3:48 p.m. EST, November 18, 2010
Fowler re-fuels America on Wheels' coffers
By Scott Kraus, OF THE MORNING CALL

Most people know that Bethlehem's Marlene "Linny" Fowler is one of the Lehigh Valley's most generous philanthropists.

What they might not know is that her late father Harold Oberkotter was CEO of the global shipping company UPS.

Now if they visit Allentown's America On Wheels over-the-road transportation museum, they will.

Fowler made a $100,000 donation Thursday to dedicate the entry wall to the South Gallery of the downtown attraction to her father and his 56 years of service to the international shipping company, whose ubiquitous brown delivery trucks have become a commercial icon.

The donation to the museum, which opened in 2008 on Allentown's waterfront and has struggled to make ends meet, provides a significant financial boost.

"We are very fortunate and grateful to receive the Fowlers' support and honored to display Harold's story, which is truly an inspiration for all of our visitors but especially for young people who visit America On Wheels every week," said the museum's executive director, Linda Merkel.

Oberkotter started his career at UPS company in 1925 as a messenger, rising through the ranks to become the company's fourth CEO from 1974 to 1980. Founded in 1905, the company has grown into a $50 billion global corporation.

"Leadership gifts [like Fowler's] are always a sign of faith and support in the organization," Merkel said. "It means a lot to us."
—Scott Kraus Copyright

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