Victor P. Winkler, President and Chief Executive Officer of Metro Metals Northwest, Inc., to Receive Prestigious 2025 Horatio Alger Award

Horatio Alger Association names 12 outstanding individuals, each of whom has overcome adversity to achieve professional and personal success, to its Member Class of 2025

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization that honors the achievements of outstanding leaders who have overcome adversity and supports promising young people to pursue their American Dream through higher education and technical scholarships, today announced that Victor P. Winkler, president and chief executive officer of Metro Metals Northwest, has been selected for membership in this prestigious organization. Mr. Winkler joins 11 other exceptional corporate, civic and cultural leaders from across the country in receiving the 2025 honors. For the last 78 years, the Horatio Alger Award has been annually bestowed upon esteemed individuals who have succeeded despite facing significant challenges, and who have remained committed to higher education and charitable efforts in their communities and beyond. 

Mr. Winkler was raised in Portland, Oregon. His German parents were Holocaust survivors and immigrated to America without a dime to their name and unable to speak English. Mr. Winkler's mother would often recount the horrors of being Jewish at the time in Germany, which instilled in Mr. Winkler a strong sense of cultural and religious identity and motivated him to succeed in honor of his parents who endured so much. Understanding the transformative power of education, Mr. Winkler dedicated himself to his studies and graduated from the University of Washington in 1981 with a bachelor's degree in business and marketing. In later years, he attended Harvard University's Owner/President Management (OPM) program.

Just as he was about to graduate from the University of Washington, he discovered his father had terminal cancer, and their family business, a small scrap metal company, was in danger of closing its doors. Mr. Winkler stepped in to take over Winkler Metals, which consisted of one truck and one part-time employee. He learned on the job and quickly grew the company by forging strong relationships with mills, foundries and consumers. In 1999, he merged the business with its two competitors, eventually buying them out to form Metro Metals Northwest. Today, the company has 165 trucks, employs over 600 people and has locations throughout the western United States.

Much of Metro Metal's success can be attributed to Mr. Winkler's leadership as president and chief executive officer, including smart investments in technology and other key business decisions that disrupted the status quo. Today, Victor is known as a pioneer in the circular economy, effectively turning waste from metals into a new resource instead of being sent to landfill. His commitment to environmental stewardship is reflected in his philanthropic giving and the industry awards that Metro Metals has earned for its high environmental performance.

"To be selected for membership in an organization as distinguished as the Horatio Alger Association is a true honor," said Mr. Winkler. "Throughout my life, I've come to understand that adversity is inevitable. We will all face challenges at one point or another, but it's how we respond in those moments that will define us. I can intimately relate to many of the challenges the scholars are facing, and I look forward to sharing with them the lessons I've learned along the way to help them on their journeys to success."

Deeply proud of his Jewish heritage, Mr. Winkler served for many years on the board of Portland's Jewish Community Center. His gift to the Portland Art Museum contributed to its recent expansion, and he has also generously donated to Cedars Sinai, a Portland senior living facility for low-income residents, and the local chapter of the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

"Victor is a quiet philanthropist – someone who contributes significantly to causes and communities without seeking the spotlight," said Peter Stott, chairman and CEO of Market Express, LLC, and 2014 Horatio Alger Award recipient. "Despite this, the profound impact he has made on our shared hometown of Portland is undeniable. He's the definition of a self-made man, and I'm certain his story will inspire Horatio Alger Scholars, Alumni and Members alike. I look forward to publicly honoring and applauding him at the awards events in April."

The Horatio Alger Association was established in 1947 and today is dedicated to promoting and ensuring the American Dream for future generations. Through its members, the association aims to teach young people about the limitless possibilities available through the American free-enterprise system. Since 1984, the association has awarded annual need-based scholarships to high school students who have overcome significant obstacles and showcase a commitment to continuing their education and making a unique contribution to society. The scholarships are possible because of the generosity of association members, who have collectively provided more than $265 million to 37,000 students over the past 40 years.

Mr. Winkler and the member class of 2025 will be formally inducted into the association during the 78^th Horatio Alger Award Induction Ceremonies in Washington, D.C. from April 3-5, 2025. The annual three-day event honors the achievements of both members and national scholars, who will have the unique opportunity to meet, interact and exchange stories of perseverance throughout the multi-day celebration.

For more information about Horatio Alger Association and its member class of 2025, please visit www.horatioalger.org and follow the organization on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and X.

About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans:
Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. is dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. The Association honors the achievements of outstanding leaders who have accomplished remarkable successes in spite of adversity by bestowing upon them the Horatio Alger Award and inducting them as lifetime Members. Horatio Alger Members support promising young people with the resources and confidence needed to overcome adversity in pursuit of their dreams through higher education. Through the generosity of its Members and friends, in 2025, the Association has budgeted to award more than $17.4 million in undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships to students across the United States and Canada, and continues to provide comprehensive academic, personal, and professional support services to its Scholars. Over the past 40 years, more than $265 million has been awarded in undergraduate, graduate, military veteran and career and technical education scholarships to more than 37,000 deserving students. For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org.

CONTACT:
McKenna Young
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SOURCE Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc.