Long term success in a family business requires disciplined agility to transform the business model while preserving a core culture grounded in trust and care. The Hertzman family demonstrates that performance is driven by culture, cultivating deep employee loyalty through fair treatment, meaningful growth opportunities, and open communication that treats bad news as an opportunity for problem solving rather than blame.
Their return to manufacturing represents a calculated risk, where strategic capital deployment is carefully weighed against long term reward and aligned with a commitment to high quality and premium customers. By staying true to this standard, the organization protects its reputation for exceptional service, reinforces its legacy, and positions itself to thrive for the next hundred years.
About Ben Hertzman
Ben Hertzman, President of Progress Luv2Pak, shares the century-long evolution of the packaging company, from a family-run factory to a modern, diversified enterprise. After his father, David, acquired the business, it evolved from domestic manufacturing into a global sourcing operation, adapting to customer needs and changing markets. Hertzman emphasizes that lasting culture is built on trust and empowerment.
After gaining experience at Procter & Gamble, Ben rejoined the company as a trainee and worked his way up, reinforcing a commitment to meritocracy and continuous learning. The company builds loyalty by investing in its people and creating growth opportunities. With the launch of Gather Packaging, Progress Luv2Pak has re-entered domestic manufacturing, strengthening supply chain resilience and positioning the business for its next chapter of growth.
Insights From The Conversation
“If you dislike change, you’re going to dislike irrelevance even more. And we aim to keep a lot of things constant, but adapt and be nimble and follow the lead of our clients to the best of our ability”.
“The only time I get upset is when I get surprised. When bad stuff’s going down and it’s been hidden and it’s gotten worse, that’s the only time I get upset”.
“I would like people to remember us for having taken care of them. That the people that worked here, they were able to live a good life and do meaningful work by coming here”.
Big Ideas & Takeaways
Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition: The business’s current success stems from a savvy acquisition by the current owner’s father, who identified a niche (the old box factory) and leveraged serendipitous growth (winning the Trivial Pursuit box contract).
Strategic Transformation and Adaptability: The business successfully transformed from a traditional manufacturer to a supply chain and logistics operation by embracing global importing early, with importing eventually becoming five times the size of the factory division.
Leading Through Empowerment and Trust: Cultivating A-players and high-performing talent by giving them progressively more responsibility and allowing them to make their own mistakes. Trust is paramount; leaders must create a problem-solving culture, not a culture of blame.
Internal Talent Development: A strong commitment to promoting from within; the best talent comes from internal growth, with leadership team members boasting 10 to 25 years of tenure and starting at lower levels.
Full-Circle Strategy: Return to Domestic Manufacturing: Launching Gather Packaging marks a critical, strategic move back into specialized, high-quality North American manufacturing to address volatile supply chains, mitigate risk, and serve high-end brands.
Intergenerational Transition: Successfully navigating the transition by the senior leader (father) declaring a clear role (strategy/transactions) while giving the junior leader (son) the operational latitude to run the business day-to-day, despite occasional “old tricks”.
