Page 78 - LBHS Reunion Album V3

Irwen Miller

After high school, I worked a year in the family business, then I went to Monmouth
College, graduating with my BA in 1970. After graduation I went back into the family
business and sold many interesting projects. We transitioned from residential to
commercial, industrial and institutional. We did a lot of work at schools, including Long
Branch and many other schools in Monmouth and Ocean County.

In 1971, I married Kathryn Swenson and joined the Long Branch Fire Department going
up the ranks to become Chief of the Department in 1994. I received the department's
lifetime achievement award and currently, I am a state certified fire ground safety officer.

In 1978, I founded a plastic molding company. I had two customers: DuPont
Chemical for which I did applied polymer research, both in my plant and DuPont's
experimental station in Wilmington, Delaware and I made containers for
Dow Chemical's specialty chemicals business. In 1984 I sold the plastics business to a
subsidiary of the Bud Company, a first tier automotive supplier.

In 2008, I developed a low-temperature cogeneration system (-20 to -40 degrees).
Cogeneration provides two forms of energy from one fuel: natural gas. I am a member of
the US EPA Combined Heat and Power Division aka CHP. Target markets are freezer
warehouses, data centers and food manufacturers. In July 2009, I was diagnosed with
brain cancer. Currently, I am recovering from surgery, radiation and 18 months in a
clinical trial.

We have three children: our oldest daughter was a paramedic in New York City, based at
St. Vincent's Hospital on Chambers Street. She moved back to New Jersey just before St.
Vincent's Hospital went bankrupt and worked for Monoc (NJ Hospital Service
Corporation). My younger daughter worked for Merck as Global Coordinator of clinical
trials. She married a pilot from British Air and lives in London. She has three boys. Our
son lives in Jersey City and is running the family business.