About Jack
Biography
Jack W. Clark Jr. was the president of the family-owned Clark Metal Products Company in Blairsville, and oversaw its continuing growth while he worked to make Indiana County a haven for all manufacturers.
Jack was born July 15, 1940, in Blairsville, and graduated from Blairsville High School in 1958. He attended Juniata College and the University of Pittsburgh. It wasn’t long before he began climbing the ranks of the company that his father, J.W. Clark Sr., had established in 1954. From tool designer to engineering manager to sales manager, he rose to the role of vice president in 1971. He then became president and CEO when his father retired in 1987.
Under Clark’s watch, the company experienced a growth in sales and relocated to a new and larger facility. Clark knew every step of his company’s production process, and capitalized on emerging technologies to direct its growth. He oversaw Clark Metal Products’ success as a wise businessman and made a top priority of providing stable careers for his employees.
Over the years, Clark raised his family in Blairsville; Charlottesville, Va.; and Murrysville, and he immersed himself in community service in each town along the way.
In Indiana County, he served on the boards of directors for the 12th Regional Equipment Center, the Indiana County Development Corporation and the Indiana County Chamber of Commerce. Clark was a chairman of the Blairsville Zoning Hearing Board, and an advisor for Blairsville Intown Group. He served the Pittsburgh Technology Council, as board member for the council’s Advance Manufacturing Network, Laurel Valley Extension, and Catalyst Connection. He retired as president of Clark Metal Products in 2001.
Jack died unexpectedly in November at age 76, just after his selection to the Indiana County Business Hall of Fame. He and his wife Darlene had been married 55 years. He left a legacy as a devoted family man, a dedicated community servant and a forward-thinking and innovative businessman. For that, he was honored by Pennsylvania Business Central in 2000, when he was named to the publication’s list of the top 100 most influential people in Central Pennsylvania.