Witkowski Named 2005 Alumni Fellow
Erie business leader William C. Witkowski, owner, chairman, and CEO of Port Erie Plastics, has been named Penn State Behrend’s 2005 Alumni Fellow. The Alumni Fellow award is the most prestigious honor given by the Penn State Alumni Association.
Dr. Jack Burke, Penn State Behrend chancellor, will present the Alumni Fellow award to Witkowski at an evening reception on Tuesday. In keeping with Alumni Fellow tradition, Witkowski will spend Tuesday in the classroom, sharing his business and engineering experience with the College’s students and faculty.
Witkowski began his academic career at Penn State Behrend and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering in 1967. In the mid-1980s he took a leadership role in developing the College’s plastics engineering technology program – then one of only three in the U.S. – and in 1996 was present for the dedication of the Witkowski Building in the school’s Engineering Complex. He also is a long-time member of the Plastics Engineering Technology Industrial Advisory Board.
Port Erie Plastics, located on Troupe Road in Harborcreek, has been owned by the Witkowski family for over 50 years. Under William’s direction, the company has grown into a modern 500,000-square-foot plant with 77 injection molding machines and 600 full-time employees. Port Erie Plastics hires interns and graduates from the College’s plastics program and encourages its employees to continue their education at Penn State Behrend. The company partnered with Penn State Behrend’s Plastics Technology Center to design a recycled-plastic pallet that has become one of Port Erie’s signature products.
“We’re pleased that the University is honoring one of Erie’s finest businessmen,” Burke said of the Alumni Fellow designation. “Bill has created synergy between Behrend and his company, sharing his time, resources, and business expertise with our engineering students as well as working with our faculty to improve processes and products. It’s a great example of a vibrant industry-university relationship.”
Witkowski and his wife, Jean, have four children. They also are members of Penn State’s President’s Club, the President’s Club Circle of Pride, the Glenhill Society, and the Mount Nittany Society.