News
Industry Loses Former ISSA Executive Director Jack Ramaley
January 22, 2018
Jack D. Ramaley, former executive director of ISSA, passed away January 20, 2018. He was 97 years old.
Following his graduation from Pennsylvania State University in 1942, Ramaley enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as an officer aboard a ship in the South Pacific through much of World War II. Following his release from active duty, he became sales manager at Alcoa Corp. Ramaley began his career in the cleaning industry in 1958 when he joined Breuer Electric Manufacturing Co. as zone sales manager, where he was named vice president of sales in 1969.
While at Breuer, Ramaley became an active member of ISSA, serving as the association’s treasurer from 1973-74. In 1975 he left Breuer to serve as ISSA’s executive director, a position he held for 14 years. Under Ramaley’s leadership, he built the organization from 1, 600 manufacturer and distributor firms to more than 3,000 members, cementing ISSA as the voice of the cleaning industry. Ramaley retired from ISSA in 1987, yet in 1990 he returned to serve the association as acting executive director at the board’s request to assist in the search for a new executive director. He spent an additional year assisting his successor, John Garfinkel, transition into the position. Following his retirement, Ramaley continued to serve ISSA as a consultant and as assistant secretary of the ISSA Foundation, an organization he tirelessly supported right up to his death.
To recognize Ramaley’s incredible commitment to the cleaning industry, ISSA presented him with the inaugural ISSA Industry Distinguished Service Award. The award was renamed the Jack D. Ramaley Industry Distinguished Service Award in 1986. In 2001, the ISSA Foundation created the Jack D. Ramaley Designated Scholarship, which is presented annually in his honor.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the ISSA Foundation’s Jack D. Ramaley Designated Scholarship fund. Donations may be mailed to the ISSA Foundation, 3300 Dundee Rd., Northbrook, IL 60062.
