Delbert Wenger, class of ’86 (center), is the information systems administrator and accountant at Choice Books’ central office in Harrisonburg, where CEO/director John Bomberger ’77 (right) and program assistant Dale Mast ’88 (left) also work. Choice Books sells more than 5.1 million books annually from about 11,350 displays. (Photo by Kara Lofton)
Most IT specialists have two jobs, the one they get paid for and the charitable roles that inevitably arise when folks discover that you know something about computers. Delbert Wenger, class of ’86, acknowledges both responsibilities with good humor. He is an information systems administrator and accountant at Choice Books central office in Harrisonburg, and also the “extended family go-to IT person” for relatives and do-good organizations near and far.
Wenger says his life’s work has always consisted of “creating solutions to solve an issue.”
Those creative solutions may “fall into the quick and simple answers, like ‘Is your printer plugged in?’ to … ‘Hmmm, let me login remotely to your computer and see that ‘funny screen,’” he says. “Getting to a positive outcome on some interesting quirk always gives me a sense of satisfaction.”
Since 2000, Wenger has worked at the Choice Books central office in Harrisonburg with CEO/director John Bomberger ’77 and program assistant Dale Mast ’88. Choice Books is a direct-store-delivery distributor, annually selling more than 5.1 million books from approximately 11,350 displays around the country. Its mission, says Bomberger, is to “share the good news of Jesus Christ in the general marketplace through inspiring and wholesome reading materials.” Popular genres include Christian living, devotionals, self-help, adult and juvenile fiction, and cookbooks.
A strong IT department enables the organization to fulfill its mission, Bomberger says, and meet the technical protocols for vendors set by major retailers such as Walmart, Kroger, Publix, Walgreens, and CVS.
Wenger provides technical and management support for seven regional distributors, including 250 employees, around the country. Along with troubleshooting hardware and software issues, he develops, tests, evaluates and installs custom-written software for Choice Books distributors.
This software allows service representatives to use a hand-held device to scan all of the books on display, review sales history by title and then restock the display with books that will likely sell in that particular store, Bomberger says. The restocking is followed by auto-generated invoicing that allows for quick data compilation and daily reporting, so that the organization can manage inventory effectively and make better purchasing decisions.
Wenger says he’s always been interested in “how things work,” and when computers came along, he added them to the list. His first job after graduation was as a programmer with Mennonite Central Committee in Akron, Pennsylvania – working closely with Cal Roggie ’76, Phil Horst ’76 and LeVon Smoker, MAR ’06.
In 1996, he became program co-director for MCC Appalachia, working with several non-profits based in Whitesburg, Kentucky, on housing, economic development, environmental issues, and media and education. These groups included Sharing with Appalachian People (SWAP), the Letcher County Action Team, Southern Appalachia Recycling, and Appalshop.
Along with running a help desk for his family, Wenger also sits on the Community Mennonite Church office and technology committee, volunteers in IT support and data entry for the Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale and Eastern Mennonite School auctions, and develops webpages for a few local businesses.
Mast, an employee since 1999, also works in IT. Mast does “a little bit of a whole lot of different things,” from compiling the monthly organization-wide newsletter, creating graphic designs for sales materials and signage, and processing payments and past due invoices. The variety keeps him busy and interested.
“Most of my IT knowledge has been gained through learning by doing and trial and error,” says Mast, who took time off from teaching to spend five years as stay-at-home dad and then decided on a career change after returning to the elementary school classroom. “I have found that computers are mostly forgiving when you press a wrong button, but not always.”