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The manufacturing industry has lost one of its most capable and devoted standard-bearers. John Luke, chair of the NAM Board of Directors (2005–2006) and member of the NAM Board (2001–2016), passed away earlier this month. He was 77.

• “John Luke was a titan for manufacturers, a pillar in the communities he served and a champion for the people who make things in America,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons in a statement.

An NAM leader: “As our board chair, John’s passion for the strength and success of manufacturing was matched only by his steady focus on credible and durable solutions. Thoughtful and considerate, he knew how to ask the right questions—and hard questions—of policymakers,” Timmons continued.

A respected voice: “Grounded in his credibility, John earned the respect of lawmakers from both parties, business leaders across industries and partners not only in the United States but around the globe—bolstering the NAM’s reach on behalf of the manufacturers powering America’s prosperity,” said Timmons.

A lifetime of service: “[A] focus on sustainable success, on intentional leadership, on meaningful change defined every step of John’s life and career—in his dedication to his country as an officer in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War, where he was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service; through his decades of leadership at the global packaging giant Smurfit WestRock and its predecessors, MeadWestvaco and Westvaco; and in his service on the boards of major institutions spanning industry, education and public policy, including the American Enterprise Institute, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the commercial property insurance company FM Global and Virginia Commonwealth University, among many others,” said Timmons.

A model of leadership: “Nearly two decades ago, in an interview at the Wharton School of Business—where he had earned his M.B.A.—John said that ‘It is imperative for all aspiring leaders to determine answers to the critical questions of ‘What change?,’ ‘Why change?’ and ‘How change?’ if meaningful sustainable success is to be achieved from your efforts,’” Timmons said.

• “In his life, John asked what must change, why and how—and answered each question with conviction. Manufacturing in the United States, the people we hire and the communities we serve are all stronger as a result.”

The last word: “The NAM today reflects John’s legacy: an institution with a steady focus on sustainable solutions. We send our deepest sympathies to Kathleen and the entire Luke family.”