At Large with Dave Smith: Die on Same Day

Don Kossak and Al Trueman were longtime friends and associates in the automotive plastics world. Both served as officers of the Automotive Composites Alliance (ACA). Both died within hours of each other on Nov. 10.

I knew them well. Don was vice president of new business/SMC development at Cambridge Industries Inc. and chairman of the ACA communications committee. He was 56, and died unexpectedly from a heart attack.

Al was 64. Formerly an ACA chairman, he retired in 1997 as vice president of worldwide commercial development-sales at the Budd Co.'s Plastics Div. and remained a consultant in automotive composites. He died in a car accident in Ohio during a business trip. He had worked for Akzo Coatings and Owens-Corning Fiberglass Corp. before joining Budd in 1987.

Both men graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit, Don in engineering and Al in psychology.

Of the two, Don was decidedly the quiet one. Al was known for his poor golf game, strong singing voice and delightful sense of humor.

Both were pros . . . and they will be missed. -D.C.S.