Greenwich Roundup: 10/09/08 Stephen Powers native of New Rochelle, he is survived by his wife, Christina, and two daughters, Alexis, 16, and Sydney, 13

Thursday, October 9, 2008

10/09/08 Stephen Powers native of New Rochelle, he is survived by his wife, Christina, and two daughters, Alexis, 16, and Sydney, 13

Flags were lowered yesterday outside Powers Fasteners in Brewster. Executive Vice President Stephen B. Powers died Sunday.

(Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News)

Business in the Burbs: Powers Fasteners mourns exec

Journal News

Stephen B. Powers brought many skills to Powers Fasteners Inc., the business in Southeast that he ran with his three brothers. He took apart equipment and made repairs. He wrote software code for the company's computers and kept technology systems up to date. He typically traveled 100,000 miles a year to make sales calls overseas.

Fifty-hour workweeks were the norm for Powers. Now the company faces a void.

Powers, a 45-year-old resident of Greenwich, Conn., died Sunday evening after he lost control of his motorcycle on Route 22 in North White Plains, according to police. .

As many as 600 people may attend Powers' funeral tomorrow at St. Paul's Church in Greenwich. They'll include customers and employees from as far away as China, Europe and Canada. Flags have flown at half-staff this week outside the company's 140,000-square-foot complex in honor of Powers. The plant will be closed tomorrow for the funeral.....

......The company operates 27 distribution centers in the United States and another 13 internationally.

Founded in the 1950s - and now under the third generation of family management - the company's sales have grown 16-fold during the past 15 years. As executive vice president, Stephen Powers managed information technology and was the business manager for Powers Global overseas companies in eight countries.

"He grew up in the business like we all did," Jeffrey Powers said. "He was an integral part of our growth."

One controversy surrounding the company involved the deadly 2006 Big Dig tunnel collapse in Boston. The family of a woman killed in the tragedy recently settled a wrongful-death lawsuit for more than $28 million, according to The Associated Press. The figure includes earlier settlements by Powers Fasteners for $6 million, according to AP. Powers Fasteners supplied the construction glue used in the tunnel's ceiling.

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10/08/08 Greenwich Time News Links

Powers recalled by family

By Debra Friedman

Those who knew Stephen Powers say he was the nicest guy anyone could ever hope to meet. Golfing, skiing and traveling were just some of his many passions, but what he loved most in life was his family.

Yesterday, his wife Christina Powers, of Greenwich, spoke about her high school sweetheart who was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident Sunday night in North White Plains, N.Y.

"He was fun, adventurous, and he loved life to the max," said Christina Powers, his wife of 18 years. Stephen and Christina Powers met while they were students at Scarsdale High School in New York in 1981. "I was a sophomore and he was a junior," said Christina Powers, reminiscing about the inscription he left on her school yearbook which read, "I will always love you."

"He was a such great guy," said Powers. They married in 1990 and went on to have two daughters, Alexis, 16, and Sydney, 13. The family moved to Greenwich nearly 10 years ago. .....

....While friends and family are reeling over the loss of a great father, husband and friend, loved ones took comfort in remembering his greatest qualities, such as how supportive he was to everyone he knew, and the great lengths he went to in order to make sure everyone in his circle always felt included and loved, his wife said.

The family will hold a wake at the Leo P. Gallagher & Sons Funeral Home on Arch Street today and tomorrow from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m.A funeral Mass will be held at St. Paul Church, 84 Sherwood Ave., on Friday at 10 a.m.