By Bill Bregar
SENIOR STAFF REPORTER
Published: September 26, 2014 11:46 am ET
Updated: September 26, 2014 11:47 am ET

Image By: Majors Plastics Inc.
Tim McConnell

Timothy McConnell kept working even after his custom injection molding business, Majors Plastics Inc. of Omaha, Neb., became a full Employee Stock Ownership Plan, or an ESOP.

He kept working even as he fought a long battle with cancer. “He was still working every day till probably about six or eight weeks ago,” Majors President Mark Swanson said.

McConnell died on Sept. 14, at age 73.

Majors Plastics had been a partial ESOP, but McConnell expanded it to a full plan in late 2012, involving all employees. “It was a way for the succession plan, which was a key to him and our customers,” Swanson.

McConnell hired Swanson 29 years ago. Swanson gave the eulogy at his funeral.

“He cared about the people, and he wanted to see it continue to grow, and to continue working,” Swanson said.

Majors Plastics employs more than 500 people, who work in a complex of about 300,000 square feet of manufacturing, warehouse and office space. The company runs 78 injection molding machines.

McConnell did not like to talk much about his cancer, Swanson said. “He was very private about it. And it didn’t start affecting him until about six months to nine months ago,” he said.

“He loved to work. So he had things in order, I should say, because he cared about the company and all the people,” Swanson said.