy & Company (Charleston-Parkersburg, WV), a firm started by his father and now known as Prudential Securities, Inc. Later, he worked with Kay, Richards & Co., NYSE, where he became manager. Kay Richards & Co. merged with McKelvy & Co. (NYSE) in Pittsburgh to form Parker/Hunter, Incorporated, also a NYSE member firm. Mr. Hardy retired in 1971.
In discussing the reason for creating a fund at the community foundation, Mr. Hardy commented, "My wife and I wanted to do a little something for Parkersburg, since Vienna has been our home for the last 41 years."