Post by Paul Boote on Dec 18, 2005 13:27:52 GMT -5
Used a few rods with these fittings 'on' in my time, and always wondered who the people behind them were...
www.kgw.com/business/stories/kgw_121705_life_struble_manufacturing_.122b300b.html
Just tried the above link again, and found it took me to a registration page.
Here is the story:
S. Ore. fly-fishing company sold to doctor
03:03 PM PST on Saturday, December 17, 2005
By PAUL CRAIG, The (Roseburg) News-Review
SUTHERLIN, Ore. -- Glenn Struble had always planned to retire early and work in his machine shop.
AP photo
Juanita Struble, 80, former owner of Glenn Struble Manufacturing Co. in Sutherlin, Ore., is shown in Sutherlin. She sold the fly-fishing co. 12 years after her husband's death.
Thirty years ago, his machine shop became his profession. When Struble died in 1993, Glenn Struble Manufacturing Co. became his wife's full-time job.
Now, 12 years later, at 80 years old, Juanita Struble has sold the company and is finally retiring.
"He would have a fit if he knew I was still here," Struble said of her late husband.
Glenn Struble Manufacturing of Sutherlin produces fly-fishing components. It focuses on reel seats, which secure fishing reels to the rods.
Jeff Pentecost finalized his purchase of the company Sept. 31. Pentecost had spent the previous 15 years as a physician and heart specialist at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, where he still works on research projects.
"He came in with a tremendous respect for the name and the foundation and he has tremendous integrity," Struble said of Pentecost.
The business started when Glenn Struble moved to Roseburg in 1969. He wanted to reintroduce himself to fly-fishing, which he had enjoyed as a child.
Struble set out to build his own rod, but a dealer told him a high-quality reel seat didn't exist. Struble told the dealer he'd make one of his own.
The dealer suggested Struble make a dozen and bring them back for sale.
"They were gone before the end of the week," Juanita Struble recalls.
Some major fly-fishing companies crossed paths with Struble's product during the following few years. Before long, Struble had an order for 10,000 of his reel seats.
By 1974, Glenn Struble was making reel seats part time for a living. In 1980, he decided to make manufacturing reel seats the family business.
In the early 1980s, however, Glenn Struble's health began deteriorating. He had a serious aneurysm. He recovered, but, his wife says, he lived in physical pain as a result.
Professionally, however, he'd hit on a successful business.
"In that time, the business just did nothing but grow," Juanita Struble said.
In 1990, Glenn Struble Manufacturing moved into its present location, a 12,000-square-foot facility in Sutherlin.
As it was being built, Glenn Struble spent three months at Stanford University in intensive care following heart surgery. He then spent time in a local hospital and was released to his home, where he required a respirator, feeding tube and constant nursing care.
On the way home from the hospital, Juanita asked the ambulance driver to drive to the new building so her husband could see it.
"I know that's what was on his mind, even though he couldn't talk," she said.
The medic took him out of the ambulance and pushed him on a gurney to each machine and to each employee. Juanita Struble says she'll never forget his face.
"It just lit up like a Christmas tree," she said.
Glenn Struble died not long after.
Juanita Struble said she was "numb" for the first two years after her husband's death. She does say the business kept her going, but by 1995, she was ready to sell.
Over the years, Struble guesses there were 30 potential buyers. For one reason or another, nobody worked out.
Struble was adamant that she didn't want to deal with any payment contracts. She also wanted someone who respected the ideals that her husband had instilled.
"This company is built on quality, service and integrity," she said. "Without that, you have nothing in this industry, or any industry."
Four years ago, Struble moved to a retirement center in Lake Oswego. Though she was still involved in day-to-day operations, she didn't have a physical presence at the plant for around two years.
In April 2004, three office workers quit, so Struble came back to Sutherlin to hire new staff and, hopefully, find a buyer.
Business was on a downturn, however.
"I considered that I was going to close it down, but it bothered me to put five employees out of work, so I hung in a little longer," she said.
Struble said continuing to work allowed her to continue being charitable.
She has set up scholarships for high school students, as well as members of the Umpqua Junior Symphony. Struble also donated a library, known as the Glenn R. Struble, P.E., Memorial Library, to the Oregon Health & Science University Heart Research Center.
It's through her charitable work that Struble met Jeff Pentecost.
Struble was asked to help out on a fundraiser for a doctor at Oregon Health & Science University. She was already carrying a stressful load running the business, as well as trying to find a buyer for it.
"I almost said no," she said.
Then Pentecost came and explained the event, a concert called Music for the Heart, benefiting the heart center. In doing so, he also mentioned he was a fly fisherman.
He asked about the business and she said it was for sale. Pentecost soon expressed interest in it.
"I thought, 'what does a doctor know about a milling machine?'," Struble said.
Plenty, it turns out.
Growing up in Montana, Pentecost worked on farms, in shops and at lumber yards. Before purchasing the company, though, he first wanted to work for it.
Pentecost spent the summer as a Struble employee. He traveled through Europe and the U.S., researching the company's potential.
The business currently sells to dealers and rod manufacturers. At its peak, it produced 100,000 reel seats a year, though Struble admits she hasn't kept a tally in recent years.
Pentecost said the goal is to eventually expand Struble with a Portland branch. The company will "always" make reel seats, he says, and it also has custom cork grips and a line winder in its catalog.
Pentecost said he's also interested in expanding into the medical industry and "other domains of manufacturing."
Pentecost discovered the reputation of Juanita Struble in the industry through his travels.
She's known as the "queen of fly-fishing" to many, Pentecost said.
