Don Henthorn, owner and founder of BendPak Inc., passed away at home Thursday, March 28, at the age of 85. Under his leadership, BendPak has grown from a small machine shop to one of the world’s leading manufacturers of car lifts and automotive service equipment.
Don Henthorn, owner and founder of BendPak Inc., passed away March 28, 2024.
Management and operations of the privately owned company are unchanged. Henthorn transitioned day-to-day management to the current leadership team in 2022 as part of an established succession plan. Serving as chairman emeritus, he continued to coach the team, coming to the office six days a week.
“Don’s visionary leadership and unwavering dedication have been the cornerstone of BendPak’s success. His passion, wisdom, and guidance have left an indelible mark on all of us and the organization,” said Jeff Kritzer, BendPak president and CEO. “His legacy lives on through the values and principles he instilled in our company. He was not only a leader, but also a mentor, inspiring all of us to strive for excellence and to never settle for anything else.”
Henthorn enlisted in the U.S. Army at 19 years old. He was stationed at a Nike Ajax missile site in Connecticut. While there, he met Virginia Ann “Ginger” Eib, and they married two days after he was discharged in 1959. Three days after that, they moved to California, where he went to work in the burgeoning aerospace industry. After learning all he could, he started Quality Machine & Associates (QMA) in Simi Valley, California. This premier job shop specialized in precision machine work for aerospace and defense giants like Rocketdyne, Rockwell, and Hughes Aircraft.
Not content with the “feast or famine” workload of a job shop, Henthorn labored after hours to develop and patent specialty tools QMA could market itself. The most successful of these included the 5ivePak, a portable combination coil spring compressor, U-joint press and gear-puller; a MacPherson strut spring-compressor; and a portable exhaust pipe expander.
By the 1970s, Henthorn was increasingly focused on building equipment for the then-bustling muffler shop industry. In 1977, he oversaw construction of the company’s first new building, a 20,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Moorpark, California. Two years later, QMA introduced a hydraulic tubing bender for muffler shops, and Henthorn was inspired to change the company name to match. “BendPak” was born. In 1983, responding to customer requests, Henthorn introduced BendPak’s first four-post lift and entered the vehicle lift market.
Over the ensuing decades, BendPak continued to grow. Today, the company has manufacturing and distribution facilities around the world and employs more than 275 people.
Never one to seek awards or accolades, Henthorn was a believer in hard work. Motivated by the fear of failure and the desire to expand his mind and his business, he pushed the company to continuously improve and grow. For decades, he was the first person in the door every day, starting between 5 and 6 a.m., Monday through Saturday. When asked the secret to BendPak’s success, he would answer simply, “We outwork everybody.”
Henthorn could often be found out in the shop tinkering and inventing things. He also enjoyed golfing and sharing memories with friends, family, and colleagues.
Henthorn is survived by his wife, Ginger, daughter, Susan, and grandchildren Annika, Reagan, Carson, and Kennedy. He was preceded in death by his son, Gary.