Forging Leadership and Metal Alloys: How Devon Winter’s Philosophy Shapes Her Career
Devon Winter CEO of FW Winter Inc. & Co
The metals industry is defined by supply chains, fluctuating geopolitics, and predominantly male leadership. Yet, Devon Winters, CEO of New Jersey-based FW Winter Inc. & Co, runs her family-owned business with expert leadership, specializing in processing metal powders for a wide range of industries.
Winter’s professional journey is shaped by her experience as one of the few women executives in her field. Serving on the board of Women in Manufacturing, she champions greater participation by young people in an industry she sees as full of upward mobility.
Manufacturing, she explains, is less saturated than traditional corporate fields. It offers accelerated opportunities for meaningful career advancement. “There’s so much ability to move up quickly,” she says, emphasizing that the rewards of the industry are considerable despite being highly specialized.
Leadership, for Winters, is both challenging and rewarding. She attended an all-girls school for primary education, where she was always “ taught to use [her] voice” and that “when you take up space, it can have a much greater effect than you think”. These are skills that have translated into confidence in male-dominated rooms. She notes that impact comes not from speaking the loudest, but simply from taking up space and showing up with conviction. Her leadership philosophy centers on integrity and intuition, which are qualities she considers essential in trade and distribution - especially when evaluating partnerships, hiring, and long-term strategy. “Intuition is unique to everyone,” she explains, “but it has really served me.”
Running a family-owned business in an industry characterized by tariff changes or geopolitical shifts, such as the Russo-Ukrainian war, requires adaptability and agility. Ferroalloy manufacturing, she reminds consumers, is global and vulnerable to everything from weather events to political conflict. “I think that you have to be really agile and fit and open-minded. The thing about the business world is it doesn't really matter where someone comes from…business is business.”
To students beginning their careers, Winter offers one clear message: don’t panic if your path isn’t linear. “You’re only in competition with yourself,” she says. “Find something you’re good at, be your own biggest cheerleader, and stay open to where your strengths can take you.”