Sloan's Ren Owen, 60

FRANKLIN PARK, ILL. — Ren Owen, Sloan Valve's vice president/business development, died Jan. 6. He was 60.

Born Aug. 2, 1945, in Oak Park, Ill., to Ivor and Florence Owen, he attended the University of Illinois' Chicago campus on Navy Pier, studying accounting. At 19, he began working as a castings inspector at Sloan's Melrose Park, Ill., foundry. Owen worked there until he was inducted into the U.S. Army. In 1968, Owen returned to Sloan in the order department and was named manager of the department in 1976.

In 1982, Owen was promoted to plumbing parts sales manager, and he moved through the organization serving in regional and national sales manager positions over the next two decades.

"Ren's legacy at Sloan will last because among his many strengths was his ability as a teacher and mentor," President and CEO Chuck Allen said. "There are many people at Sloan who have a special love for Ren because of the opportunity that he gave them to develop their personal strengths and to make a meaningful contribution to the success of our company."

Owen lived in St. Charles, Ill., and is survived by his wife, Maria; his son Michael (Lauren); and his daughters, Sandra and Elizabeth.