David Robert Ice, CPMR, 84, former MANA Chairman of the Board, died late last year. Ice, president of Ice Associates, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas, was a long-time member of the association and served as Board Chairman from 2009-2011.

A business degree graduate of Cleveland State University, Ice began his business career in 1962 as a department manager and outside salesman with Williams and Company in Cleveland, Ohio. He joined Aeroquip Corporation in 1968 and served in various sales and marketing management positions until 1992 in Los Angeles, California; Lawrence, Kansas; Jackson, Michigan; and Cranbury, New Jersey. That year he became the vice president of sales and marketing for U.S. Axle, Inc., Pottstown, Pennsylvania. After a move back to Lawrence in 2000, he founded Ice & Associates, Inc. a full-service manufacturers’ representative agency focused on selling custom designed components primarily to original equipment manufacturers. Industries that the agency served include: construction equipment, aerospace, agricultural equipment and transportation. During these employments he had international responsibility for major customers such as John Deere, Caterpillar, and others in the heavy equipment industry.
Ice joined the Manufacturer’s Agents National Association (MANA) in 2000 and became a District Representative, Board Member, Chairman of the Board of Directors from 2009 to 2011, and Ex-Officio Chairman from 2011 to 2013. He earned MRERF’s CPMR certification from Arizona State University in 2009.

Several members of the MANA community shared their thoughts on Ice’s contributions to the association and the friendships that grew from working together.

Charles Cohon, CPMR, CEO/President of MANA — “My father had a way of describing a colleague who was noteworthy for his stature, respect, and kindness. Dad used to refer to such a person as ‘one of the true gentlemen of our industry.’

“I can’t think of a more fitting way to describe the high regard with which I held Dave as a colleague, friend and mentor. He left his mark on our industry, and on me personally, for which I will always be grateful.”

John D. Roba, John D. Roba Company, Inc., Clarence Center, New York, former MANA Board Member — “Dave and I spent a lot of time together during our terms on the MANA Board. Probably the one thing that stands out more than anything else is that Dave became chairman at just the right time. The association was going through a period of transition, and he led the Board and did an outstanding job in steering MANA through that period. His guidance in choosing Charley Cohon as MANA’s President was probably the best decision the association ever made. We may have had some tough times during that transition, but we also had some great times.”

Richard Sinclair, Applied Process Equipment, Scottsdale, Arizona, former MANA Board Member — “Dave and I were similar in many ways. We both earned our engineering degrees and became salesmen, and we both joined MANA. As a result, when we met, we bonded like long lost brothers and became very close friends. As couples, we visited Dave and his wife in in Lawrence, and whenever they came through Phoenix, we spent time together.

“During our time together, I learned how much he always cared deeply about not only MANA, but anything that he pursued, whether it was his work with his church, his love of music, or time spent with his friends. He was truly a very caring individual and a dynamic person. In addition, along the way I learned how much more organized he was than I ever was.”

Jerry Leth, MANA Vice President, General Manager, Secretary/Treasurer — “As I recall Dave’s time on the Board, I was struck by the fact he had such a strong sense of purpose concerning what MANA should be doing for its members and how the Board could help him reach its goals. His character was unbelievable. After he completed his term on the Board, he and his wife would spend some time in Palm Springs and I and Joe Miller, MANA’s former President/CEO, were able to get together. He was just a great guy.”