John Reed enjoyed a successful career that has spanned 75 years, many of these years as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Mestek, Inc. in Westfield, Mass., which consists of more than 30 operating companies involved in the HVAC, Metal Forming & Fabricating and Coiled Metal Processing Industries.

John began his career with the H. B. Smith Company after graduating from Williston Academy in 1933 and Yale University in 1937. At Williston, John was a member of the Cum Laude Society and was involved with The Willistonian and glee club. He played basketball, squash, and tennis.

While working for H.B Smith Co., John earned his law degree in 1942 from the School of Law at Northeastern University, attending class at night. By 1946, he had advanced to the position of national sales manager for Smith, at which time his entrepreneurial spirit was manifested when he started the Sterling Radiator Company. Sterling Radiator continued to grow during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, both internally and through the careful acquisition of other companies, such as those dealing with climate control, the Peterson Roll Feed Co., and the Cooper-Weymouth press feed company.

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