Flex Pack Loses Industry Vet Visionary: Grover L. Foote
- Published: September 24, 2003, By PRESS RELEASE
FRANKLIN, WI, USA—The flexible packaging industry regretfully lost an industry visionary and leader on September 21, 2003. Grover L. Foote, a graduate of the University of Illinois, a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict, and founder of the consulting firm Packaging Partners Ltd., passed away last weekend. In addition, he served as a technical advisor to PFFC.
President of Packaging Partners, and Grover's son, Mark L. Foote, provided the following brief history of Grover's notable career. In Memory of Grover L. Foote
August 25, 1931, to September 21, 2003
Grover Foote began his work in the flexible packaging industry with the VisKing division of Union Carbide in 1956. From his earliest years, he knew he wanted to be a businessman, and those of us who knew and worked with him are thankful that he chose packaging and converting as his calling.
Milprint in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was his next position, followed by Browne Packaging.
Grover purchased Sunrise Packaging in 1981. Grover operated as president of Sunrise Packaging until 1993, when the company was sold to Outlook Graphics.
In 1996, Grover founded Packaging Partners Ltd, which continues to prosper today, and at that time he began working closely with Paper, Film & Foil Converter magazine, acting as technical advisor to the magazine and its readers.
The projects and industry developments he worked on were extensive. The notable short list might include water-based printing and laminating, for which he received Wisconsin's Governor's Award for waste reduction, and "Cook-in-the-Packaging" process printing and laminating for which he received the DuPont Innovation Award.
He was a proponent of Dom Perino's in-line printing and laminating designs, which his company extensively modified.
He developed printed, shrinkable lidding films for MAP [modified atmosphere packaging], and most recently began a successful development for extended shelf-life produce packaging that will have applications in many other industries.
On its surface, he had a challenging and successful career, but his influence was much more extensive.
It is true Grover loved his work, and he had the discipline to focus on his business to the exclusion of everything else.
The reason he loved his work, and the reason he worked so hard, was the people. He cared deeply about his customers, vendors, and employees, not as companies or as groups, but as individuals. It was not within him to harbor ill will or bad feelings about anyone, and he could not stand to let anyone down. His enjoyment and appreciation of those around him was expressed without reservation.
For these reasons, and may others, Grover was our favorite, our mentor, and our leader. He will be greatly missed.
Services for Grover Foote are to be held at the Schmidt & Bartelt Funeral and Cremation Services (262/241-8085), 10280 N. Port Washington Rd., Mequon, WI. Friends may greet the family at the funeral home on Saturday, September 27, from 2 to 5 pm, with a celebration of his life slated for 5 pm.
