Member Introduction
Meet Norm Fowler
Recently inducted into the Plastics of Hall of Fame class of 2025. He resides in the plastics meca Key West Florida with his wife Sue. Norm graduated from University of Massachusetts – Lowell with a degree in plastics engineering. He was employed at Xerox Corporation for 27 years. Held various technology, planning and management positions. Manager, Fuser Delivery Unit with research, design and manufacturing of $70M fuser roll business. As Manager, Strategic Initiatives, developed and deployed Design for Lean Six Sigma to worldwide research and design oriented professionals. SPE International President (1997-98) and Plastics Hall of Fame member (2025).
Norm is an avid golfer that utilizes his six sigma background for continuous improvement (EVERY shot is tracked and recorded for analysis). He has also become a product tester for new golf equipment. Not bad – free equipment for using and writing reviews.
Norm just happens to come to PPA conferences that have unique golf courses nearby. Hope to see him this spring in Sarasota (a short 6.5 hour drive NORTH for Norm). I was able to catch up with Norm to ask a few more questions:
What other non-profits do you participate in? There are a few. I'm a golf course rater in South Florida for the Florida State Golf Association. Several times a year we go and rate new, modified or golf courses that haven't been rated for 10 years. I've been doing this for about 3-4 years. The upside is that we get to play the course after we rate it. Because of this, I've played two very exclusive courses I'd never could have gotten on. They include Card Sound Golf Club and Greg Norman's new course Shell Bay Club. I'm also an officer of the Lower Keys Golf Association that raises money to support junior golf. We support the Key West High School golf team and give our scholarships and awards to deserving golf team players and associate members. I also help out my wife Sue's Sunrise Rotary club with their community service projects.
How did you get into the Plastics Industry? in 1969 as an eighth grader, our Greece Athena industrial arts teacher Don Jambo introduced his students to the wonders of plastics. We hand injection molded handles on screw drivers, made vinyl change purses and pillows. From that first class, I knew that plastics was what I wanted to do the rest of my life. I started at SUNY at Morrisville college in Plastics Technology (graduated with an AAS degree in 1976), went to UMass Lowell and got my BS in Plastics Engineering in 1980 and MS in Plastics in 1981). When I was a senior, I worked on a Xerox sponsored project on electrically conductive plastics composites. That work was the basis of my master's thesis. Having been born and raised in Rochester, New York, that was the last place I wanted to start a career. I had job offers from several major plastics companies around the country, but decided to start my career at Xerox where I spent 27 years. I left Xerox in 2007 and started Keys Six Sigma consulting company I help set up companies' implement Lean Six Sigma programs. After a hit and run accident where I broke my neck, I decided to limit my travel and close the company. To keep busy (and out of trouble), I worked at Home Depot solving customers' problems. I worked there until just before COVID hit in 2019 when I retired.
How did you end up in Key West? A bunch of us guys would go on a golf vacation to Myrtle Beach every year. Two wives decided we shouldn't have all the fun and decided to go to someplace that we never would want to go. They picked Key West. Finally in 1997, my wife took me to Key West. It was July 12th, my birthday and Duval Street had a red carpet down it's center. I wondered "how did they know it was my birthday?" Turns out, it wasn't my birthday they were celebrating. It was the opening of Planet Hollywood. We would go back once a year until 911! We had just finished a great week in Key West and on a plane preparing to take off. The engines shut down and I knew something was up. The pilot announced there was a terrorist attack in the US and everyone off the plane now! We got our bags, made flight plans for the next day and returned to the guest house we were staying at to what the tragedy unfold. We were stuck in Key West for six more days. During that time, we were amazed at the generosity and support we got from the locals. From that point on, we knew Key West was the place for us. A few years later we bought a house here and eventually moved to Key West full time.
