May June 2020 Electric.ie Magazine

62 ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • Obituary Dermod Flynn 1941 – 2019 ‒ I am sad to announce the passing of Dermod Flynn (78 Years), formerly OBF Distributors, who passed away peacefully on December 24th, 2019 surrounded by his family. D ermod was born and raised in Dublin and was a graduate of Trinity College. He began his career in the motor business with Booth Poole and then worked for some time with IBM before making the move to Mullingar to work as General Manager of RST Red Setter Tapes in Longford. RST became part of the Ward & Goldstein Group which went on to become Wessel Industries and Dermod returned to Dublin where he found a new home in the electrical industry as National Sales Manager for Wessel. In 1983/84, Dermod and myself formed a partnership to set up OBF Distributors Ltd. He played a huge role in the establishment of the business and in securing exclusive arrangements with top brands such as MEM, Mita, Hamilton, Delta, Heatrae and many others. Dermod’s preferred role was back office ensuring a quality service with quality products and good margin management and OBF went on to become one of the largest Electrical Distributers in Ireland. Away from work, Dermod had a love for Tennis (Carrickmines) and Golf (Powerscourt). He is pre-deceased by his wife, Veronica and will be sadly missed by his daughters, Sarah, Katherine, Louise and Emily and their families, his sister Alacoque and sister in law Mairin Cullen, extended family and his many friends. Dermod was a true gentleman. He was intelligent, witty, loyal and he possessed a great business mind. He was also one of the best friends you could ever have. May he rest in peace. FOB Jim O’Sullivan 1943 – 2020 J im’s career began as an electrical buyer for Kellihers Electrical in Tralee in the early sixties. Here he learned his trade and subsequently set up SouthWest Wholesale Ltd in 1979, with his business partner Brendan King. In March 2019, they celebrated their 40th anniversary as Kerry’s longest serving independent wholesaler. Their membership of the IEBG allowed Jim to grow and expand the business in recent years, and he was still working every day, up until the lockdown, a few short days before his untimely and sudden passing. A quiet and unassuming man, he was highly regarded in the electrical industry for his extensive knowledge and experience, and for his years of dealing with buyers and suppliers, for whom he always had time. He will be sadly missed by his wife Rosie, children Mike, Tina, Jamie, Paula and Gerard, his 13 grandchildren, brother, sister, son-in-law Brendan, daughters-in- law Marcella, Sinéad, Adeline and Joanne, nephews, nieces, relatives, staff, colleagues and many friends. May he rest in peace Mike O'Sullivan ‒ Jim O' Sullivan of SouthWest Wholesale, Tralee, Co. Kerry.