Logistics Plus CEO wins award

(Business Section of June 30, 2004 Erie Times-News)

By JASON NOBLE

jason.noble@timesnews.com

An Erie businessman was one of eight western Pennsylvania entrepreneurs recognize for outstanding leadership Friday by accounting firm Ernst & Young.

Jim Berlin, chief execu­tive of Erie-based Logistics Plus, won Jim Berlin the business-services award in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year competition for Western Pennsylvania. He now is in the running for the national — and perhaps international — entrepreneur of the year award.

The Ernst & Young Entrepre­neur of the Year Award recognizes leaders in growing businesses.

Berlin was honored for his management of the supply-chain management company, which has quickly become an in­ternational player in logistics. Art Whelan, Logistics Plus' vice president of corporate develop­ment, said the company Berlin founded in 1996 now employs 90, has 300 customers, and has of­fices in nine countries. The company counted $11.5 million in revenue for 2003 and expects closer to $20 million for 2004.

Berlin said the "exciting and humbling" honor was probably due to Logistic Plus' success de­spite the challenges of its busi­ness.

"Our business is unique be­cause every day, we deal with problems that are out of our con­trol, and that are happening to our customers all over the world. It's our job to solve those problems for the customer," he said.

The Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership nomi­nated Berlin for the award, put­ting him in the running with about 60 other area entrepre­neurs. That pool was narrowed to 24 finalists, of which eight were selected as winners in various categories.

Berlin was nominated be­cause of the vision and innovation displayed by the company under his direction, said John Karnes, the chamber's director of sales.

"Because of the amount of in­formation we had to glean from Logistics Plus to put into the nom­ination process, we knew they fit the bill and were exactly the kind of company Ernst & Young was looking for," Karnes said.

Berlin will travel to Palm Springs, Calif., in November for the national award presentation.

JASON NOBLE can be reached at 870-1889 or by e-mail.