FRANKLIN PARK, IL-Ren Owen, Sloan Valve Company's vice president of business development, passed away on January 6, 2006.

FRANKLIN PARK, IL-Ren Owen, Sloan Valve Company's vice president

of business development, passed away on January 6, 2006.

"Sloan is a privately owned company that will be celebrating its 100 year anniversary this year," says Chuck Allen, president and chief executive officer of Sloan Valve Company. "Over the years, the success of a company like Sloan is built upon the contributions of hundreds of unsung heroes who do their job most often without fanfare or applause. Ren was one of those individuals who took his contribution to a new level."

He began working at Sloan Valve Company in 1965 at the age of 19

as a castings inspector at Sloan's Melrose Park foundry. Owen worked there until he was inducted into the U.S. Army.

In 1968, after serving his country, Owen returned to Sloan in the order department, and was named manager of the department in 1976.

In 1982, Owen was promoted to plumbing parts sales manager, serving in regional and national sales manager positions over the next two decades. In 2003, he was made vice president business development.