Steve Guntner, a coatings and ink industry veteran, passed away Sept. 28, 2012 after a brief illness. Mr. Guntner, 63, was well known and highly regarded in the coatings and ink industries, with a career spanning more than 30 years.

Mr. Guntner started his career in the mixing industry with Scott Turbine Mixers in the 1980s.

“Steve was such a good person. We always liked him,” said Bill Scott of Scott Turbine Mixers. “He came to us as a graphics designer to help us get our business started. He really got what a mixer was and quickly moved to sales. He was perfect for the job; soft spoken, not pushy. He became very knowledgeable in the process side of what we do. We were learning together on how to grow my company. In fact, I tried to hire him back about 12 years ago, but he was dedicated to running his own representative firm at the time.”

Mr. Guntner spent a decade at Hockmeyer Equipment Corp., from September 1991 to October 2001, where he concentrated primarily on sales into Asia and the west coast of the United States.

“He was a trusted friend, an astute professional and a gentleman,” said Herman Hockmeyer of Hockmeyer Equipment Corp. “We send our respects to his family and wide network of friends, all of whom shall grieve his loss.”

Most recently, Mr. Guntner served as sales manager at Myers Engineering. Friends and colleagues remembered him for both his technical knowledge and his wonderful personality.

“Steve Guntner was one of this industry’s leading experts on the application of mixing and blending equipment,” said Cary Buller, vice president, Myers Engineering. “Not only has our company lost a member who was a key team player, but the industry has been shorted his talents. Steve left quite a mark on the industry, and he will be remembered for a long time to come. Steve was an incredible team player who worked well with customers and vendors. The people he worked with will all miss him tremendously.”

“I have worked with Steve in various places and times for over 25 years,” said Cathy Strahan of Myers Engineering. “He brought me into this industry as a rep for Hockmeyer, and I brought him to Myers as the sales manager. He was a constant source of guidance and information. Interesting how the circle closed.”

Mr. Guntner is survived by his wife, Susan, and two sons, Sam and Erik.