Blog Layout

Marshall promotes Weber to oversee government relations

Jim Strawn • Jul 13, 2022

After propelling RCBI to national prominence,

longtime director to assume new role


Since its creation 32 years ago, the Robert C. Byrd Institute (RCBI) at Marshall University has grown from a regionally focused support center to a one-of-a-kind state and national resource that delivers manufacturing and technical assistance, entrepreneurial support, workforce development, quality implementation, and STEM education across West Virginia and 31 other states.


This exponential growth has been fueled by the passion, dedication, leadership and vision of longtime Director & CEO Charlotte Weber.



The beginning

   Upon assuming the leadership role in 1996, Weber embarked on an ambitious plan to expand RCBI to meet the growing demand of manufacturers and entrepreneurs, to build an agile organization capable of responding to changing and diverse needs.

   Under her guidance, RCBI expanded operations to serve the entire state. It launched the country’s first Machinist Technology educational initiative to combine industry credentials with a career-enhancing college degree option. This effort soon was followed by the creation of a nationally recognized Welding Technology Program that, like its machining counterpart, continues to address the ongoing skills gap facing industry.


   RCBI evolved into a national leader in the emerging additive manufacturing (better known as 3D printing) arena, installing the state’s largest 3D printer and in 2014 the only metal 3D printer to serve industrial and military needs. The Institute amassed more than $22 million in advanced technology for leased used by manufacturers and startups.

   It rocketed beyond the stratosphere in 2005 when RCBI’s National Composites Center of Excellence played a pivotal role in constructing the West Virginia-made Super Lightweight Interchangeable Carrier designed and deployed on the NASA Space Shuttle mission to service the Hubble Telescope.

   With the backing of the U.S. Department of Labor, RCBI designed and deployed in 2015 the country’s first nationwide advanced manufacturing apprenticeship program that today serves companies across West Virginia and 22 other states. During Weber’s tenure, RCBI has trained more than 26,500 individuals and assisted more than 6,000 companies.


By Kim Mack 01 Feb, 2023
WHO IS THIS SMALL BUSINESS IN WEST VIRGINIA SHIPPING TO 37 COUNTRIES ACROSS THE WORLD. We are a designer and manufacturer of safety sight glasses, viewport assemblies, sight flow indicators, spray rings, sight lights and sight glass replacements for observing processes in industrial pressure vessels and pipelines. Cyclops sight glass provides maximum safety under high pressure, high temperature, corrosive and volatile processing operations. They can withstand a wide thermal shock range and are capable of resisting blow out or rupture. In most applications no packings, compression rings or screws are involved, eliminating costly continuous maintenance. With uncomplicated installation, safety sight glasses use only ASME approved materials and tolerances. During the late 40's, early 50's several localized plant explosions were experienced by a major chemical facility were directly attributed to the failure of conventional or sandwich type sight glasses. As a result, an engineer, my grandfather, Gene LeRoy was given the task of developing a sight glass that when broken, would maintain its integrity and not rupture or blow out, even while under extreme pressure at high temperature. After much trial and error, he hit upon the idea of peripherally sealing the lens assembly instead of vertically clamping and sealing the sight glass against the top and bottom lens gaskets. With a grateful heart, I became the President & Owner in 1999. I have certainly learned a lot along the way. Our company has relationships and customers all over the world. Thank you. Over the last 22 years, we have reinvented ourselves by reaching out to area professionals in business, manufacturing, marketing, branding, and networking. And I feel confident we have positioned our company for 2023 and beyond. Especially after our award-winning year in 2022. We have set our ‘sights’ high for this year. Thank you, Kim Mack, President 800-292-9011
By Jim Strawn 06 Jan, 2023
And Why are They So Important
By Jim Strawn 24 Oct, 2022
Coming to University of Charleston in November
Share by: