R. Scott Trumbull

1948 - 2020

(News story) R. Scott Trumbull, a supporter of the arts and charitable causes and board vice chairman of the Toledo Museum of Art, who was chief financial officer of Owens-Illinois Inc. and then chief executive of a northeast Indiana industrial firm, died Saturday at his St. Joseph, Mich., home. He was 71.

He had mesothelioma, his family said.

Mr. Trumbull, a longtime Ottawa Hills resident, continued his service on the Toledo Museum of Art board.

"He wanted to give back to the community and participate and enjoyed the camaraderie of the other leaders he was meeting," said his wife, Margy.

The Trumbulls especially appreciated glass art. In 2017, they were honorary co-chairmen of Momentum Festival and Juried Glass Competition and Exhibition. One of the couple's first endeavors after they met in 1972 was a glassblowing class at the museum.

He retired in 2014 as CEO of Franklin Electric Inc. of Fort Wayne and, in 2015, as board chairman. The company in a 2014 statement said that during his tenure, company revenue had grown, its market capitalization more than doubled, and its emphasis broadened beyond supplying submersible motors to pump manufacturers.

He joined the firm in 2002 after retiring as O-I chief financial officer and executive vice president. A graduate of Denison University, where he played football, Mr. Trumbull received a master of business administration from Harvard University. He'd been among 33 college seniors awarded NCAA scholarships in 1970 for graduate studies.

During college summers, he worked at the North Toledo factory of Libbey Glass, then part of O-I. He began full-time O-I employment in 1972, rising steadily through the ranks, by 1982, vice president of the glass container group. In 1986, the O-I board elected him a company vice president.

As executive vice president, he oversaw international operations, including O-I's acquisition of formerly state-run glass facilities in eastern Europe after the fall of communist regimes.

He stood on principle while displaying good humor, his son Matt said. "His integrity translated well," his son said.

Mr. Trumbull served on the boards of Welltower Inc., ProMedica, Schneider National, and Columbus McKinnon Corp.

Richard Fleming, Columbus McKinnon chairman, said in a statement that the firm "benefited mightily from his superb leadership skills, broad industrial experience, wise counsel, and strategic insights."

Mr. Trumbull, a life trustee of Denison University, supported Westside Montessori Center and St. John's Jesuit High School. He was a supporter of Good Grief of Northwest Ohio, a children's grief support program of which his wife was a founding member.

The son of Marian and Richard Eugene Trumbull, he was born Sept. 24, 1948, in Toledo. His father in time became an Owens Corning vice president, but as the elder Mr. Trumbull rose through the ranks, the family lived in Omaha and Kansas City, Mo.

Surviving are his wife, the former Margaret Upton, whom he married Aug. 18, 1973; sons, Matthew, Benjamin, and William; brother, Mark Davis Trumbull; sister, Susan Trumbull Magnuson, and eight grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held later. The family suggests tributes to the Toledo Museum of Art, Denison University, or the Black Swamp Bird Observatory.

This is a news story by Mark Zaborney. Contact him at mzaborney@theblade.com or 419-724-6182.