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| Mr.
Edward W. Rowan, Sr.
Founder |
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After graduating from Yale University in 1935 with a
degree in Electrical Engineering, Edward Rowan, Sr. joined
the Engineering Consulting Firm of Edgar Steiner Company as
a packaging specialist. While there, he developed the industry
standard for the efficient use of corrugated box packaging
that is still in use today. In 1937, while at one of his client’s
factories, Mr. Rowan was exposed to a German made plastic
injection molding machine – the first ever in America.
He was entranced. Shortly there after he decided to leave
Edgar Steiner to get involved in plastics manufacturing.
In 1939, Mr. Rowan, left Edgar Steiner
to found the Sure-Catch Lure Company and the firm of Dillon
Beck Manufacturing Company to perform the classic manufacturing
operations that would be required to make the fishing tackle.
During the war years, Dillon Beck manufactured numerous items
for the defense department including the first all plastic
sextons – instruments that were used in Celestial Navigation
in navy lifeboats. Once the war was over, Dillon Beck switched
its focus again and developed the “Wannatoys”
brand of plastic toys.
In 1947, after having been the President
of Dillon Beck for many years, Mr. Rowan, felt the need for
a change. In 1949, he left and founded O’Hara-Rowan
Associates, an injection molding plastic product design firm
in Summit, NJ, their biggest customers being Lionel Trains,
Dixie Cup and Milton Bradley.
As a natural extension to O’Hara-Rowan
Associates, in 1951, Edward Rowan, Sr. started Parkway Plastics,
Inc. in Hillside, NJ as a tool, die and machine shop to build
the molds that O’Hara-Rowan had designed. As Parkway
Plastics Inc. grew more space was needed and so in 1953, with
the assistance of his wife, Beatrix O’Connor Rowan and
sister Mary Amelia Meehan, Edward Rowan, Sr. built an injection
molding facility in Piscataway, NJ where he could run the
molds that he had built.
One of Milton Bradley big products
at the time was a finger painting set that was widely used
by kindergartens around the country. It was in for this project
that he designed the first ever plastic jar – a 2oz
51mm. And so Parkway Plastics, Inc. began to focus on designing,
manufacturing, and marketing stock plastic jars and caps.
Mr. Rowan, retired from Parkway Plastics,
Inc. in 1987, and moved out west to Fremont, California. However
he didn't stay retired for long. Shortly after moving out
west, Mr. Rowan founded Alameda Commons, a plastics packaging
distributor in Fremont. Mr. Rowan, passed away in December
1993, but his legacy and the companies that he built are still
very much alive today.
In December of 1999, Mr. Rowan was
inducted into the Plastics Hall of Fame, at the national Plastics
Museum in Leominster, MA, Posthumous.
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Mr. Edward W. Rowan,
Jr.
President |
| Mr. Rowan, Jr. officially
joined Parkway Plastics, Inc. in 1969 after he graduated from
Villanova University with a degree in Electrical Engineering.
However, unofficially, he joined Parkway Plastics many years
before that, standing shoulder to shoulder with his father
in the trenches during the company's early years. Edward Rowan,
Jr.'s humility, strength of character, vision, leadership,
engineering background, and his keen business sense made him
the natural choice to lead the company into the next generation.
In 1980, Edward Rowan, Jr. replaced his father Edward Rowan,
Sr. as President of Parkway Plastics, Inc. and in 1987 he
became the acting Chairman. Positions he still holds today.
Edward W. Rowan, Jr. has taken what was a great national company
and has turned it into an even greater international company.
Thanks to him, today, Parkway Plastics, Inc. is known throughout
the industry as a world leader in Plastics Packaging, whose
quality is second to none.
In February 2007, Edward W. Rowan, Jr. was recognized for
his many achievements and contributions to the plastics packaging
industry when he was asked to join the Plastics Pioneers Association
during a ceremony held at the Famous Mission Inn at Howie
in the Hills in Florida.
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Mrs. Mary K. Rowan
Secretary-Treasurer |
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| Mrs. Rowan came from the
Medical Profession to join Parkway in 1977. Mrs. Rowan's organizational
and management experience includes the creation of the first
Intensive Care Unit at St Michael's Hospital in Milwaukee, WI,
where she was their Charge Nurse. Since changing careers, Mrs.
Rowan has served as Customer Service Manager, Data Processing
Manager, and Office Manager at Parkway. |
Mr.
Ned Rowan
Director
of Sales |
| Mr. Rowan holds a Bachelors
Degree in Economics from Colgate University and has completed
post-graduate work in finance and accounting at Oxford's Templeton
School of Business, in conjunction with Dartmouth's Tuck School
of Business, and at New York University. Prior to establishing
Parkway Plastics, Inc. Sales Department in 2003, Ned Rowan
worked for Wells Fargo Securities in equity sales and trading.
There he was responsible for supporting five Institutional
Equity Salesmen and had a significant role in establishing
Wells Fargo's name and their flagship office in New York City.
He specialized in the Retail, Gaming, Semiconductor, Software,
EDA, Biotech and Medical Technology Sectors. Ned Rowan will
be attending Columbia University in the winter where he will
be getting his Masters in Business Administration. |
Mrs. Kirstin Rowan Kelly
Director
of Administration and Client Relations |
| Mrs. Kelly earned her
BS in Business Administration with majors in Finance and MIS
(Management Information Systems) from Villanova University.
She has also completed post-graduate work in French studies
and international business at l'Universite de Nantes in Nantes,
France. Prior to joining Parkway, Kirstin managed the Client
Communications and Marketing Departments at Triton Partners,
a small boutique investment firm and worked as an Associate
in the Client Relations Department of Chilton Investment Company,
another New York based hedge fund.
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Mr. Gary Minor
Senior Vice President |
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| Mr.
Minor came to Parkway in 1980 from the steel industry, bringing
with him an extensive background in Production Management
and Plant Operations.
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Ms. Debbie Coyle
Vice President of Production |
Ms. Coyle joined Parkway
in the Customer Service Department 1986. Since then, Debbie
has served in the areas of General Accounting, Accounts Receivable,
Payroll, Purchasing, Quality Control, Production Control,
Shipping Management and Production Management. Ms Coyle became
Vice President of Production in 2000. |
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