In the mind of Joe Costa, an entrepreneur is someone who “has a strong desire to succeed, to be independent, to control his or her own destiny, and is willing to work hard.” A 1997 inductee into the Society of Entrepreneurs, Joe has proven beyond doubt that he spoke these words from experience. Since 1974, he has served as CEO, President and General Manager of Delta Materials, a company that distributes a complete line of materials handling equipment, such as forklifts, conveyor systems and all other warehouse products. Through his leadership of Delta Materials, Joe has seen the company’s sales and product offering multiply many times over – today the company ranks first in overall sales volume.

Joe Costa was committed to giving his time to many civic organizations throughout Memphis, and he has ensured that his company has a reputation for doing the same. Delta Materials Handling is involved in such efforts as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Christian Brothers University. Joe himself is also involved in Youth Programs, Inc.