January 24, 2020 - Calvin R. Kidd, most recently of Quaker Houghton, has announced his retirement from this position at the end of last month after serving the coal industry for 53 years.

Calvin Kidd

“It’s been a great experience and we’ve met so many wonderful people over the years,” said Calvin. “I am truly blessed and if I’d had a choice I would do it all over again!” Asked what he would like to do now, Calvin told CoalZoom: “I still have loads of energy and with all my experience, I would like to serve on the board of one or two manufacturers to help them in this tough industry.”

Kidd was born in Montgomery, WV, November 21, 1947 to Frank J. and Mary C. Kidd.  He attended public schools in Fayette County, graduating from Collins High School in 1966.  Calvin has served on the Board of Director for Oak Hill High School/Collins High School Alumni Association for several years and was a member of the first class distinguished alumni in 2008.  He attended both Marshall and Mountain State University and fulfilled his six-year military obligation in the National Guard and Army Reserves obtaining rank of SGT.E5.

He began his career in the mining industry with Long-Airdox Company in 1967 where he worked inside sales until 1975.  He was promoted to Field Sales for Southern West Virginia and eleven months later was made District Manager for the state of West Virginia.  He was sales manager for the entire U.S. Mining Industry becoming V.P. Sales from 1986 to 1997. 
   
Moving to Continental Conveyor and Equipment Company he began a ten-year career as an Account Specialist and in 2008 was named Manager of Field Sales and Service.  Continental was acquired by Joy Mining Machinery in 2009 at which time he was named Strategic Alliance Manager responsible for Cline Resources and remained there until 2012.  He joined Quaker Chemical Corporation immediately following MINExpo of 2012 as Director for Business Development in the Mining Division. 

He is immensely proud of working with the mining engineering students at WVU each year since 1976 and says it’s really amazing how many of these young men and women have become true leaders in the greatest industry in the world – COAL.  During Calvin’s fifty-three years, he has traveled several hundred thousand miles in the US coal industry with trips to England and several to Australia.

Calvin married his grade school and high school sweetheart, Carol Rakes on October 19, 1968.  They are the parents of daughter Melissa who works at the Fayette County Prosecutors Office and son David who is a certified electrician, safety director and the fourth generation Kidd in the coal industry.  They are proud grandparents of grandsons Tyler, Austin, Scott Mikel and David Graison and great granddaughters Adalyn and Asplyn and great-grandson Preston.
 
Calvin became a Christian in March 2010 and will not hesitate telling you this is the most important decision you will make in your entire life. He and Carol are active members at the Jones Avenue Church of God in Oak Hill, WV.