using System;

using System.Linq;

using System.Collections.Generic;

using System.Text.RegularExpressions;

​

public class Program

{

    public static void Main()

    {

        var states = new List<State>()

        {new State("CA", "California"), new State("NY", "New York"), new State("AL", "Alabama"), new State("NV", "Nevada")};

        var myOrder = new List<string>()

        {"AL", "NY"};

        var result = states.Where(s => myOrder.Exists(c => string.Equals(c, s.Code, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))).OrderBy(s => myOrder.IndexOf(s.Code));

        foreach (var res in result)

        {

            Console.WriteLine(res.Code);

        }

    }

​

    public class State

    {

        public string Code;

        public string Name;

        public State(string code, string name)

        {

            Code = code;

            Name = name;

        }

    }

}