Karl Neupert, 62, died Dec. 16 at home in Portland, Ore., following a short but courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. He had been diagnosed just 10 days prior to that. He was president/CEO of Consolidated Supply, a wholesale firm based in Tigard (Portland), Ore. He served as president of the American Supply Association in 1999 and was part of the committee that created the ASA White Paper in 1998, which restructured the association.
Neupert was the third generation of his family to run Consolidated. He joined the firm in 1962, working for his father, Karl F. Neupert, as an assistant purchasing agent. His career at the company progressed through outside sales, then he opened a branch and started up a division focused on water works. He took over the business in 1978 upon the death of his father at age 65. His daughter, Karla Neupert Hockley, is director of corporate service for the company, and his son, Kevin Neupert, is manager of plumbing sales at the Portland branch.