D.S. “Spence” O’Brien, 80, of Cal-Air Johnson Controls (Arcadia, Calif.) died at his home May 19 of cancer. O’Brien chaired the Mechanical Service Contractors of America board of managers and the Education Committee, and he served on the Labor Relations and Industrial Relations Committees. He was a member of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America’s Management Methods Committee and the Nominating Committee, and he served on the board of directors. In recognition of his many contributions, MCAA presented the Distinguished Service Award to O’Brien in 1998.

O’Brien is survived by his wife, June; five daughters - Donna, Karen, Patsy, Danielle and Janice; and 11 grandchildren. A memorial service was held on May 29. Memorial donations may be made to the Boy’s Republic, 3493 Grand Ave., Chino Hills, CA 91006, or online at www.boysrepublic.org.

Brad Sell
Former Executive Vice President,
New England Wholesalers Association

Brad Sell, 54, died June 16 at his home in Mattapoisett, Mass., after a long battle with prostate cancer. Prior to Sell’s diagnosis of prostate cancer, he served as executive vice president of the New England Wholesalers Association and president of Association Management Services Inc., both of Milford, Mass. After his diagnosis, he spent much of his time speaking to groups about the early detection of prostate cancer; view his Web site at www.bradsell.info.

Sell is survived by his wife, Dawn Winkler Sell; two sons, Dana Bradley Sell and Courtney Lange Sell, both of Mattapoisett; and five brothers. He was the son of Barbara (Trundy) and David W. Anderson of Marion, Mass., and the late Bert Sell.

A funeral service was held June 19 at the First Congregational Church of Marion. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Harvard Institute of Medicine, c/o Dr. Glenn Bubley, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, East Campus, HIM 1047, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215.

Owen G. ‘Mike’ Lanzit

Owen G. “Mike” Lanzit, 83, died April 13 after a long battle with heart disease. His career in the PVF/plumbing industry spanned seven decades, during most of which he was a top marketing executive for leading valve companies. He founded and for several years operated two marketing organizations, Trans Global Metals and Sea Force. Under the TGM label he successfully introduced various imported valve lines, including products from the United Kingdom, Italy and Asia, into U.S. industrial and plumbing markets. Using the Sea Force name he marketed a broad line of teak accessories for the recreational marine market as well as game boards and related products.

At different times later in his career Lanzit served as vice president-marketing for two leading U.S. marketers of foreign-made valves, Red-White and Kitz.