Independent Technologies mourns death of president, CEO
Daryl Ingalsbe, president and CEO of Nebraska-based Independent Technologies Inc., died in a Dec. 27 plane crash near his home in Spruce Creek, Florida. He was 67.
“We offer our sincerest condolences and prayers to Daryl’s family, friends and his family of employees,” the company, which sells WESROC tank monitors to the propane industry, says in a statement. “We also offer our sincerest condolences and prayers to the family and friends of his very good friend, Deb Solsrud of New London, Minnesota, who also died in the crash.”
Ingalsbe, a Nebraska native who launched the company more than 30 years ago, often piloted his plane to propane industry events. He and Solsrud recently completed a 21-day world tour in his plane.
“He was a great man, an entrepreneur to the nth degree,” says Tom Dudycha, marketing manager at Independent Technologies. “He made things happen, even when they shouldn’t have.”
The Independent Technologies Inc. board of directors has appointed Hank L. Smith, who had been the vice president of sales, as the company’s president and CEO.
“All of us at Independent Technologies have lost not only a great innovative leader in the voice and data communications research and development field, but we have also lost a close friend,” the board says in a statement. “We will carry on his vision and continue to make Independent Technologies the market leader in all of our industrial disciplines.”
Prior to joining Independent Technologies in 1992, Smith worked for US West in various technical and management positions for more than 20 years. He has a bachelor’s and MBA in finance from the University of Nebraska and an electrical technology degree from North Dakota State School of Science.
“He knows so many people in all of the disciplines [that we serve],” Dudycha says of Smith. “It’s going to be hard to get along without [Daryl], but we will do it in honor of him.”
Visitation and burial services are scheduled for Jan. 6-7 in Blair, Nebraska. View the obituary.
Photo: Independent Technologies Inc