Paul Loch

Emil Paul Loch II (68) of Longwood passed away on September 27, 2014 in Orlando, Florida. Paul is survived by his children, Ericha and Tres Loch, daughter-in-law Jen Loch, sister Ruth Polger, brother-in-law John Polger, nephew Tom Polger and niece Sarah Polger.

Paul was born in Nicholson, Pennsylvania on March 14, 1946. As a child, Paul was an outstanding student and athlete. He played basketball and baseball, served as the President of the Lackawanna Trail High School class of 1964 and became an Eagle Scout. Paul earned a BS in Metallurgical Engineering and Material Science from Lehigh University in 1969. He later completed the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration’s Program for Management Development and attended the INSEAD Graduate Business School in Fontainebleau, France.

Paul joined Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1969, and served in a variety of positions from engineering to management. His career spanned the east coast of the United States (from Tampa, Florida to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Columbia, South Carolina, to Orlando, Florida). Paul also lived in Madrid, Spain and managed projects throughout Europe and Asia. In 1988, the Commercial Nuclear Fuel Division of Westinghouse Electric Corp. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (for which Paul served as the manufacturing manager) was awarded the first Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award for Excellence in Manufacturing. Paul described this award, which was given by President Ronald Reagan, as “the most cherished moment of [his] professional life.” The organization was recognized for implementing the most aggressive and refined quality assurance program ever undertaken in a large manufacturing operation: what became known as six sigma. In 1989, Paul became a division general manager for Westinghouse, moving to Orlando, Florida and directing a $1.2 billion sales operation with locations in the United States and Canada and customers on six continents.

In 1998, after retiring from Westinghouse and relaxing for nearly a full year, Paul was recruited to serve as the COO and President of Scientech, Inc. Under his leadership, Scientech expanded their offering to new client bases and attracted new investment partners. In 2008, Scientech was sold to a larger conglomerate, and Paul again entered retirement. Despite promises to relax, Paul continued to operate a small consulting company, Loch & Associates, offering business management and assessment services.

Throughout his life, Paul remained dedicated to his family and friends. He cherished the time at his ancestral home in Nicholson, Pennsylvania, and spent a great deal of time working with his sister and brother-in-law to maintain the one hundred and forty year old house and expansive property. Included in his work was a dedication to establishing a sustainable forest on the property, with selective forestry practices that included harvesting ash trees that were destined to become Louisville Slugger baseball bats.

At his home in Florida, Paul enjoyed spending time with his children and friends, honing his carpentry skills, and planning his next adventure. His accomplishments included becoming a certified American Sailing Association Skipper, driving a NASCAR Toyota at more than 150 MPH, rebuilding a 1953 Chevrolet B210, and flying a 1941 Boeing Stearman open cockpit biplane. Paul also enjoyed long distance trekking in Europe, South America, and New Zealand. He hiked on four continents in 2013, and returned from his most recent trek (a 200 mile solo trip in Scotland and England) in June 2014.

A Celebration of Life will be held in Paul’s honor on Tuesday, September 30, 2014 from 5-8 pm at Baldwin Fairchild Funeral Home, 994 E Altamonte Drive, Altamonte Springs, Florida 32701.

Paul’s generosity was unfailing, and could be seen in his support for friends, family, and causes dear to his heart. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Paul’s name to The Conductive Education Center of Orlando, The American Chestnut Foundation, or The Wounded Warrior Project.