President,
Conn-Weld Industries, LLC
By Kenzie Dye
When Marvin Woodie Jr. was 19 years old, he spent his summer working as a cowboy and ranch hand south of Garden City, KS. It was a world away from the Southern West Virginia coalfields, but it was there that one phone call changed the trajectory of his life. Jim Connolly, founder of Conn-Weld Industries, was on the other end of the line. When Woodie mentioned his current manual labor-intensive work, Connolly responded with, “You are hired.”
“I was shocked,” Woodie says. “I said, ‘You didn’t ask me anything about engineering.’ He said, ‘I will make an engineer out of you. I know you will work well for Conn-Weld if you’re working on a farm and ranch.’”
Connolly’s intuition proved to be correct. Today, Woodie serves as president of Conn-Weld Industries, LLC, an international leader in vibrating screen equipment. His foundation was built in Welch, WV.
“I had a fantastic childhood,” Woodie says. “I enjoyed a rich diversity in culture, education, friendship experiences and dietary delights. McDowell County was a melting pot of cultures. People from around the world came to Southern West Virginia, specifically McDowell County, to find their fortunes in the coal, natural gas and timber industries.”
Though his parents were not university-educated, Woodie says their brilliant minds and relentless work ethic provided the ultimate blueprint for him and his two siblings, Myra and Stuart. By age 12, Woodie was pumping gas at his father’s Amoco service station in Roderfield, WV. There, he learned about human nature and the importance of doing business fairly. His parents were his first mentors, and their influence remains integral to his career.
“My father had an incredible work ethic,” Woodie says. “My mother has the most incredible work ethic as well, and her faith in Christ helped strongly guide me in the most unassuming way.”
After graduating from Mount View High School in 1981, Woodie earned a mechanical engineering degree from West Virginia University in 1985. His career at Conn-Weld has been a 40-year journey through every part of the operation. He started as a project engineer and moved through product design, field operations and management before being named president in 2020.
Woodie attributes much of his motivation to his faith and two daughters, Lauren and Jessica. He says when he saw his daughters being born, he knew why people are put on earth. This deep sense of purpose extends to his 293 employees and the challenge of maintaining a unified standard of excellence.
“The challenge is to transform all concerns into a path that will make the entire company better for our customers and employees,” Woodie says.
Under his direction, the company has maintained a significant global presence. Woodie’s work has taken him to the Moscow Kremlin in Russia; the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China; the Arctic Circle; and South Africa. Despite this international
travel, Woodie’s heart remains in West Virginia, where he is heavily involved in community service.
He serves on various boards, including the West Virginia Manufacturers
Association, Bluefield State University Foundation and the Wade Center, an after-school program for young students. Woodie aims to ensure young West Virginians understand they can be successful without leaving their home state.
“If an organization has a mission statement that is directly or indirectly related to making West Virginia better because our young people are positively affected by the work that organization is doing, I want to be part of that,” he says.
Whether he is visiting trade schools or mentoring the next generation of engineers, Woodie emphasizes that success is possible in the Mountain State. He credits his own mentors for giving him the confidence to lead and make difficult decisions.
“I have a passion for this state,” he says. “I am on a mission to make West Virginia better at any level that I can.”
