C.L. Werner, founder and chairman emeritus of Werner Enterprises, recently was named as a member of the 2012 class of Horatio Alger Award recipients. The 12 new members, including Werner, will be inducted next spring in Washington, D.C., at the Horatio Alger Awards Induction Ceremonies April 12-14, 2012.
Werner, who founded Omaha, Neb.-based Werner Enterprises at age 19 when he traded his family car for a 1956 Ford truck, is being honored for his generosity and continued support of local and national humanitarian efforts. Since Werner started as the company’s first driver hauling farm products regionally, Werner Enterprises has grown into a $2 billion global transportation and logistics company.
Given by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, recipients are dedicated community leaders who have accomplished remarkable achievements through hard work, self-reliance and perseverance. Past recipients include Hank Aaron, Tom Brokaw, Bob Hope, Maya Angelou, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Bloomberg and Ronald Reagan.
The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans Inc. was established in 1947 and bears the name of the renowned author Horatio Alger, Jr., whose tales of overcoming adversity through unyielding perseverance and basic moral principles captivated the public in the late 19th century.
