Crain's Chicago Business includes Edge Logistics President Will Kerr Among Prestigious 40 Under 40 Honorees for 2021
William "Will" Kerr, President of Edge Logistics, LLC., a company that's gained industry-wide recognition for record-setting growth, inclusion on the Inc. 5000 list, and continuously building next-generation logistics capabilities, has been included among Crain's 40 Under 40 honorees for 2021.
CHICAGO, Nov. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Crain's 40 Under 40 showcases company leaders and entrepreneurs that have successfully improved the world through their individual companies, services, or technologies and who are 40 years of age or younger at the time of the list's release in November of each year.
Crain's also releases a list of 40 Under 40 for select metropolitan areas, such as Cleveland or New York. Specifically, Will Kerr has been included in the 2021 Chicago Crain's 40 Under 40. For this particular recognition, it helps to know how Will became a leader of a well-recognized and thought-provoking company like Edge Logistics.
Life didn't go quite as planned for 33-year-old Kerr, who grew up in Glenco dreaming of becoming a trader on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. In love with the action and intensity, he pivoted as a senior at DePaul University when the Merc took trading online.
Things have worked out pretty well. Seven years ago, Kerr launched Edge Logistics, a third-party logistics company, in the back of a double-wide trailer in a parking lot along the banks of Brooklyn's East River.
"We had an extension cord for power, no bathroom or air conditioning," he says. "But we had a great view of Manhattan, and we did $1 million in the first quarter."
Starting with limited resources is a hallmark characteristic of individuals on the Crain's 40 Under 40 list. But still, a growth rate to hit $1 million within a year is not bad for a then-26-year-old who raised money from family and friends to kick-start his company. Bear in mind, this was seven years ago, and in the time since, Edge Logistics has enjoyed record-setting growth.
What started as a three-person team of Kerr, Chief Operating Officer Jordan Lanyi and Chief Talent Officer Maria Callegari has evolved into a workforce of 123 employees, a 7,000-square-foot main headquarters on the banks of the Chicago River, and offices in Los Angeles, Detroit, New York and Colombia, South America.
The company landed on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list 2018 to 2021 and was in Crain's Fast 50 in 2020 and 2021. In fact, Edge has achieved a combined growth rate of 693.6% over the past five years, and that growth trend is likely to continue as the CAPACITY app reaches critical mass within the market.
"We always knew Will was going to be great," says Steven Hausman, who helped finance the budding operation as founder and CEO of Texas-based Triumph Business Capital (now retired). "It's almost freaky, the insight he has into the freight brokerage business."
But first, backtrack for a moment. Kerr developed his chops after college while working at Chicago's Echo Global Logistics, a major player in the $12 trillion global logistics industry. "On my first day there I had no idea how it worked, but I learned on the job and fell in love with the business," he says. "We were in a big technological wave, and I saw a lot of opportunity for growth."
Kerr capitalized on both by growing Edge Logistics and developing the Edge CAPACITY app, a digital freight matching platform that connects trucking companies and shippers to expedite bidding, booking, and updating shipments. He plans to launch a new app by January 2022 that will allow customers to interact with Edge more easily and enable him to scale the business from a service and capability standpoint more efficiently.
Those accomplishments deserve recognition in their own rite, but they also support what it is in Will's mind that sparks ideation and innovation and how it exemplifies what it takes to be a leader.
Will has served as keynote speaker among his peers at conferences, such as Mcleod Software's User Conference.
Kerr's constant drive and creativity inspire all around him, and his passion is on full display at Edge Logistics. He cares about his community and actively supports a number of charities in his hometown of Chicago, such as YOS and Special Olympics. After hours, you can find Kerr golfing, boating, cheering on the Bears, or spending time with his wife and their one-year-old son. Edge Logistics is proud to have a leader like WIll Kerr at the helm, and we are excited for our next destination on the road to success and hope he enjoys this well-deserved spotlight.
About Edge Logistics
Since 2014, Edge Logistics has provided freight technology solutions for its customers and carriers all across the United States. This family-owned and managed business quickly grew to become a resource for individuals, small businesses, and major carriers alike, landing in the INC 5000 fastest-growing companies list four years in a row.
The goal of Edge Logistics is to make business easier for customers by offering state-of-the-art resources and tools, unmatched customer service, and affordable prices. Edge Logistics works with a network of select carriers to create the optimum transportation plan for each customer's specific needs. Now, with its CAPACITY platform and app, Edge Logistics is driving the industry forward by finding innovative solutions to modern problems.
About Crain's 40 Under 40
The list is released annually and showcases the best of both businesses on people-first approaches to making the world a better place. Furthermore, the recognition coincides with companies that demonstrated growth throughout market disruption as well, and it's with this same resolve that Will Kerr has approached his vision and what became Edge Logistics.
Media Contact
Pamela Nebiu, Edge Logistics, 1 3129402374, [email protected]
SOURCE Edge Logistics
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