Alumni
Our Alumni
David Woldenberg ‘14, Shipping & Logistics Innovator
David brings many Scheck Hillel lessons to his entrepreneurial endeavor as CEO of Tranzport Inc.
What warms your heart when you think of your student days at Scheck Hillel?
My father always says that if you go to a city with just a Jewish cemetery, there was once a Jewish community there. A community with a thriving synagogue, currently has a Jewish community. But, when you see a thriving Jewish day school it means there will continue to be a strong a vibrant community. It warms my heart that Hillel is vibrant, full of eager kids, full of energy and that is the guarantee our community has made in safeguarding our future.
Was there a teacher who had a positive impact and made you feel special like you could do it all?
All the classics: Mrs. Joh in first grade made us turn in homework with an exceptional standard of excellence. Clean edges, no creases in the paper, no excessive eraser marks, and neatly written etc. Those are not easy demands to place on first-graders. Her lesson wasn’t evident to us at the time, but she taught me that presentation is everything and that in every deliverable in life, deliver at the highest standard of quality. At our company, even if we're sending a simple proposal, it is always professionally written, on company letterhead and properly-sized logos. The old saying that "you can't judge a book by its cover" is false. If your book is good, invest in a well designed cover. That all came from Mrs. Joh - my first-grade Hillel teacher.
Do you feel like your time at Scheck Hillel had an impact on your adult life and your choices? How so?
Undoubtedly-see above.
What educational path did you follow?
University of Michigan Ross School of Business, Class of 2018
What is your current profession and where do you work? How did you come to work in this field?
I am CEO of Tranzport Inc. I got into it by addressing a challenge that plagues industrial companies, naively thinking I could change it overnight. Six years later, we're slowly but surely changing it. It has not been overnight by any means, but the business has grown 20x and we've still got a long road ahead.
What is most rewarding about the work you do? What are you passionate about?
It's extremely rewarding to build something from scratch and to be part of a culture of passionate, hardworking, and honest people. It's amazing to be part of a team where everyone feels dedicated to providing excellent and competitive tech driven logistics services. At Tranzport, we say that when you're stuck between a "right thing to do" and a "best thing to do" ALWAYS do the right thing. The Gemara, the codex of Jewish law, has an interesting passage in Tractate Shabbat 31a. When life ends and man comes before judgment, the first thing he/she is asked is if he/or she was honest in his/her business dealings. Contrary to popular belief, one is not primarily judged on whether or not they kept the Sabbath, dressed appropriately, committed a sin, or even if one was charitable. Rather, one is judged on how he comports himself when nobody is looking - often in business dealings. This lesson, taught to me at Hillel, is the guiding philosophy of our business.
Looking back, what advice would you give your 18-year-old self?
"Don't let schooling interfere with your education." (Mark Twain) Be a lifelong learner. Act into thinking rather than think into acting.
