Thomas J. DeWitt

Thomas J. DeWitt grew up in Fairmont, West Virginia and earned a BSME in 1970 and an MSME in 1972 from WVU. While a student he worked first as a janitor and then as a draftsman for Morgantown Machine and Hydraulic Company. He also worked with his father at a subsidiary of MM&H called the Deron Corporation to invent a spray system for dust mitigation in coal mines. Mr. DeWitt was active in the invention of numerous devices for the mining industry, and became a majority shareholder in Deron. Upon graduation with his MSME in 1972, Mr. DeWitt became the first ever degreed engineer at Morgantown Machine & Hydraulic. Shortly thereafter, MM&H and Deron were both purchased by National Mine Service Corporation (NMS). Mr. DeWitt worked as an engineer for NMS Hydraulics Division until 1976, when he was appointed Manger of Operations. In 1978 he was promoted to General Manager and in 1980 he was again promoted to Vice President of NMS, responsible for the Morgantown Machine and Hydraulics Division.

In 1990, Mr. DeWitt was named Group Vice President of the National Mine Service Company, responsible for MM&H plus two other divisions of NMS. In 1995, NMS was attempting to sell its Hydraulics Division, and Mr. DeWitt resigned and joined CWS Company, d.b.a. Swanson Plating Company as Vice President. At the time, Swanson had about 160 employees and $16M in annual sales. Mr. DeWitt and his colleagues expanded the hydraulics repair business of CWS/Swanson and began competing directly with MM&H. Mr. DeWitt and two other WVU graduates, Mr. Frank Dulin (MinE, 1984) and Mr. Mark Carter (BSIE 1984) formed Swanson Industries in 2001 to purchase the business from the founders of CWS/Swanson. Mr. DeWitt assumed the role of President and CEO. That same year, the team opened a branch plant Rural Retreat, Virginia and purchased Morgantown Machine and Hydraulics. Swanson Industries Group now comprises 11 different companies doing business throughout the US and abroad. The group employs almost 800 people and has projected sales of $160M in 2011. Mr. DeWitt was elected to the West Virginia Business Hall of Fame in 2010.

Thomas J. DeWitt grew up in Fairmont, West Virginia and earned a BSME in 1970 and an MSME in 1972 from WVU. While a student he worked first as a janitor and then as a draftsman for Morgantown Machine and Hydraulic Company. He also worked with his father at a subsidiary of MM&H called the Deron Corporation to invent a spray system for dust mitigation in coal mines. Mr. DeWitt was active in the invention of numerous devices for the mining industry, and became a majority shareholder in Deron. Upon graduation with his MSME in 1972, Mr. DeWitt became the first ever degreed engineer at Morgantown Machine & Hydraulic. Shortly thereafter, MM&H and Deron were both purchased by National Mine Service Corporation (NMS). Mr. DeWitt worked as an engineer for NMS Hydraulics Division until 1976, when he was appointed Manger of Operations. In 1978 he was promoted to General Manager and in 1980 he was again promoted to Vice President of NMS, responsible for the Morgantown Machine and Hydraulics Division.

In 1990, Mr. DeWitt was named Group Vice President of the National Mine Service Company, responsible for MM&H plus two other divisions of NMS. In 1995, NMS was attempting to sell its Hydraulics Division, and Mr. DeWitt resigned and joined CWS Company, d.b.a. Swanson Plating Company as Vice President. At the time, Swanson had about 160 employees and $16M in annual sales. Mr. DeWitt and his colleagues expanded the hydraulics repair business of CWS/Swanson and began competing directly with MM&H. Mr. DeWitt and two other WVU graduates, Mr. Frank Dulin (MinE, 1984) and Mr. Mark Carter (BSIE 1984) formed Swanson Industries in 2001 to purchase the business from the founders of CWS/Swanson. Mr. DeWitt assumed the role of President and CEO. That same year, the team opened a branch plant Rural Retreat, Virginia and purchased Morgantown Machine and Hydraulics. Swanson Industries Group now comprises 11 different companies doing business throughout the US and abroad. The group employs almost 800 people and has projected sales of $160M in 2011. Mr. DeWitt was elected to the West Virginia Business Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2012, Mr. DeWitt and his partners sold Swanson Industries to a private equity firm and he retired in 2013. Mr. DeWitt continues to serve on the Swanson Board of Directors. Him and his wife reside in Naples, FL.