Douglas Agner is the vice president and general manager for Graham White Manufacturing in Salem, Virginia. He has a bachelor’s degree from Old Dominion University in mechanical engineering technology as well as certifications in lean manufacturing and Six Sigma.

Agner began his career in manufacturing as an engineer and transitioned to leadership roles in operations and general management.

He has worked in the valve industry, construction, power and energy, oil, and gas, and now transportation. He grew up in Danville, VA and has lived in many different locations across the U.S. He moved back to Virginia in 2021 and currently lives in Salem.

1. What was your first job and what did it teach you?

I worked in a Food World grocery store when I was in high school and college. What I learned was that hard work always pays off, but learning pays double.

At a young age, I worked every position in the grocery store. I leaped over people that had been working many years in the same position because I had an appetite for learning. I'm still that way at my age today. Over the course of my career, I’ve realized how rewarding it is to have a passion for learning.

2. What is your proudest accomplishment over the course of your career?

Creating new jobs.

I've enjoyed a successful career where I’ve left past employers and businesses that I own in a much healthier condition. Earlier in my career I worked at a company named Royston. They had a company in their portfolio that manufactured equipment for convenience stores.

They had two plants; one made cabinetry, and one made shelving. The company was on a downturn, so they sent me there to determine how to move forward.

The leadership and owners had it in their mind that they were going to close a facility.

I learned about the business, and in the process of working through the order they gave me, I started cross-training and developing better methods for manufacturing.

We became so great at what we were doing, we started gaining market share.

We were looking at a potential reduction of 100 or 200 jobs in a 400-person company, but we turned it 180. We started expanding. We had two acquisitions. And in a matter of two to three years, we had quadrupled the population for that business. The business today is thriving. That's one of my proudest accomplishments.

3. What do you like most about your job at Graham White Manufacturing?

Graham White is a century old business and is part of a larger corporation, Wabtec Corporation. It's been foundational in the Roanoke Valley. I have had the opportunity to leverage the benefits of this large corporation and bring more value to our business in Salem, Virginia. We have been able to expand the business, create more jobs, innovate, develop new technologies, improve employee careers, and contribute back to the community.

4. What projects are you currently working on at Graham White Manufacturing?

Wabtec closed the original facility for Westinghouse in Pennsylvania, and we moved most of the work to our facility in Salem. Not only has this been very lucrative for our business, and created growth and jobs, but it's also got a lot of history around it.

The first product that Westinghouse patented and started manufacturing is one of the products we moved to the Salem location. There's a lot of historical significance there and opportunity to take those product lines and modernize them.

At Graham White, we manufacture products for the transportation industry, so we're focused on reducing our carbon footprint, incorporating more electronics and data management for trains and buses, using technology to make equipment more efficient, and most importantly – the founding principle of our business – making transportation safer to save lives.

5. What is your favorite part of being a GOVA Region 2 council member?

What drew me to the opportunity was the chance to network with leaders and collaborate on shared objectives and goals for the greater region.

I'm keenly interested in helping manufacturing thrive through collaboration with the council by gaining access to technology, learning and shared best practices that continues to fuel the exciting manufacturing trends that I’ve seen in the Roanoke Valley.

As I'm originally from Virginia, I know the area and the state very well, and have an interest in helping southwestern Virginia grow strong.

6. What is the best advice you ever received?

When entering new leadership roles or challenges, it’s a good idea to surround yourself with people that are smarter than you.

I live by this great advice I received early in my career. That's one thing I like about the GOVA Region 2 council – the opportunity to be able to surround myself with people smarter than me. I plan to learn a lot from them. If you look at the managers I have on my staff, you'll see strong academic backgrounds and great professional experiences. You win when you work together as a team.

7. What hobbies and activities do you like to do in your spare time?

I particularly enjoy hiking and saltwater fishing. One thing I love about the state is its great access to hiking, fishing, and outdoor sports.

8. What is the most memorable place you have ever visited?

Through work and personal travel, I've had a chance to see a lot of different places. The most impressive was in my early career. I spent a lot of time in Bavaria, Germany, and had a chance to go to museums and institutions that were hundreds of years older than the United States. I had a chance to tour many villages and large castles. The history in Germany is absolutely amazing, and a reminder how young the United States really is.