Mike
Bauer, former Vice President of Technical and Regulatory Affairs for Tnemec
Company Inc., passed away on July 3, 2014, at age 70.
When
Bauer joined Tnemec Company, the company’s R&D and Technical Service
Departments had a total of six employees. After 13 different positions within
the company, holding an integral role in the invention and development of
numerous products over the years, Bauer watched Tnemec grow into one of the
largest privately held companies in North America specializing in industrial
and architectural coatings.
Bauer
graduated from Central Missouri State College with a degree in chemistry and,
following college, was employed by Cook Paint in Kansas City. After working
with enamels and food can coatings at Cook for eight years, Bauer came to work
for a much smaller company, Tnemec, in 1975. With an uncompromising dedication
to the coatings industry, he moved through the company ranks, from Junior
Chemist to Vice President of Technical and Regulatory Affairs.
“Mike
Bauer dedicated 35 years of his life to Tnemec,” said company President and CEO
Pete Cortelyou. “Out of that time, he spent 23 years as an officer of the
company and 12 years in a director position, always involved in a variety of
important projects.”
Over
the years, Bauer was an active member of innumerable coatings-related
organizations including SSPC, AWWA, and NPCA (Now, ACA), where he was once
president of his local chapter and was awarded the organization’s Industry
Statesman Award in 2003. Bauer was on the NSF/ANSI Standard 61 drinking water
additives joint committee and, in more recent years, became an expert on the
development of VOC regulations. In 1996, Bauer began an internal company-wide
training program, Tnemec University, and was regularly in charge of training
new representatives. He was quoted as saying that the training programs had one
goal, which was, “to have the most technically proficient employees and sales
representatives in the industry.”
“He
enjoyed sharing his knowledge and his trainees enjoyed listening to him,”
recalled Cortelyou. “The chemistry and technical aspects of coatings can be
relatively dry, but he knew how to keep it entertaining.”
During
his time away from the coatings world, Bauer was an avid outdoorsman, spending
his years hunting, fishing, and spelunking in Southern Missouri. He and his
wife, Gayle, visited and fished in Bennett Springs for 40 years and,
eventually, purchased a house trailer to share with their two sons and their
growing family, which they referred to as, ‘Bauer South.’
Tnemec’s
long-time friend and colleague spent his career making sure the product line
was at the forefront of technology while remaining dedicated to his customers’
needs. In a profile in CoatingsPro Magazine in 2010, Bauer gave some
advice about how to make a difference in the industry. “Treat your job like you
are going to do it better than anyone has ever done it before,” he said. “Work
hard, be honest, and promotions and advancements will come.”
Skip Nav Destination
Share
