Joseph A. Benacci ’57 was the CEO of TWL Corporation in Erie. A family-owned company for more than fifty years, it is recognized as a state and regional leader in trucking, warehousing, distribution, and logistics for the trucking and transportation industry. Benacci began his academic career at Penn State Behrend in 1953, where he played on the college’s first men’s basketball team. Following his father’s death, Benacci left Penn State University Park and returned to Erie to help operate the family’s produce and trucking company.
Benacci was active in community organizations, including the United Way of Erie County, Hamot Health Foundation, and the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership. In addition, Benacci served as a volunteer for Penn State Behrend for nearly twenty years. He helped organize the Penn State Behrend Alumni Society in the mid-1980s, and served as a member of its Board of Directors for many years. He had been a member of the Penn State Behrend Council of Fellows since 1996 and had held positions on its Board of Directors and capital campaign committee. He was a member of the Mount Nittany Society, the Glenhill Society, the President’s Club, and a life member of the Penn State Alumni Association.
Benacci passed away on December 24, 2024. He is survived by his wife, Berit, and their five children, Karl Benacci ’03, Jennifer Benacci, Raymond Benacci ’87, Joseph Benacci, and Kristina Benacci-Hannum. In 1998, the Benacci family established the Joseph A. and Berit I. Benacci Family Scholarship to benefit Penn State Behrend students.
(Updated January 2025.)