Ted Urbanek died on 2 December 2002 after complications from gall bladder surgery. He was 68 and had retired just six months earlier after 27 years as president of US boom truck manufacturer National Crane.
Urbanek joined National Crane in 1972 and served as controller before being appointed president in 1975. He also served for many years as president of MOTACC – Manufacturers of Telescoping & Articulating Cranes Council.
Stuart Anderson writes: Ted Urbanek became president of National Crane when the company was owned by Apache Corporation. In 1978 the firm was acquired by Grove, which decided to keep National Crane separate from Grove. It proved a wise judgement because under Ted’s careful leadership, National turned in consistently excellent fiscal results and maintained its dominant control of the boom truck market.
Ted was a quiet spoken, pleasant and thoughtful man who knew his company and business very well indeed. He was universally respected by colleagues and competitors alike and loved by his workforce.
