The 2015-2016 Wood Enterprise Team
Name: Dr. Earl Kline
Position: Director
Hometown: Manassass, VA
Major: Agricultural Engineering
Minor: Industrial Engineering
Graduation Date: Fall 1982 (VT)
"To give students the knowledge to innovate and become entrepreneurs, they have to do it! But how do you make lesson plan for a class project that is unique every year with a totally different group dynamic? As a coach, I help guide the student team through the process of discovery and learning to find the answer to this question."
Name: Bridget Acland
Position: Networking/Promotional
Coordinator/Representative
Hometown: Boyca, VA
Major: SBIO - Sustainable Society
Minor: Green Engineering/EPP
Graduation Date: May 2017
Name: Ethan Blye
Positon: Quality Control Officer & Design
Supervisor
Hometown: Pottstowm, PA
Major: SBIO - Residential Structures & Sustainable Enterprise
Graduation Date: May 2017
"WEI is more than just a class, it is a true learning experience. This course has allowed me to develop skills that are crucial to thriving in a real working environment. Being aware of every facet of how a business runs and knowing what it takes to pull it off is detrimental to not only starting but sustaining a business."
Name: Richard M. Good III (Trey)
Position: Product Supervisor
Hometown: Dinwiddie, VA
Major: Packaging Systems and Design
Minor: Business Leadership
Graduation Date: May 2016
"WEI has taught me a lot so far about how to analysis all the parts of how to start a business. Everything from understanding target markets and product develop to writing a comprehsive business plan. This course really challenges us to take lead and untilize the different pieces of knowledge we have gained at school to make a successful business. Now it is time to take our project to the next level and learn how to manufacture, market, sell, and delivery a final product to our customers."
Name: Carly Harding
Position: Idea & Task Manager
Hometown: Amelia, VA
Major: SBIO - Residential Wood
Structures
Graduation Date: May 2016
"WEI has opened my eyes as to how it is tring to start a business in the real world. I have enjoyed getting to know each of the team members better and finding out how different each of our personal preferences are. I feel like we are all working towards this end goal together and when it comes to having differing opinions we work through it as a team and come to a consensus. WEI has shown me what it is like being a part of a group in which the people are so dedicated to the project."
Name: Alex Keith
Position: CNC Operations Technician
Hometown: Chatanooga, TN
Major: SBIO - Residential Structures
Minor: Green Engineering
Graduation Date: December 2016
"I have learned to use the CNC machine and have experience making wood tables. I have also used G Code to progarm maching paths."
Name: Danny Hazelwood
Position:
Hometown: Blacksbrug, VA
Major: Sustainable Biomaterials
Graduation Date: May 2016
"WEI is a great 'rubber to the road' experience. I work in a consultant role and hope to offer the students some insights to furniture building so they can focus more on the experience, and less on crafting issues."
Name: Gloria Alvarez
Position: Website Designer & Social
Media Manager
Hometown: Arlington, VA
Major: Packaging Systems and Design
Graduation Date: May 2016
Name: Wendell Foster
Position: Communication Coordinator
Hometown: Suffolk, VA
Major: SBIO - Sustainable Enterprises
Graduation Date: May 2016
"It is a very unique class than I am glad to be a part of. I'm learning how important communication is and all of the different aspects and decision that go into a real business."
Name: Paige Guse
Position: Product History Marketing
Manager
Hometown: Oak Ridge, NC
Major: Mining and Minerals Engineering
Graduation Date: Fall 2017
"I would highly recommend this class to anyone in any area of study. The structure is unlike any other course i have had. I enrolled because of an interest in woodworking, but i have learned about much more than that. This class puts you through the experience of starting a buisness. Our challenge is dynamic, there are many different aspects to that process and new questions every week. I came in with an interest in woodworking, but ended up marketing the history of a white oak. I could not have predicted that and am excited to see how this all comes together."
Name: Jalen Hill
Position: Quality Control Specialist
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Major: SBIO - Residential Structures
Minor: Green Engineering
Graduation Date: December 2017
"WEI is teaching me, the path to developing my skills in buisness and industry. I have learned a bit of what it takes to find what something and make it into a profitable product. Its developing my skills in prodcution as well as,with understanding how to mananfacture a great product at low expense to the customer and with the customers interest in mind. Overall its teaching my what a buisness is and how to make money."
Name: Ian Lundstrom
Position: Production Manager
Hometown: Virginia Beach, VA
Major: SBIO - Residential Structures
Graduation Date: May 2016
"WEI has been one of my most interesting classes here at Virginia Tech, challenging the students to run a business on our own. I have truely enjoyed this class even with the large workload because of the responsiblity that us students are given."
Name: Steven Morrissette
Position: Lead Sander
Hometown: King George, VA
Major: SBIO - Residential Structures
Graduation Date: December 2016
Name: Dayna Reynlods
Position: Marketing Manager
Hometown: Round Hill, VA
Major: SBIO - Sustainable Society
Minor: Green Engineering
Graduation Date: December 2016
Name: Tyler Robey
Position: General Manager
Hometown: Columbus, OH
Major: Building Construction
Graduation Date: May 2016
Name: Justin Sidebottom
Hometown:
Major:
Minor:
Graduation Date:
"WEI is a great way to work in a team to achieve a goal. We are provided with the experience to run our own business with guidance from Dr. Kline. The experience has been good and I would recommend this class to others."
Name: William Stewart
Position: Business Supervisor
Hometown: Powhatan, VA
Major: SBIO - Residential Structures
Minor: Chemistry
Graduation Date:
Name: Skip Strickler
Position: Technical Design & Quality
Control Officer
Hometown: Orange, VA
Major: BC - Sustainable Building
Performance
Graduation Date: December 2016
"Classes like WEI where we are given the opportunity to practice our real world skills are the classes I enjoy most. Creating our business plan the first semester was a great learning experience and now I'm excited to see our plan succeed!"
Name: Cody Wykle
Position: Refinishing Expert
Hometown: Woodbridge, VA
Major: SBIO - Residential Structures
Minor: Chemistry
Graduation Date: May 2016
"I enjoy WEI as a class to a large degree. I did not require the class and came back due to the amount of knowledge and experience that i gain from the class. I like the ability that the class offers a more job related feel of what the real world would have to offer. It will deffinetly help me grow and attain a job once I leave Tech."