Amazon is a household name for so many. It's a place people buy from here, and around the world. But local packages are delivered by local people working for local companies.

In this week's Giving You the Business Report, sponsored by the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership, Erie News Now introduces you to a husband and wife operating one of them.

Victor Whitelock operates his business from, VDW Logistics, Veterans Delivery Workforce, inside Erie County's Amazon facility. The Ohio native and Army veteran is currently in the Air Force Reserves. 

"VDW Logistics also stands for Victor and Danielle Whitelock," said Victor. 

They are the husband and wife team whose business is one of a few DSPs, or Delivery Service Partners, for Amazon.

"They work with individuals like myself to actually take the packages from the facility here and put it onto the customer's doorstep," said Victor. 

Since this Amazon facility opened a few years ago off West 23rd Street here in Erie, VDW Logistics has been a part of the mix, first starting with just 5 employees, and now growing to more than 100. 

That was in July of 2021.

"My wife, myself, and some of our other drivers were going on the road, were delivering 20 packages a day," said Victor. "I think as a company, we were delivering maybe 50 for the entire company a day. Now, we are delivering 10,000 a day, so it has grown substantially."

It's grown into quite a process.

Danielle, a Collegiate Academy grad, uses her local knowledge daily for the logistics of it all.

"We span anywhere from the Lawrence Park area all the way to the Ohio border and then down past Meadville," said Danielle. 

No matter the job, safety is a priority inside the facility and on the road, from footwear to gloves and vests.

As Amazon and VDW employees work together to get those anticipated packages delivered all across the region, on time. 

"It gives perspective that there's people all around that are trying to get the job done, that sometimes it's not just a company that's based in Seattle, Washington, it's a company right here in Erie," said Robert Harmston, Amazon Site Leader. 

Amazon employees do all the packaging, putting the boxes on carts for VDW employees to load and deliver each day. And as demand grows, VDW does too.