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Kathy Willoughby's career has taken the
"non-traditional" path to the top administrative position
at Weyerhaeuser's Wright City wood products facility.
 In fact, that path
went right through the non-traditional program at Kiamichi Technology
Center's Idabel campus, a training program she says played a
large role in helping her achieve her current position.
That is why she is being recognized as a CareerTech champion.
Champions are alumni of the system's programs or student organizations
who attribute much of their success to their CareerTech
experience.
"I grew up in this region and understood what career opportunities
were available," said the new plant manager. "I knew
my best chance for a career would be with Weyerhaeuser, so I
decided to go back to school at Kiamichi to prepare for it."
Willoughby, who served in the U.S. Army for three years, enrolled
at Kiamichi in 1985. "I wanted to use the educational benefits
I had earned in the Army," she said.
"When she came to interview, she was
a stay-at-home mom," said Guy Sneed, her former instructor.
Sneed, who is now retired, said Kiamichi's staff was impressed
by Willoughby's drive and "can do" attitude. "She
told us anything she would do, she would do her best," he
said.
Willoughby was accepted into CareerTech's non-traditional
program, which provided training for high-tech, high-wage careers
in the technical field. She chose to train in the industrial
technology program because she thought the skills she would learn
there would give her the best shot at a future with Weyerhaeuser.
At Kiamichi, she learned a variety of technical skills including
cutting, measurements, basic tools, safety, blueprints, rigging
and lifting, welding, hydraulics, pneumatics, troubleshooting
and electric and electronics.
She joined Weyerhaeuser immediately after completing the two-year
CareerTech program.
"The company was really trying to open the door for diverse
candidates in a non-traditional workplace, so I decided to gain
the skills I needed to actively seek a position with the company,"
she said.
Sneed said the Weyerhaeuser plant manager asked him to send two
female students. Willoughby was one of them.
Sneed said he was confident that Willoughby would succeed in
her new career.
"Her leadership was demonstrated throughout the shop areas
and wins in skills competitions," he said.
Willoughby started in 1986 as an hourly employee of the planer
mill production team. Since then, she has worked her way up the
ladder holding a variety of positions such as sorter/stacker
supervisor, maintenance supervisor and assistant lumber superintendent.
In 1999, she accepted a position in Plymouth, N.C. as green lumber
team leader. She returned to the Wright City plant as green side
lumber leader and was named plant manager in August.
"As the Wright City site manager, my focus is broader than
it has ever been," she said. "Previously, I focused
only on the lumber operation, or a specific area of this facility.
My duties now include areas such as environmental compliance,
labor relations, boiler operations, purchasing and supplies,
procurement and scheduling."
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