Jim Craig was a loving family man, a loyal friend and a stalwart leader who left an indelible mark on the fusion industry. We were greatly saddened to learn of his death to the coronavirus on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020.
“I feel honored to have known Jim as a close friend and trusted leader in all he undertook,” said McElroy President and CEO Chip McElroy. “This is a really sad and big loss for all as he was an incredible human being that connected in meaningful ways with everyone he met.”
Jim’s contributions to McElroy throughout his 40-year career were extraordinary. He started as our Chief Design Engineer in 1973 and progressed to the role of Director of Research and Development. He was the “father” of McElroy’s three-mode manifold design and influenced many of our fusion and specialty engineered products as well as some of the fin tube offerings. Jim achieved the highest standards of engineering in 1993 when he became a Professional Engineer.
Jim continued to grow at McElroy and in 1998 was promoted into the newly created Director of Marketing position, and in August 2000 he became the National Sales Manager for the Fusion division. In those positions, Jim demonstrated an exceptional ability to create and maintain valuable relationships with our customers, channel partners and various industry contacts.
The communications generated through Jim’s relationships with industry partners at all levels proved critical to the company’s future growth and he was again promoted to Industry Relations Manager in September 2003, a position where he was able to thrive and use his talents and vast experience to lead the entire fusion industry. He was instrumental in advancing standards and industry development in organizations like the PPI, AWWA, AWS, ASME and AGA. He helped develop the process design and testing that ultimately validated generic butt fusion under TR-33 and established ASTM F2620.
Jim retired in March of 2013, but continued to serve as a champion of the industry as a fusion training expert and further improving both ASTM and PPI standards. He received many awards for his years of service and dedication over the years including the ASTM Award of Merit and the PPI Lifetime Achievement Award.
Those of you who knew Jim well know how much he loved his family. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Lisa, their three children and many wonderful grandchildren. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them during this difficult time.
Jim’s life work had a huge impact on McElroy and the fusion industry and will be felt for years to come. Jim will hold a special place in the hearts of many at McElroy.
