DENVER — Bernie Schwal, who represented Stow as a sales rep for 25 years in the Southeast, Texas and the Mountain States, died recently of a massive heart attack at his home here. He was 55.

Schwal was a familiar figure at trade shows before leaving Stow in June 2002, and was well liked by customers and other manufacturing personnel alike.

“Bernie was probably the nicest, kindest, gentlest man I ever knew,” said former national sales manager Mike Bannister, now a sales rep for Junction Equipment in Johnson City, N.Y., a small rental and sales company owned by another former Stow executive Fred Hotchkiss. “His character was impeccable, he was exceptionally smart and well educated. He read volumes and volumes of books and was a great lover of music and movies and really liked people.”

Hotchkiss added that after Schwal's departure from the company, that customers at trade shows constantly inquired about him. “He was very popular with customers, they never forgot him,” Hotchkiss said.

Schwal, who was unmarried, is survived by his brother, Michael.