Passed Away Unexpectedly April 2, 2009
Honorary Member and former President & CEO
Penmar Industries
José A. (Tony) Soegaard -- Honorary Member
Tony was the President and Chief Operations Officer at Penmar Industries, which provides industry-leading tape conversion, pressure sensitive tapes, labels and packaging solutions. When he took the helm at Penmar in 1992, Soegaard expanded the label manufacturing division’s capabilities and assets, and the company continued to grow and diversify into a dedicated team of professionals that promotes a safe and positive work environment, builds valued business relationships, and sets an industry standard for quality and profitability.
Under Soegaard’s direction, Penmar was able to add new equipment, meet new requirements for pharmaceutical customers, and implemented LEAN, in order to maximize space needed for increased manufacturing. Soegaard oversaw, with funding from the State of Connecticut, the City of Norwalk, ConnStep, and the Departments of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and Labor (DOL), cross-training for Penmar’s development and production staff and ISO 9000:2001 certification process. This has enabled Penmar to deliver larger orders in a shorter time, and to create a nimble manufacturing environment that is responsive to changing customer requirements.
He joined Penmar as customer service manager in 1983, and within two years, through diligence and a keen ability to assess market needs, Soegaard transitioned to the sales department, strengthening business and community ties to the company. He became vice president of operations in 1990, managing the sales force and growing the label manufacturing division. Soegaard bought Penmar Industries from founder James R. Penders in December 1992.
Prior to joining Penmar, Tony worked as an Associate Traffic Engineer for Barton-Aschman Associates in Houston, performing traffic studies at various shopping centers in the Southwestern US and conducting highway design projects in Houston Texas and Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. He holds an M.S. in Engineering from Texas A&M University and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez.
Mr. Soegaard served on the board of Directors of the Spectape Inc., one of the most recognized manufacturers of pressure sensitive tapes in the US, since 2001. He has been Chairman of the Institute of Packaging Professionals Scholarship Fund, which raises funds for college students in the packaging and industrial engineering fields, since 2000. He is currently a member of the Bethel, CT Knights of Columbus Brotherhood In Action committee, which collects and delivers food to those in need in the Greater Danbury area. Soegaard is also a member of the Connecticut Minority Supplier Development Council Manufacturing Consortium and the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) Small Manufacturers.
Tony lived in Bethel, CT with his wife, Libby, and has two grown children José and Javier. He passed away unexpectedly on April 2, 2009. We miss him dearly.
