Focus on: Dr. Kurt Woelfl, ODU
As CEO, Kurt Woelfl has helped ODU GmbH profitably grow their business on a global level. ODU, located in Muhldorf a. Inn-Germany, has been providing interconnect solutions for 60 years. The company is best known for medical and military push-pull connectors, and also manufactures heavy duty, power, rectangular, single contact, surface mount, and IDC connectors. ODU is also well known for their innovative custom cable assemblies.

ODU is recognized as one of the best performing companies in the industry and is highly respected by customers and competitors for their high quality products and their ethical approach to business.

Dr. Kurt Woelfl
ODU Steckverbindungssysteme GmbH & Co. KG, Mühldorf a. Inn, Germany
Current Position: CEO
Previous industry positions: After university, I started my career in the automotive business. First I worked with BMW in Munich as a product launch coordinator, and then I joined Dräxelmaier as a plant manager in Reynosa, Mexico.
Industry affiliations or organizations: ZVEI, German organization for the electronic industry, and IHK, German organization for trade and industry.
Accomplishments you’re proud of: It would certainly be raising our three children together with my wife. Professionally, it is working together with everyone at ODU to help the company flourish and work towards long-term success. A key moment was the founding of ODU Romania, an important milestone that helped make ODU a global company.
First job: As a high school student, I worked in construction, and helped convert an old house into a doctor’s office.
Favorite website: That would be Yahoo! I use it as a portal to the rest of the web and for important headline news.
The last book I read: Right now I am reading the Song of Ice and Fire saga by George R.R. Martin. I started with the first book, A Game of Thrones, during my last vacation, and I am now working my way through the series. As a kid, I really enjoyed Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, and Martin’s series helps bring me back.
Why did you choose this industry for your profession? As anyone will tell you, the connector industry is a close-knit industry. My father was in the connector industry, and it somehow feels right for me, too.
If I knew then what I know now, I would have: Pretty much done the same, except I wouldn’t sweat some of the details as much and focus more on the big picture.
The best advice anyone ever gave me was: Buy gold. No, seriously, it would have to be to set your goals and continue to work towards them. If you fall down, just get up and keep going.
What trend in the industry is affecting your job and what would you like to do about it? That would certainly be globalization and China entering the world market. I want ODU to profit through globalization by reaching markets we couldn’t reach 15 years ago. Also, we have to develop technologically to keep ahead of the growing price-driven competition from the Far East.