Stanley F. Pauley became president of Richmond-based Carpenter Co. seven years after E. R. Carpenter Co. was founded in 1950 as a latex foam distributor.  Over the next 60-plus years,  he built Carpenter into the world’s largest vertically integrated manufacturer of polyurethane foams for upholstery, bedding, carpet cushioning, furniture and fabrication, and other consumer products.  

An electrical engineer by education, Mr. Pauley possessed an unwavering commitment to continuous improvement. He was known for his attention to every detail of the manufacturing process and business, always doing things the right way and keeping an eye on reducing waste and practicing environmental circularity. Today, the company employs some 7,000 people at more than 70 production facilities around the world.   

Mr. Pauley’s passion for manufacturing excellence and advancing the science of comfort in the home generated the development of countless innovative foam solutions for customers. In the 1960s, Carpenter led the way in facilitating the transition from materials such as shredded cotton, foam rubber and wool batting to polyurethane foam cushions that provided a more uniform shape, firmness and durability. This change revolutionized the furniture, mattress and automotive seating industries, leading to higher customer satisfaction and more efficient and accurate production. 

Mr. Pauley also was instrumental in Carpenter’s evolution from making individual furniture cushions with molds to pouring form continuously, which is now the industry standard. He also led Carpenter to expand its product and geographic footprints into new markets, including Canada and Europe, and directed the construction of its own own polyol production facility near Houston, in 1973, for better access to raw materials, as well as its own truck fleet, to speed deliveries. 

An active member of the International Sleep Products Assn  and the American Home Furnishings Alliance, Mr. Pauley made time to serve on many nonprofit boards of directors and was a generous philanthropist to higher education, medicine and the fine arts wherever Carpenter had facilities.