Thomas Posey, president and CEO of Lamiglas, the maker of fishing rods and equipment based in Woodland, WA, has passed away in a plane crash.

Posey was piloting the small plane that crashed on the Southeast corner of the runway at Vancouver’s Pearson Field Airport on Tuesday morning, according to The Columbian.

On Facebook, Lamiglas wrote the following:

“In loving memory of Thomas Posey, President & CEO of Lamiglas ❤

“We are saddened to announce Tom’s sudden passing on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, doing what he loved—flying his airplane. This loss is a tough one for everyone that knows him.

“Lamiglas thrived by way of Tom’s father, Dick Posey when he acquired the company back in 1965. Dick was instrumental in the development of graphite and other innovative advancements in the industry today.

“In 2015, Tom stepped into the company after the passing of his father, and he worked tirelessly to keep the name and quality of Lamiglas alive for all of us to cherish. During his tenure, Tom grew sales to the largest in company history (since 1949), by issuing a new-school approach. Tom’s advancements to the supply chain allowed our American Made legacy to continue. He, like his father, was an active member and served on the board of the American Sportfishing Association along with countless sportfishing advocacy groups and organizations throughout the country. Tom cared for our fishing community and was always dedicated to its success.

“Tom and his wife, Sue-Lynn, “dialed in” life together for 32 loving and incredibly fun years. He is survived by his daughters Cassandra and Natalie, his brother John and his mother, Mary Ellen Posey. Tom was so loved by his family, many friends, colleagues, and members of the fishing community. His contagious laughter and classic smile are known well around the nation and will forever be remembered in our hearts.

“Tom lived life to the fullest and always saw the future as an opportunity to “give it your all”. He was a genuine and stand-up man who will continue to inspire all of us for years to come.

“The Posey family is organizing a celebration of Tom’s life to take place in August of this year in Washington, our home state. Details for this event to follow, and we hope to see you all there to say our goodbyes and honor our legend.

Godspeed, Tom. May you rest in peace.”