John W. “Jack” Oremus, 60, as president and chief executive officer of Prairie Material Sales in Bridgeview, built it into one of the nation’s largest producers of concrete, cement and aggregate.
Mr. Oremus died Monday in an auto accident.
Prarie Materials Sales was founded by his father, John A. Oremus, longtime mayor of Bridgeview and is the largest privately-owned ready-mix cement company in the nation.
Mr. Oremus began his career at Prairie about 44 years ago, breaking bags of cement and delivering coal 14 to 16 hours a day. He worked his way up the chain of command until he became CEO about 20 years ago.
Under his guidance, the company grew into one of the foremost cement companies. Sales doubled and the firm now employs more than 1,400 people.
“He worked hard every day of his life and never took the easy route to getting things accomplished,” said Jerry Krozel, vice president of the company.
Mr. Oremus used to hand out business cards with his home phone number. Friends and colleagues said he treated customers–from the smallest to the largest buyer–equally.
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“The one thing he’d always say to us was `the only boss you have is your customers,’ ” Krozel said. “His company was successful because he cared about people.”
Mr. Oremus served on the board of directors of the Northern Illinois Ready-Mix Assoc. and the Portland Cement Assoc. He also served as chairman of the Prairie Bank and Trust Co.
He was former chairman of the Bridgeview Zoning Commission and was a board member of Ford City Bank and Bridgeview Bank.
In addition to his father, Mr. Oremus is survived by his wife, Rubina; three sons, Alan, Michael and John Christopher; two daughters, Kim Hanson and Sheri Smith; 12 grandchildren; two brothers; and a sister.
Visitation will be from 2 to 9 p.m. Thursday and from 1 to 9 p.m. Friday at Lawn Funeral Home, 7909 State Rd., Burbank. Mass will be said at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Fabian Catholic Church, 83rd Street and Oketo Avenue, Bridgeview.