Investing in the Next Generation of the Pyle People
For more than 100 years, A. Duie Pyle has been built by the Pyle People. Their dedication, hard work and commitment to service have shaped the company’s culture and helped carry Pyle forward for generations.
That commitment to its people has always extended beyond the workplace. It includes supporting employees’ families and helping create opportunities for their next generation. One way Pyle continues to do that is through the Eleanor and James Latta Jr. Scholarship Fund, which provides financial assistance to children and stepchildren of eligible Pyle employees pursuing higher education or attending trade school.
In 2026, Pyle will recognize 43 students with individual awards totaling $198,500, continuing a tradition that has grown significantly since the scholarship fund was established more than a decade ago.
The scholarship was created in 2013 by former Pyle president Steve O’Kane and his wife, Cheryl. As Steve prepared for retirement, the couple wanted to find a meaningful way to honor Pyle’s ownership while also giving back to the employees who helped make the company what it is today. With support from the Chester County Community Foundation, they established the Eleanor and James Latta Jr. Scholarship Fund in honor of the second generation of Pyle ownership.
Eleanor and James Latta Jr. were highly regarded by Pyle employees for the culture of mutual trust, respect and loyalty they built during their years of leadership, and for the important role they played in preparing the third generation of ownership for the company’s continued success. Today, the scholarship that bears their names reflects the same values that have long guided Pyle: integrity, service, empathy and a genuine commitment to people.
The first three scholarships were awarded in 2014, totaling $15,000. Since then, the program has continued to grow, providing more than $639,000 to the children of Pyle employees. Each year, an independent committee reviews applications and selects recipients who demonstrate strong academic records and a commitment to giving back to their communities.
“My parents, Eleanor and Jim Latta, believed deeply in people and in the power of education to change lives,” said Peter Latta, Chairman and CEO at Pyle. “This scholarship is our way of honoring that legacy and giving back to the families who have helped make Pyle what it is today.”
For the recipients and their families, the scholarship is a tangible reminder that Pyle’s investment in its people doesn’t end in the workplace and extends to the futures they’re building outside of it.
“No words can express how grateful I am to be receiving this scholarship,” said Jalissa Rayo, a 2026 scholarship recipient and child of Holman Rayo Valle, a dockworker based in Carteret, NJ. “To the Pyle team, thank you so much for investing in mine and others’ futures. Your support truly means a lot, and I can’t wait to continue doing what is important to me.”
“A lot of time and determination went into my academic journey, along with my passion for community work,” said Skyler Tavarez, a 2026 scholarship recipient and child of Edwin Tavarez, a Yard Jockey at Pyle’s East Brunswick, NJ service center. “I want to thank everyone who made this possible and allowed me to receive this scholarship from the Pyle team.”
Through the Latta Scholarship, Pyle continues to invest in the people who have helped define its past, strengthen its present and shape its future, supporting the educational goals of employees’ families while honoring the enduring legacy of Eleanor and James Latta Jr. To view the full recipient list, visit the Chester County Community Foundation’s Latta Scholarship Fund page.
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