WESTFIELD – John Reed enjoyed a successful career that has spanned 75 years, many of these years as Chairman of the Board and chief executive officer of Mestek, Inc. in Westfield, MA which consists of more than 30 operating companies involved in the HVAC, Metal Forming & Fabricating and Coiled Metal Processing Industries.John began his career with the H. B. Smith Company after graduating from Williston School in 1933 and Yale in 1937. While working for H.B Smith Co., John earned his law degree in 1942 from Northeastern University’s law school, attending class at night. By 1946, he had advanced to the position of national sales manager for Smith, at which time his entrepreneurial spirit was manifested when he started the Sterling Radiator Company. Sterling Radiator continued to grow during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s both internally and through the careful acquisition of other climate control companies and of the Peterson Roll Feed Co. and the Cooper-Weymouth press feed company.
In 1975 Reed National was formed to administratively consolidate these companies. More growth and acquisitions followed, and in 1986 Reed National merged with Mestek Inc., a public corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Starting with the merged Cooper-Weymouth, Peterson Co., Mr. Reed expanded his HVAC based company by creating Formtek, Inc., this country’s larges machine building group for the Forming, Fabrication, Coiled Metal Processing and HVAC industries. Formtek is a group of long-established companies, each with a well-known name and a history of providing innovative and reliable equipment. It was John’s business strategy to pursue growth, but not for its own sake – only when it make sense for business.
The development of business and of the people in it is what kept John coming into the office every day. He felt like the “coach” in the organization, helping groom his staff for greater things in the future. In the pursuit of his business success, John freely shared his expertise in order to benefit the industry as a whole. Long active in the Hydronics Institute and the Better Heating/Cooling Council, he has been chairman of HI twice and the first chairman of the BHCC.John Reed supported national mfg associations by membership of his companies, encouraging his employees to participate as active Directors on Association Boards, to participate in association technical councils and committees, association shows and technical conference speaking. A man who rarely sought the limelight, John was active in many community activities, doing as he humbly notes, “What one does.” Perhaps his greatest source of satisfaction was helping in the development of tomorrow’s industry leaders.
Visiting hours will be Wednesday, May 15th – 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Firtion-Adams Funeral Service, 76 Broad Street, Westfield. MA with a funeral Service Thursday, May 16th – 11:00 a.m. at the First Congregational Church, 18 Broad Street, Westfield, MA burial at the Pine Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers Mr. Reed requested donations be made to the following charities: Search Dog Foundation 501 E. Ojai Ave. Ojai, CA 93023 888-459-4376 Web: http://www.searchdogfoundation.org/contact.html Massachusetts Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Web: www.mspca.org Boys and Girls Club, Westfield MA (413)562-2307 Web: boysandgirlsclubofwestfield.org Westfield Animal Shelter or Humane Society, 178 Apremont Way, Westfield, MA.
firtionadams.com.
