Resin distribution veteran Regis Magnus has died at age 85.
Magnus, known as Rege, died May 15, shortly before his 86th birthday. "He was a beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather and an esteemed figure in the plastics industry," family members said in an obituary provided to Plastics News.
Magnus grew up in the Pittsburgh area, where two generations of his family lived on the same street. He excelled in football and "led a life full of achievements and adventures."
In Pittsburgh, Magnus's father and grandfather were steelworkers. Magnus followed them into the mills after high school. He initially ignored offers to play college football until a friend convinced him that he had potential. Magnus then enrolled at Fork Union Military Academy for a post-graduate year to improve his grades.
"Three square meals, daily exercising and firm discipline changed his outlook on life, preparing him for a second chance at college," the obituary said.
Rege attended Villanova University near Philadelphia, where he graduated in 1962 with a marketing degree while playing center and linebacker on the football team. Villanova won the Sun Bowl in his senior year, when he was voted to Extension Magazine's all-Catholic All-American Football Team.
After graduation, Magnus joined the U.S. Coast Guard in Cape May, N.J., for a year and later served in the Coast Guard Reserves for seven years. He started his marketing career selling hospital beds working for his uncle in Baltimore.
Magnus entered the plastics industry in 1964 when he joined Union Carbide Corp. He was one of the first five salesmen UCC hired who had sales and marketing degrees rather than chemistry degrees.
In 1972, Magnus was offered an equity position and a sales vice president role at Synthetic Materials Corp. in Leominster, Mass. For six years, he expanded the operation to include a manufacturing and distribution facility in Houston, a facility he would later purchase and own for the rest of his life.
In 1978, he and friend Stacy Cartledge founded Plastic Distributing Corp. (PDC). When traditional banks rejected their business model and refused to fund the start-up, PDC secured initial funding from warrants sold to a retirement home investment group.
PDC grew to be a leading resin distributor, with locations in Massachusetts, North Carolina, Florida and Texas.
In 1992, Magnus sold PDC to M.A. Hanna Co., which later became PolyOne and now operates as Avient. Hanna combined PDC with Bruck Plastics Co. and Fiberchem Inc. to create a national distribution network. In 2022, Avient sold that business to HIG Capital, which now operates it as Formerra.
Magnus also founded custom injection molder Plastic Assembly Corp. and Blinky Products, a novelty line of plastic party products now owned and operated by his son Patrick. Magnus's son Christopher also works in the plastics industry, serving as president of resin supplier Sunrise Plastic in Houston.
In 2003, Magnus re-entered the distribution market when he co-founded Resin Distribution Corp. (RDI) with his son-in-law David Hazel. "You have to stay active and busy," Magnus said in a 2003 interview with PN. "How much golf can you play?"
The obituary added that many leaders of major resin distributors worked with Magnus during his career and that he "had a profound, direct impact in making the resin distribution segment of the industry into what it is today."
Magnus and his former wife, Patricia Gallagher, raised four children: Gina, Christopher, Jeffrey and Patrick from Fitchburg. Jeffrey is a team leader at Sunrise and Gina now co-owns RDI with Hazel.
He also had five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Magnus's hobbies included restoring classic cars, hunting, and skiing with his family. These hobbies "brought him immense joy and lasting memories, as well as a house full of taxidermy trophies." Magnus also enjoyed improving his country properties in Pennsylvania and Vermont. "When you dropped by, you'd likely find him on his tractor," the obituary said.
"Regis Magnus will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and all who knew him," the obituary added. "His legacy of innovation, exploration, and zest for life will continue to inspire and influence those who had the privilege of knowing him."
A memorial mass for Magnus will be held June 1 at 11 a.m. at St. Cecilia Parish in Leominster.