Murray Harpole, retired chairman, chief executive officer and
co-founder of Pentair Inc., died suddenly on Monday, May 16. He was 89.
Harpole, one of Pentair's five founding partners, started
the company in 1966 to manufacture research balloons. Harpole was named
Pentair's first chairman and CEO that year, remained in this position for 15
years, and served another five years as chairman, ultimately retiring from the
board in 1991. By that time, the company was a diversified manufacturer with
annual sales of $1.2 billion and more than 8,000 employees. Harpole was
integral to building the foundation of Pentair's current global presence.
Randall Hogan, Pentair's current chairman and chief
executive officer, comments, "Murray
built Pentair from the ground up. Among his many significant contributions, his
passion for conducting business with the highest ethical standards remains a
cornerstone value at Pentair. Although times have changed since Murray first wrote our
company's code of ethics, the business principles he put in place have not. He
leaves a lasting legacy at our company; the legacy that we live by in 'Winning
Right.'"
In 1992, Harpole wroteLiving the American Dream:
Pentair Inc. - The First 25 Years, a book detailing Pentair's humble
beginnings, key milestones and ultimate success.