LMC Alert >>Ìý
Clarence Beckwith Distinguished Alumni Award: Leo Berger
Leo “Joeâ€� Berger is the retired co-founder of Finite Filter Corporation inÌýOxford, Michigan, a company he helped to grow from a workshop- and basement-basedÌýoperation in 1970 to an enterprise with an international distribution system,Ìý155 employees, and annual sales of $7 million.
Joe graduated from Benton Harbor Junior College - the predecessor of LakeÌýMichigan College – in 1950 with an Associate in Science degree and earned aÌýBachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University inÌý1953.
After working nearly 20 years in engineering and marketing and being awardedÌýseven American and British patents, Joe and his business partner developed aÌýpatented three-dimensional glass fiber filter system on which they built Finite Filter.
With this breakthrough product, Joe led his company to annual average growthÌýlevels of 20 percent. In 1986, they sold the company to Parker Hannifin CorporationÌýand Joe remained there until 1991 when he retired.
Leo Berger was awarded LMC's Clarence Beckwith Distinguished Alumni Award in 2004.