President, East Penn Manufacturing – Lyon Station, PA
As president of East Penn Manufacturing, Dan Langdon oversees the daily sales, marketing, and financial functions of a privately-held company that operates the largest, single-site lead-acid battery facility in the world. Currently with over 8,000 employees globally and 90 warehouses and distribution centers across North America, the conglomerate has experienced remarkable growth over the last ten years. In the last five of those years, East Penn has doubled in size to over a 2 billion dollar a year enterprise and is still growing.
Since assuming the role of president in 1994, Langdon has upheld a long-standing, deeply enriched company culture of intrinsic quality, organization-wide integrity, innovative sustainability, industry leadership, and community outreach. Most essential to this culture is a cohesive family of co-workers who continue to strengthen the company making it one of the Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania for 13 consecutive years. Working in collaboration with an accomplished executive team, the leadership has not only allowed this culture to be sustained, but has created the kind of environment in which it has flourished and grown. Langdon’s commitment to these core company values, its people and customers, has earned him a high level of respect among his fellow co-workers and other industry leaders.
Langdon’s introduction to East Penn Manufacturing began in 1979 when he joined four partners to form Reinsel & Company Certified Public Accountants and secured the account as its Accounting and Auditing Partner. It was in this position that he first met DeLight Breidegam, East Penn’s founder and chairman. A 2004 Northwood University Outstanding Business Leader, Breidegam eventually became Langdon’s boss when he joined the company in 1986 as Controller. Langdon was then promoted to Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer in just a few short years.
Crediting his extensive background in finance, his 1973 Bachelor of Business Arts (BA) degree in Accounting from Lycoming College, and his early employment as Audit Staff Member at Deloitte Haskins & Sells as creating a strong foundation for leadership success, Langdon has played an instrumental role in the battery industry over his time at East Penn.
The past president of Battery Council International (BCI), he has served on the Board of Directors for many years. He is also on the board of the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) serving the North American Aftermarket supplier industry. In efforts to reach out and promote the development of businesses in the community, he serves as Chairman for the Greater Berks Development Fund (GBDF). He is also on the Board of Trustees for his alma mater, Lycoming College. For over 40 years he has dedicated his time to serving as a Pennsylvania International Wrestling Association (PIAA) official. In addition, he has received the honor of being inducted into the Junior Achievement of Greater Reading Business Hall of Fame and has received the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants Prominent CPA in Business award.
The parents of Matthew, Kate, Christopher, Marybeth and Megan, Langdon and his wife Kathleen reside in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania where they are actively involved in the John Paul II Learning Center, the St. Ignatius Parish, Berks Encore programs and services, and the United Way. Dan’s hobbies include fishing and boating.
*All biographical information is only current up to the date of the award.
