Shown at WoodCrafters headquarters are (seated) Mariluz Lugo, Dr. Shirley A. Reed, Bonnie Gonzalez, Teresa Rodriguez (WoodCrafters Corporate Social Responsibility manager), (standing) Rick Barr, Mike Willis, David Suarez, Hernan Gonzalez, Bob Stewart, Ronald G. Congleton, Wanda Garza, Carlos Margo, Eric Piater and Samuel Lugo, (WoodCrafters executive vice president of finance).
Staff from WoodCrafters Home Products of Weslaco recently hosted a special plant tour for Ronald G. Congleton of the Texas Workforce Commission. Congleton, the commissioner representing labor, was in Weslaco on Nov. 10 to present a TWC Skills Development Fund Grant to a consortium comprised of South Texas College, WoodCrafters and Rio Grande Container.
Prior to the grant announcement, Congleton joined STC leaders and other guests for the tour of the WoodCrafters plant. Rick Barr, executive vice president of human capital, gave the group an overview of the company. Other presentations were given by Mariluz Lugo, director of communications, and Eric Piater, Plant 1 manager, who conducted the tour.
Barr said the company, a leading international manufacturer of home furnishing products, has grown considerably since it was founded in Weslaco in 1983. The company began as a single assembly line with only 20 associates. Today, WoodCrafters employs more than 1,700 associates and operates eight offices and manufacturing plants in the United States and Mexico. The Weslaco plant remains its largest facility and serves as its corporate headquarters.
STC representatives on the tour included President Shirley A. Reed, NAAMREI Executive Director Wanda A. Garza and Carlos Margo, regional manager for the STC Institute for Advance Manufacturing. Other guests were Weslaco Economic Development Corp. President David Suarez and Executive Director Hernan Gonzalez, Workforce Solutions President Bonnie Gonzalez and Vice President Mike Willis, and Bob Stewart of TWC.
Congleton said he was impressed with the WoodCrafters plant and was glad to have the opportunity to learn more about company.
Following the tour, Congleton visited the STC Mid-Valley Campus to present a $234,629 job skills grant that will benefit WoodCrafters as well as Rio Grande Container. The grant will be used to custom train 212 new and incumbent workers, and is designed to increase workers’ technical skills in advanced manufacturing.
During the grant presentation at STC, Barr told the audience that WoodCrafters’ vision statement begins with four important words, “development of our people.” He said the purpose of the grant was aligned with his company’s vision and expressed his gratitude to be a part of the grant consortium.