Ralco President Emeritus Jon Knochenmus lost his battle with cancer on Saturday, Nov. 19, dying peacefully surrounded by his family.
He was 67.
“Dad was a visionary whose incredible curiosity allowed him to see opportunity and possibility that most people missed,” Ralco President and CEO Brian Knochenmus said in a news release. “His passion to serve customers and discover new solutions created rapid growth and attracted an exceptional team of people to Ralco.”
Jon Knochenmus was connected to Ralco from early in the company’s history, having helped load the first semi-truck while dating his soon-to-be bride, Niter, the daughter of Ralco founders Bob and Lou Galbraith. He became a Ralco dealer when he was 20 and the national sales manager at 25. In 1993 he became a part-owner, until 2004 when he and Niter became the principal owners, leading to a time of tremendous growth under Jon’s leadership.