Mr. Fenkel was the founder and CEO of McLean Packaging Corporation, one of the few American manufacturers of corrugated containers, folding and rigid paper boxes. From 1961 until his passing, Joe grew McLean Packaging exponentially. McLean Packaging is nationally known as the leading packaging provider to businesses such as Godiva, L’Oréal, Estée Lauder, Proctor and Gamble, Mars chocolate and many more. In 1960, McLean launched in a modest factory in Fishtown Philadelphia with 8,000 square feet, ten employees and five machines. Today, McLean is based out of four separate plants, with more than 700,000 square feet in office buildings and factory floors, over 300 employees, and over 35 machines.

Joe, or “Bull-Dog” as his golf buddies like to call him, was known for his fierce determination on the golf course, which clearly manifested in his career. Joe was no stranger to pitfalls, failures and lost sales, but as he would say on the Penn State basketball court, “just tape it up!” Joe was excited to join Be a Part of the Conversation’s Board of Directors because of his own personal ties to sobriety. His daughter struggled through high school with substance use and abuse. Fortunately, through the help of resources like Be a Part of the Conversation, his daughter has been substance free since August 9^th, 2007.

Joe was also a Board Member of Firstrust Bank and the Abramson Center for Jewish Life.

“I would like to help people who, similar to myself, are struck by addiction in a vulnerable time in their lives. I wish there were more prevention so high schoolers like my daughter do not fall prey to addiction.”  – Joe Fenkel

>> Click here for Joe Fenkel’s obituary.