"This is really one of the most energetic and savvy, and at the same time kindest, most genuine individuals I know
www.kgw.com/business/stories/kgw_121705_life_struble_manufacturing_.122b300b.html
Just tried the above link again, and found it took me to a registration page.
Here is the story:
S. Ore. fly-fishing company sold to doctor
03:03 PM PST on Saturday, December 17, 2005
By PAUL CRAIG, The (Roseburg) News-Review
SUTHERLIN, Ore. -- Glenn Struble had always planned to retire early and work in his machine shop.
AP photo
Juanita Struble, 80, former owner of Glenn Struble Manufacturing Co. in Sutherlin, Ore., is shown in Sutherlin. She sold the fly-fishing co. 12 years after her husband's death.
Thirty years ago, his machine shop became his profession. When Struble died in 1993, Glenn Struble Manufacturing Co. became his wife's full-time job.
Now, 12 years later, at 80 years old, Juanita Struble has sold the company and is finally retiring.
"He would have a fit if he knew I was still here," Struble said of her late husband.
Glenn Struble Manufacturing of Sutherlin produces fly-fishing components. It focuses on reel seats, which secure fishing reels to the rods.
Jeff Pentecost finalized his purchase of the company Sept. 31. Pentecost had spent the previous 15 years as a physician and heart specialist at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, where he still works on research projects.
"He came in with a tremendous respect for the name and the foundation and he has tremendous integrity," Struble said of Pentecost.
The business started when Glenn Struble moved to Roseburg in 1969. He wanted to reintroduce himself to fly-fishing, which he had enjoyed as a child.
Struble set out to build his own rod, but a dealer told him a high-quality reel seat didn't exist. Struble told the dealer he'd make one of his own.
The dealer suggested Struble make a dozen and bring them back for sale.
"They were gone before the end of the week," Juanita Struble recalls.
Some major fly-fishing companies crossed paths with Struble's product during the following few years. Before long, Struble had an order for 10,000 of his reel seats.
By 1974, Glenn Struble was making reel seats part time for a living. In 1980, he decided to make manufacturing reel seats the family business.
In the early 1980s, however, Glenn Struble's health began deteriorating. He had a serious aneurysm. He recovered, but, his wife says, he lived in physical pain as a result.
Professionally, however, he'd hit on a successful business.
"In that time, the business just did nothing but grow," Juanita Struble said.
In 1990, Glenn Struble Manufacturing moved into its present location, a 12,000-square-foot facility in Sutherlin.
As it was being built, Glenn Struble spent three months at Stanford University in intensive care following heart surgery. He then spent time in a local hospital and was released to his home, where he required a respirator, feeding tube and constant nursing care.
On the way home from the hospital, Juanita asked the ambulance driver to drive to the new building so her husband could see it.
"I know that's what was on his mind, even though he couldn't talk," she said.
The medic took him out of the ambulance and pushed him on a gurney to each machine and to each employee. Juanita Struble says she'll never forget his face.
"It just lit up like a Christmas tree," she said.
Glenn Struble died not long after.
Juanita Struble said she was "numb" for the first two years after her husband's death. She does say the business kept her going, but by 1995, she was ready to sell.
Over the years, Struble guesses there were 30 potential buyers. For one reason or another, nobody worked out.
Struble was adamant that she didn't want to deal with any payment contracts. She also wanted someone who respected the ideals that her husband had instilled.
"This company is built on quality, service and integrity," she said. "Without that, you have nothing in this industry, or any industry."
Four years ago, Struble moved to a retirement center in Lake Oswego. Though she was still involved in day-to-day operations, she didn't have a physical presence at the plant for around two years.
In April 2004, three office workers quit, so Struble came back to Sutherlin to hire new staff and, hopefully, find a buyer.
Business was on a downturn, however.
"I considered that I was going to close it down, but it bothered me to put five employees out of work, so I hung in a little longer," she said.
Struble said continuing to work allowed her to continue being charitable.
She has set up scholarships for high school students, as well as members of the Umpqua Junior Symphony. Struble also donated a library, known as the Glenn R. Struble, P.E., Memorial Library, to the Oregon Health & Science University Heart Research Center.
It's through her charitable work that Struble met Jeff Pentecost.
Struble was asked to help out on a fundraiser for a doctor at Oregon Health & Science University. She was already carrying a stressful load running the business, as well as trying to find a buyer for it.
"I almost said no," she said.
Then Pentecost came and explained the event, a concert called Music for the Heart, benefiting the heart center. In doing so, he also mentioned he was a fly fisherman.
He asked about the business and she said it was for sale. Pentecost soon expressed interest in it.
"I thought, 'what does a doctor know about a milling machine?'," Struble said.
Plenty, it turns out.
Growing up in Montana, Pentecost worked on farms, in shops and at lumber yards. Before purchasing the company, though, he first wanted to work for it.
Pentecost spent the summer as a Struble employee. He traveled through Europe and the U.S., researching the company's potential.
The business currently sells to dealers and rod manufacturers. At its peak, it produced 100,000 reel seats a year, though Struble admits she hasn't kept a tally in recent years.
Pentecost said the goal is to eventually expand Struble with a Portland branch. The company will "always" make reel seats, he says, and it also has custom cork grips and a line winder in its catalog.
Pentecost said he's also interested in expanding into the medical industry and "other domains of manufacturing."
Pentecost discovered the reputation of Juanita Struble in the industry through his travels.
She's known as the "queen of fly-fishing" to many, Pentecost said.
"This is really one of the most energetic and savvy, and at the same time kindest, most genuine individuals I know