Plastics entrepreneur Tom Podnar, 74
STOW, OHIO - Tom Podnar, 74, a plastics entrepreneur, died of a heart attack July 30 in an Akron, Ohio, hospital.
Podnar, a semi-retired resident of Stow, began his career at BFGoodrich in Akron after graduating from the University of Akron with a master's degree in chemistry. He went on to research plastics at Diamond Shamrock Corp. in Chardon, Ohio.
In 1976 he started an injection molding company, Podnar Plastics Inc., followed in 1981 with extrusion blow molding firm, Rez-Tech Corp., both located in Kent, Ohio.
He is survived by his wife, Jeanette.
Richard Kelch, Ashton Plastic CEO, 71
XENIA, OHIO - Ashton Plastic Products Inc. Chief Executive Officer Richard Kelch died June 19 in Kettering, Ohio, from interstitial pulmonary fibrosis. He was 71.
Kelch was a manufacturer's representative for 50 years before he entered processing in 1994.
``He was very alive and vibrant,'' son John Kelch said in an Aug. 1 telephone interview. ``It was very sudden, very shocking, very unexpected for the family and the company.''
John Kelch now will be president and CEO of the custom injection molder based in Xenia. His sister Jeanne Kelch will serve as vice president and company secretary.