05.22.12
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 and WPI, where he received an award for distinguished service as a trustee.