Ken Ackerman: WERC founder continues to serve
Back in the mid-1970s, Ken Ackerman, president of consulting firm The Ackerman Company in Columbus, Ohio, was a man on a mission. Unable to find a professional organization focused exclusively on warehousing, he and a few other colleagues formed WERC.
During his long tenure with the organization, Ackerman—who has devoted his entire career to warehousing—has served as a WERC volunteer, organizing, educating and speaking at multiple Annual Conferences. When asked what has been the biggest value and legacy of WERC, Ackerman doesn’t hesitate: "The prosperity of WERC goes back to the value it provides its members," he says. "We have always wanted to give members a chance to share information and the opportunity to learn from one another. That’s something that continues to this day."
Read more about Ken Ackerman here.
Paul Delp: Lifetime of professional development
Warehousing runs in Paul Delp’s blood. The president of Lansdale Warehousing Company, Delp worked on the docks of his father’s trucking company by age 16; after a stint in the military, he returned to help his father launch Lansdale. He also majored in supply chain management at Penn State University, where he later met Burr Hupp and learned about WERC during an executive course in 1980.
Delp’s first WERC Conference, in Philadelphia, left its mark on him—and he’s rarely missed an Annual Conference since. Likewise, he’s been very involved in the Eastern Pennsylvania/Delaware WERCouncil, for which he serves as treasurer today. "The association offers such great courses for continuing education," he says. "Even if you didn’t start out in the industry, there are fantastic resources available to you."
Read more about Paul Delp here.