Vandor Corporation is pleased to announce the appointment of Adrienne Cowen as General Manager of Vandor Plastics & Reel Options. This leadership move supports the company’s continued growth and reinforces its commitment to delivering exceptionally engineered products and customer experience.

In her new role, Adrienne will lead activities across all plant operations and play a key role in advancing both the short-term and long-term strategic vision of Vandor’s plastics division. With over 27 years of experience at Vandor, and serving in many different roles for the company, her leadership will help ensure operational excellence while positioning the business for sustained success.

“This is an exciting time for Vandor,” CEO Alan Elder shared. “With strong leadership across the organization, our entire team is accelerating growth and strengthening the foundation for the future.”

With deep respect and heartfelt sorrow, Vandor Group announces the passing of Gerald H. Davis, former President and long-time board member, on December 20^th, 2025. Gerald’s visionary leadership and unwavering integrity shaped our companies and the communities we serve, leaving a legacy that will endure for generations.

A Visionary Leader and Innovator

Throughout his distinguished career, Gerald was a pioneer in funeral service and packaging solutions. He held more than fifty patents, many developed in collaboration with other members of the Vandor and Starmark teams, reflecting his commitment to innovation and teamwork. Gerald founded the Starmark brand, setting new standards for family-affordable and funeral professional friendly cremation products, and fostering partnerships built on trust and integrity.

A Career of Impact

Gerald came from a family of casket builders as his father Forrest Davis founded Goliath Casket in the mid-eighties which continued for nearly four decades under the ownership of Gerald’s brother, Keith Davis. Gerald’s own career began humbly in 1977 as a part-time assembly line employee at Spartan Casket Shell in Lynn, Indiana. His talent and determination propelled him through leadership roles at JM Hutton and later into entrepreneurial success with Elder Davis, Inc., which became North America’s largest cloth-covered casket manufacturer. In 2000, Gerald assumed leadership at Vandor and anticipating the growing need for green burial and cremation products, launched Starmark Funeral Products in 2004. His innovations—from the Transporter® Cremation Container, compact and lower costing rental inserts, easy to use funeral director friendly ceremonial rental caskets, and the Sure~Lock® Temporary Urn—transformed funeral service and remain benchmarks of quality and functionality.

A Life Rooted in Values

Beyond his professional achievements, Gerald embodied fairness, hard work, and kindness—principles that continue to guide Vandor and Starmark’s culture. A gifted musician, Gerald majored in Alto Saxophone at Ball State University and Fort Wayne Bible College (now Taylor University) and served as a music director and arranger in the U.S. Army in Germany, where he met his beloved wife, Annette. Married for 51 years, they built a life in Eastern Indiana, raising a family of four married children, eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Family and Legacy

Gerald’s vision lives on through his children, three of whom hold leadership roles within Vandor and Starmark today. Together, they carry forward Gerald’s commitment to delivering “Davis Sensible Solutions” to the industries he loved.

A Lasting Influence

Alan Elder, Chairman and CEO of Vandor Group, shared:
“Gerald was more than a colleague—he was a friend, a mentor, and a guiding light for Vandor. His creativity and integrity shaped not only our products but our culture. We will forever be grateful for his leadership and the example he set for all of us.”

Gerald H. Davis will be remembered not only for his innovations and leadership but for his compassion and humility. His influence will continue to inspire Vandor, Starmark, and the broader community for years to come.

Vandor Corporation, a leading innovator in reel manufacturing and funeral and cremation products, announced it was presented with a New Investment Award from the EDC of Wayne County, Indiana. The prestigious award recognizes Vandor’s significant contributions to developing and impacting the local community.

In November 2024, Vandor Group, Inc. purchased 1400 Industries Road in Richmond, Indiana – the former Dana/Wolverine office building. With this expanding footprint in Wayne County, Vandor has consolidated its shared services staff into one location: a Customer Care center, a Starmark Products showroom, and an R&D Center.

“Collaborating with the EDC of Wayne County and the City of Richmond has been an exceptional experience. At Vandor, we value the spirit of partnership and look forward to building on this momentum to create even more growth and opportunities for the Richmond community.” Vandor CFO Cynthia Stamper

Vandor was honored alongside two other Wayne County Corporations, Richmond Beverage Solutions and Transcendia Inc., who also invested in manufacturing equipment, facilities, and the people of Wayne County in 2024.

In 2024, the EDC of Wayne County helped the three corporations invest $67.8 million in new investments and created 118 full-time jobs in the Richmond, Indiana, area.

About EDC of Wayne County, Indiana:

The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) of Wayne County, Indiana, was organized in 1993 to replace earlier efforts by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce and the City of Richmond. The organization is contracted for economic development services with the Wayne County Commissioners and most of the county’s towns and has a volunteer Board of Directors.