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David "Bud" Thalenfeld Passes
Retail Fixture Entrepreneur and POPAI Hall of Fame Inductee dies.
Wilkes-Barre, PA (22 May 2009) David R. "Bud" Thalenfeld of Naples, FL., formerly of of Bear Creek, PA., passed away Tuesday May 19, 2009, surrounded by his family in Florida. Funeral Services were held Friday May 22 in Pennsylvania. Born in Miner's Mills, PA., he was the son of the late Isadore and Mollie Feurman Thalenfeld. He graduated from Meyers High School in 1937, and later attended New School University in New York City. During the Second World War, Thalenfeld served with the US Army Air Corps 11th Bomb Squadron in China. He was founder and CEO of Trion Industries, Inc. headquartered in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
Coming from a retailing background, David's early business career included assignments with chains in New York City and the operation of several of his own stores there. With the growth of modern retailing in the post-War period, Thalenfeld pioneered advances in merchandising with inventions of his own. In 1965, along with three friends, he founded Trion Industries, Inc. in Brooklyn, New York to manufacture his fixture concepts. Early innovations were widely adopted by the major retail chains of the period including Woolworths. Over time the other partners left the firm, and Thalenfeld moved Trion to Wilkes-Barre, PA. in 1982. At present his firm has grown to over $40 million in sales, is ranked among the top 50 Retail and Point of Purchase Fixture Manufacturers in the country, and is the world's leading manufacturer of Pegboard Hooks. Trion now serves almost all the major retailing concerns in the United States, and is headed by his son John.
Professionally, Thalenfeld was Board Member and Treasurer of POPAI (Point of Purchase Advertising International), and a founding member of WiFAB (The Wire Fabricators Manufacturers Association) which evolved into the present day PDMF Permanent Display Manufacturers Forum. He was Hall of Fame Inductee by POPAI and held over 88 patents for display innovations.
Thalenfeld was a member of Temple B'nai B'rith, Kingston, PA., and Temple Shalom, Naples, FL.; a former member of the Jewish Community Center, Wilkes-Barre, PA.; a Board Member and Treasurer of Family Service Association of Wyoming Valley; Board Member of Blue Cross of Northeastern Pa.; a former Board Member of the Bear Creek Village Boro; a De Tocqueville Society member of the United Way Wyoming Valley; and other civic and religious organizations.
David is survived by his wife, Lillian, residing in Naples; son, John, of Bear Creek; grandchildren Adam and Rebecca; and sisters Harriett Grey, Kingston, PA. and Freda Popsky, Wilkes-Barre, PA.
For those wishing to visit David again, a short corporate page is maintained at http://www.triononline.com/profile/DavidThalenfeld.php Memorial contributions may be made to Family Service Association of Wyoming Valley, 31 West Market Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701; Temple B'nai B'rith, Rabbis Discretionary Fund, 408 Wyoming Avenue, Kingston, PA 18704; or a charity of the donor's choice. Condolences may be emailed to info@rosenbergfuneralchapel.com
Contact:
Tony Kadysewski, Marketing Communications Manager
Trion Industries, Inc., 297 Laird Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 • www.triononline.com
P 570-824-1000 x371 • F 570-824-0802 • C 570-578-9223
tkadysewski@triononline.com
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