FLEXcon has announced the passing of its beloved founder and Chairman of the Board, Myles J. McDonough, on March 30. A resident of Worcester, MA, USA, and The Carnegie Abbey Club, Portsmouth, RI, USA, McDonough was an innovator and leader in the adhesives and coatings industry, and an honored philanthropist that was a passionate supporter of a number of charities. 

McDonough founded FLEXcon Company in 1956 at the age of 26 as a FLEXible CONverter of plastic films. He grew the company from a two-person garage operation in Spencer, MA to what it is today--a leading manufacturer of pressure-sensitive film products with 1,500 employees worldwide. McDonough was a classic hands-on “can do” entrepreneur who was constantly surprising his customers and his employees by making the impossible possible. He built his first equipment using parts from dismantled washing machines and created a multi-million dollar company in one lifetime without venture capital or bank loans. With characteristic humility, McDonough once summed up his management style as: “I hire people smarter than myself and let them excel.”

“My father was a dedicated, honest and hard-working leader who was a role-model to me and everyone that worked with him,” says Neil McDonough, president and CEO, FLEXcon. “His loyalty to customers and commitment to constant innovation remain the cornerstones of the company today. Myles had an impact on so many people – from our employees, to customers and suppliers in our industry, to the local community. He will be greatly missed.”

On March 30, McDonough became the most recent recipient of the Harvey Ball Smile Award, which honored McDonough and his wife Jean McDonough, for their many commitments and contributions to the Worcester community. McDonough served on the boards of several Worcester institutions, including Memorial Hospital, Worcester County National Bank, and WPI, where he received an award for distinguished service as a trustee of the college. He was the president of the New England chapter of the Young Presidents Organization. He has been a long-standing member at the Tatnuck Country Club and The Worcester Club. He and his wife Jean have been involved in numerous local organizations including the American Antiquarian Society, Bancroft School, the Ecotarium, Worcester Art Museum, UMass Memorial Healthcare, Worcester Hahneman Hospital, Worcester Historical Museum, and the Greater Worcester County Community Foundation. 

McDonough was born on May 14, 1929 in New York. He was Marist educated at Saint Anne de l’Hermitage, graduated Seton Hall University where he studied chemistry, and did graduate work at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ, USA. After graduation, he worked for Johnson & Johnson for several years as a chemist before founding FLEXcon.

Click here for more information about services and donations in Mr. McDonough’s name.