CleanRooms remembers Henry McNeilly, Sr.

Tim Loughran,

CleanRooms Editorial Advisory Board

Sadly, the opening of CleanRooms East `98 was punctuated by the news of the passing of Henry McNeilly on Monday, March 2, 1998, at the age of 61. Henry was the founder and president of Micron Clean Uniform until its acquisition by Cintas Cleanroom Resources in 1997. Micron Clean was founded in 1965 as a division of Valley Linen, Henry`s family-owned business, and served the cleanroom garment industry for more than 30 years. At the time of its formation, cleanrooms were referred to as white rooms and Micron Clean`s high technology laundry was dubbed, “The Cleanest Laundry in the World.” Henry served as president of the firm for most of that time and was its captain in our industry working with leading-edge pioneers such as IBM and Grumman until his semi-retirement. He believed in giving back to the industry from which he derived a living and created the Micron Clean scholarship fund in 1987 to provide money for students in the sciences and to make money available for research. The fund made its first grant to the Institute of Environmental Sciences` Foundation.

I met Henry in 1984 when I first entered this business. He was one of my first “industry friends” and took me under his wing as a young salesperson pushing cleanroom supplies, always taking time to call me with a lead or information. For those of you who did not meet Henry, you missed an opportunity to know a unique, good-hearted man whom our industry will sorely miss. His survivors include his wife Barbara, his son Henry, Jr. and two daughters, Caroline Boyer and Mary Gwynne McNeilly.

CleanRooms Shows just won`t be the same without Henry shuffling through the hall with that big grin. Somehow, for me, the industry changed with Henry`s passing. Donations in his name may be made to the Brain Tumor Society, 84 Seattle St., Boston 02134-1245.