KaLeigh Long, CEO of Westwin Elements, Named to Forbes Under 30 Class of 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 2024
Contact: Daquawn Bruce
(405)-655-9361
Oklahoma City, OK - Westwin Elements Inc. (Westwin), America’s first major nickel refinery, is proud to announce that its Founder and CEO, KaLeigh Long, has been selected from over 10,000 nominees to the prestigious Forbes Under 30 Class of 2025 in the Energy and Green Tech and Big Money categories. Nominees are evaluated on several factors which include social impact, funding, inventiveness, and potential. Long’s recognition highlights her exceptional leadership and innovative mindset toward the solvency of America’s critical mineral crisis.
Commenting on her recognition, Long stated:
“This recognition is a testament to God’s provision, the incredible work of team Westwin, and our shared commitment to American hegemony. America’s clean energy and manufacturing future begins with a secure domestic critical mineral supply chain, safeguarded from adversarial control. Westwin’s patriotic mission is to reduce strategic US dependence on adversaries like China and Russia. Our project puts people before profit, though certainly profitable, and we are committed to multigenerational prosperity for our employees and ongoing community benefit where Westwin operations exist.”
Currently, Westwin is operating its demonstration plant outside of Lawton, Oklahoma. With nearly 275 total combined years of technical experience in the long-proven technology used, Westwin is preparing to produce Class 1 nickel powder samples for customer product qualifications, marking a significant milestone in the company’s journey toward commercialization. Additionally, construction on the first phase of the commercial plant is planned for Q2 2025. Westwin will scale production through 2031 to meet the increasing demand for Class 1 nickel products primarily driven by stainless steel, aerospace and defense markets, and the electric vehicle industry.
Under Long’s leadership, Westwin has raised more than $65 million in funding, reflecting strong investor confidence. The company is providing a solution to foreign dependency and forecasted global market deficits by establishing secure, domestic nickel refining capabilities.
KaLeigh was formally recognized at the Forbes New Icons Celebration on December 9th in New York City. The Forbes announcement can be found here.
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