Date: April 12, 2023
Category: Chapter News
For what seems like a couple years now, Mark Freer has been making noises that sure sounded like retirement and in the Fall of last year after 43 years with ElectroCoatings, he did just that. Congratulations Mark!
Mark started his career in metal finishing with Electro-Coatings as a plater but soon moved to a management position in ECI’s Indianapolis facility. From there it’s been all Houston. After a short time as a supervisor here, he was moved to the General Managers spot then after a corporate re-org his title changed to President, ElectroCoatings, Inc, Texas Division.
After he stepped away, I’ve called and found him all over the country enjoying the views and spending time with his 3 children Rachael, a freelance museum curator living in Estes Park, CO, Daniel, VP of Engineering for Yellowfin Boats in Florida and daughter Diana, a nurse here in our medical center who’s currently implementing a new computer system for their massive complex.
Over the years I’ve known Mark to own and ride very cool Harley’s and drive fast and even more cool sports cars. Today it’s a bicycle a new Mercedes Airstream van but humorously when we most recently spoke, he was healing from a broken arm and couldn’t drive the van! He laughed that after all those years on motorcycles, to have his first crash and injury riding a bicycle along Buffalo Bayou seemed a bit ironic!
Thanks to the generosity of Dan Dunnigan, Mark was able to bring Peter Johansen from Abrite to replace him and like Mark, he’s a natural and a perfect fit for ECI. Thank you for your friendship, for all of your behind the scene’s support for our Association and for your constant positive and upbeat ways. I’m so proud and happy for you Mark, congratulations!
J. Kelly Mowry
TAMF President
Date: November 3, 2021
Category: Chapter News
Dear Friends;
I write today to thank Jeff Fodge and Joel Dean for their years of service to the Industry and your Association. They are world class individuals who spent untold hours over the years making our Association and all of our businesses stronger and better.
After 27 years of service Jeff started hinting that ‘this year’ would be his last on the board, but of course we weren’t going to let him off that easy. We told him that he could leave if he found a replacement for himself and after lot of convincing, son Matt stepped up to the plate and became our first 3rd generation board member.
Jeff started in our industry as a kid plating belt buckles with his soon to be father-in-law Glen Gurley. He fell in love with Glen’s beautiful daughter Glenda and the rest is history. Together they raised their wonderful family and after losing Glen to cancer, Jeff filled his board spot and built Gleco to the industry force that it is today. We’ve been so fortunate to have Jeff as a board member. His kindness and generosity combined with well thought out answers to important industry questions will be missed. Again, thank you so much my friend!
In 2004, Joel joined the board after his business partner and brother-in-law Corky Hall passed him the baton. By then, Joel was a seasoned metal finisher after starting with the company in 1975. Before then, Joel worked as many as 3 jobs to support his new family but after his first child was born, grandaddy Ed Hall put an end to that. Joel was going to work for the company…it wasn’t a question! Joel started from the ground floor and worked his way up to management and ownership. Even though he’s off the board, he’s just as likely to call me today with a great association idea as when he was on the board, and he does so regularly. He was the 3rd family member from the Courter-Hall Company to be on the TAMF Board and like Jeff, he’ll be missed. You can always count on Joel for his great smile, creative ideas, conservative and prudent decisions and for always putting his friends and family first. Thank you Joel for being my friend and for all your years of service on the TAMF Board!
Kelly Mowry
TAMF President
GAC
Tagged: Jeff Fodge, Joel Dean
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