Within three years, William Pepe transitioned from being a temporary employee to an executive advisor at Multi-Housing Depot, an apartment and multifamily supplier. His strong work ethic and attention to detail, coupled with his completion of Rowan at Burlington County’s advanced manufacturing courses, paved the way for several growth opportunities in his career. 

Pepe began his manufacturing career as a temporary employee at Multi-Housing Depot in 2016. Within two months on the job, he was hooked and realized he had found his niche. Within a one and a half year span, he transitioned from wiping down cabinets, to running a basic machine, to advancing to a door press and eventually running a CNC (computer numerical control) machine. 

“Multi-Housing Depot saw my ability to organize and schedule workloads in a timely manner and offered me a position to supervise our CNC machining area contingent upon my certification as a maintenance technician. So that’s what I did,” Pepe recalls. 

Four short months later, the company had filled an open position for a new plant manager named Kirk Fistick. Kirk mentored Pepe and moved him into a data analytics and production coordinator position, contingent upon his completion of the advanced manufacturing course at RCBC’s Workforce Development Institute. While taking this course, William gained a better understanding of the fundamentals in supply chain management and CNC operations. Under the guidance of his instructor Frank Staff, he re-learned basic measurement tooling and obtained a better understanding of how other manufacturing plants operate. 

Multi-Housing Depot has since developed a mutually beneficial relationship with RCBC, providing job opportunities for graduates of the program as front runners in the application process. Pepe, meanwhile, has spoken at numerous events for RCBC, including the Supply Chain Manufacturing Conference and several job fairs. He maintains regular contact with Frank Staff and encourages his employees to continue their educations through RCBC. 

Since his completion of the advanced manufacturing course, he has transitioned from an assistant operations manager to executive advisor. 

In his spare time, Pepe enjoys kayaking and fishing. He is also in the process of restoring his home and makes his own furniture. Pepe continues to expand his knowledge by learning a variety of coding languages through online software development courses. He plans to re-enroll at RCBC next spring to earn credits toward his MBA and eventually establish a seat on Multi-Housing Depot’s executive board. 

In honor of Rowan College at Burlington County’s 50th anniversary, the college is publishing 50 stories for 50 years. RCBC will be highlighting those who have a connection to the college, including current and past students, faculty and administrators, and others. Interested alumni who wish to be profiled should contact rcbcnews@rcbc.edu. To follow along on social media, use #RCBC50Stories. For more on RCBC's 50th anniversary, visit rcbc.edu/50th.