One of the most important local businessmen of the past 50 years and pillar of his community has died. Robert C. Bob Fuehrer, 83, of Peacham died Thursday night in one-car crash on Interstate 89 in Enfield, N.H. New Hampshire State Police say Fuehrer was northbound at 5:36 p.m. in a silver SUV when the crash occurred. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators say Fuehrers car was in the left lane when it suddenly veered to its left and into the grassy median where it struck a guardrail before reentering the roadway and coming to rest across both lanes of travel. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Fuehrer was the co-founder of EHV Industries in St. Johnsbury which grew into one of the largest private employers in The Northeast Kingdom. The company, which is known today as Weidmann Electrical Technologies, just celebrated its 50th anniversary. Bob was great leader and a friend and a mentor to me, said John Goodrich, retired chief executive at the Route 5 plant. Bobs greatest gift to us at Weidmann was his real and genuine care for each employee and the families of those employees. He would beam with pride, knowing that our company supported so many good people in the area. Fuehrer was also well known for his support of community organizations including St. Johnsbury Academy where he served as a trustee for 25 years until he was given the life-time honor of Trustee Emeritus. Bob was an incredibly effective and generous trustee, said Jay Wright, President of the SJA Board of Trustees upon hearing the news on Friday. He was a role model for those of us that joined the board while he was there. He served 25 years for the Academy with a rare combination of energy and patience, wisdom and kindness, directness and tact. Our prayers go out to Sharon and the family. St. Johnsbury Academy Headmaster Tom Lovett remembered Fuehrer as a gentleman who always put others first. Bob was a saint, said Lovett. He was a model of civility, compassion, and integrity. And long after he left the board he continued to support the Academy - showing up to events, giving generously and making strong personal connections. He was an excellent mentor and a role model. I will miss him very much. Fuehrer was also a well known and active supporter of the arts. He was at events all the time, said Catamount Arts Executive Director Jody Fried. He was a regular at the arts center and his face was one that everybody recognized and loved. He will be dearly missed by the entire Catamount Community. Fuehrer co-founded EHV Industries in 1969 with the late Gordon Mills and served as its president from 1984-1996. Bob led at work by example and placed his faith in us and we believed in him, said Goodrich. He touched us all, whether in the plant, on the road selling, or in the lab. I cannot think of an instance where Bob broke a promise to people at the plantWhen tough decisions came my way, I would usually ask myself: how would Bob handle this? In addition to his support of St. Johnsbury Academy and Catamount Arts, Fuehrer also held a variety of other civic and volunteer positions. He served as a member of the Peacham Board of Selectmen and on the boards of Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital, Passumpsic Savings Bank and the Peacham Congregational Church Board of Deacons and Business Committee. We are forever in debt to Bob in starting EHV, said Goodrich. That plant has provided jobs, salaries, benefits including excellent insurance to a large workforce over 50 years as consistently as any entity in the NEK over that time. And Bob gave us the blueprint on how to live life, work hard, and respect one another I offer sincerest condolences to Sharon and their children - Rob, Joanna, Jenny and Elizabeth and their families.