How did you get into rating golf equipment? I was active on an online MyGolfSpy golf forum. I'd go there just about every day and post my comments and opinions on golf equipment and other golf-related topics. The forum had a rather robust program that would select members to try out and review various golf equipment. I would enter in those products that interested me. I remember getting an email on a train going from London to Edinburgh, Scotland saying I was selected for my first review: Shot Scope LX+ rangefinder. I also supported the forum scoring various online virtual golf tournaments. My writing style and forum support, I was fortunate enough to review (and keep) the following items: the above-mentioned rangefinder, Callaway Paradym X irons, Titleist GT3 driver, Titleist GT2 fairway woods and Srixon ZXi4 irons.
How frequently do you play? Since retiring, I've averaged over 125 posted rounds a year. I play golf at least three times a week in our men's league. I also typically play once a month in our LKGA scrambles and various charity tournaments during the year. My current handicap index is 12.4 which gives me a course handicap of 11 from the golf tees. It has been as low as 10.9 this year. Overall, I have very low expectations that I'll improve by the end of 2026. I'm on the disabled list right now as I had my right hip replaced five days after I got back from Dusseldorf) with the hope of returning at the end of November/early December. Why say I have low expectations is that I've tracked my golf scores since 2008. With the exception of the year I broke my neck, my average golf score over that period is 85.1 and varies less than plus/minus 0.75 strokes year over year. So history says I should not expect getting any better! I guess after maintaining a level handicap over 17 years with a broken neck new knee and hip is actually pretty good!
Accident in 2010: in 2010, I was in a hit and run scooter accident in Key West. I remember leaving the golf course at noon on a Tuesday and waking up Wednesday night in a Miami J collar pretty much paralyzed. Turns out I broke my C5 vertebra which was repaired with donor bone, two plates and six screws. Some say I was unlucky. I feel just the opposite! The EMT on call was one of my friends who made sure I was handled correctly. I was airlifted to Miami's Jackson Memorial hospital, one of the best hospitals for spine injuries due to Miami Project. The surgeon on call that day was the head of Neurosurgery for Jackson Memorial. I spent roughly three weeks in the hospital and in in-patient rehab learning to walk and use my hands again. Two things (one I remember and one my wife as there to remind me. The doctor was explaining the procedure he was going to perform and asked if I had questions. I said "(1) how many of these have you done and (2) are you good at it?" He laughed and said I've done thousands of these procedures and I'm very good at it!" That was good enough for me. Second, because of the head injury, I had a visit from the hospital phycologist. He gave me three words to remember, gave me a math problem and then asked if I could remember the three words. I looked at him and said no. He shook his head and wrote something on his pad. I went on to explain, I'm an engineer and when faced with a word or numbers problem, numbers ALWAY take a precedence! He later asked me if I was mad because of the accident. I said no and he looked puzzled. I responded that every bit of my energy is focused on getting better and it can't be waisted by being mad. He responded, "good answer!"
Why was I lucky? Other patients in rehab were learning to use a chair as they will never walk again. I was one of the fortunate ones!
Anything relevant? Though I haven't been very involved in the PPA over the 19 years of being a member, it's been a place for me to be socialize and reconnect with people during my SPE days. Early on, it was Palmer Humphrey, Harold Holtz, John Kretzschmar, Fred Schwab and of course Glenn Beall. My last encounter with Glenn was at a recent PPA meeting. I arrived a little late for the first dinner and it had been years since I attended a meeting. As I looked around for a familiar face I caught Glenn's eyes. He smiled and called me over. I sat down and we talked about the "old" SPE days and he thanked me for all the help I gave him starting divisions over the years. I was stunned as he brought up example after example and felt humbled that this plastics industry icon remembered such things.
Footnote from Jeff Mengel
I can personally attest that the recognition by the Plastics Hall of Fame meant a lot to Norm. His acceptance speech was very emotional and heartfelt. While Norm doesn't seek to be in the limelight, he worked hard, and appreciates the recognition of his efforts. We are lucky to have Norm as a member of the PPA.
Jeff Mengel
(PS - those are not my fingers in the photo to the right)
