HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-2017 Honoring Steel Warehouse _ •
SPECIAL PROCLAMATION NO. 08-2017
A SPECIAL PROCLAMATION AWARDED BY THE SOUTH BEND COUNCIL
HONORING STEEL WAREHOUSE FOR ITS LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO THE
COMMUNITY AND WISHING CONTINUED SUCCESS AS A VIABLE AND
ONGOING BUSINESS
0%C , Steel Warehouse is a family-owned business founded by company president Nate
Lerman that opened a shop in 1947 in a small rented building with a used piece of equipment, a
rented lift truck, and a lot of manual labor. Mr. Lerman's initial plan for the company was to
liquidate steel from a toy-building venue, but other opportunities for the company soon set it on a
path for growth, innovation, and eventual industry leadership; and
0*)C ,Nate Lerman's original legacy has passed down his family tree and ownership of
the company now includes Mike Lerman, President; Dave Lerman, Chief Executive Officer; Ted
Lerman, Vice President/Finance; Bill Lerman, Vice President/Operations; Gerry Lerman, Vice
President/Legal Affairs; Marc Lerman, Vice President/Purchasing; Aaron Lerman, Engineering;
and Jim Lerman, President of Steel Warehouse/Wisconsin and Portage; and
066 ,while starting out with a mere handful of employees, Steel Warehouse embarked
on a pattern of steady growth to become one of the industry's largest and most comprehensive
steel processing centers in the United States which now employs well over 600 people in the Steel
Warehouse family of companies. The local Steel Warehouse facility in South Bend alone
employs 491 people and has a yearly payroll of nearly $32M at that location; and
0A ,Steel Warehouse's corporate headquarters and primary plant facilities are located
on the west side of South Bend and during its 70-year history, it has prospered and created jobs
not only in the Midwest but all over North America, and in Central and South America as well.
The Midwest reigns as the major manufacturing center of the United States in steel-related
fabrication and manufacturing, thanks to Steel Warehouse's efforts to grow its family of
companies and its efforts to innovate the industry; and
6,Y" Steel Warehouse is owned by the Lerman family, an Orthodox Jewish family
whose dedication,as a result of their devout faith,to various humanitarian efforts in the community
has greatly benefitted the community. No city the size of South Bend can boast has two orthodox
synagogues, involving over 75 Jewish families, a kosher deli, a Jewish day school, a Jewish girls
high school, a kolel, and a new yeshiva. The Lerman family has helped support and grow the
Jewish community in this Midwestern city; and
0AC , Steel Warehouse and the entire Lerman family have also made numerous
contributions over the years to various charities in the community and have annually donated to
many local and national causes, including programs heavily directed toward families and their
children. These organizations include United Way, Rosie's Place, Hanna's House, Little League
Baseball, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of St. Joseph County, and Youth and High School Hockey.
Specifically,with respect to hockey, Steel Warehouse and the Lerman family built and donated
The Ice Box skating rink which brings many visitors to South Bend for hockey tournaments. Such
contributions to these entities have only helped to enrich the local institutions which serve the
South Bend community.
91a, A , Ge&.� andApvv4 Mxo aQ ,
(W 1. On behalf of the citizens of South Bend, Indiana, the South Bend Common
Council proudly and publicly congratulates and thanks Steel Warehouse and the entire Lerman
family, who have worked for over 70 years to build a tiny start-up company into a full-service,
steel processing business that has long served the local South Bend economy and the City of South
Bend by its growth and contributions to the community.
II• The Common Council proudly recognizes Steel Warehouse and the Lerman
family as valued members of our community and as a company of individuals that have helped
keep the local economy viable during hard times by employing many local citizens over the 70
years of its existence.
(Wmmw III. Th Common Council and the citizens of South Bend wish Steel Warehouse
and the Lerman family continued success with their local, family-owned business and laud the
many other contributions to the community made by Steel Warehouse and the Lerman family
as a whole as they celebrate the 70th anniversary of the company and their efforts at making it a
successful business and ongoing contributor to the community in many different ways for many
years to come. Congratulations!
Tim Scott, Common Council President
South Bend Common Council
South Bend, Indiana