Businessman spurred Penn United founder
The Cabot man who helped spur the formation of Penn United Technologies died Monday.
Robert Montgomery, 77, of Cabot, who died at Good Samaritan Hospice in Cabot, urged his brother-in-law, Carl Jones, to pursue his dream of starting a company.
“He was actually the one who spurred my dad,” said Bill Jones, Penn United president.
Bill Jones said because of that encouragement, his father founded Penn United in 1971 with fellow machinists Robert Becker and Charles Barton.
Montgomery, who married Jones’ sister Myrna, also was one of seven founding investors in the startup business that now employs 500 people.
“They never thought it was going to grow like it has,” he said.
Montgomery still was a shareholder in Penn United.
He and his brother-in-law initially worked at Oberg Manufacturing.
While Jones embarked on his journey with Penn United, Montgomery bought land in Butler Township and started his own business, Taylor Rental, which later became Grand Rental Station.
Montgomery graduated from Winfield High School in 1957. He served in the Marine Corps on the aircraft carrier the U.S.S. Essex.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Grove City College.
His obituary is on Page 3.
