A Tribute to the "big kahuna", mike mullally: 04/25/1945 - 12/12/2018
The legacy of Michael J. Mullally
A Family. A Vision. A Legacy That Continues.
Michael J. Mullally was born in Auburn, New York, in 1945, the middle of three children raised alongside his siblings, Patrick and Karen. Growing up, he learned the values that would guide the rest of his life: the importance of family, hard work, perseverance, and pride in a job well done. Those lessons became the foundation of the man — and, eventually, the company — he would build.
Michael's path led him to Patricia Rooney of Waterloo, New York. They married and began building a life together, raising a family whose story would become inseparable from the story of Valve Tech. Patricia was more than Michael's wife — she was his partner and his greatest supporter, standing beside him for everything that was about to unfold.
The Beginning of Valve Tech
In January 1986, Michael took a courageous step and founded Valve Tech Inc. Starting a company takes vision, determination, sacrifice, and the belief that something can be built without any guarantee of success. Michael had that vision, and Patricia believed in him — supporting him through the uncertainty of building a business from the ground up.
It was the start of more than a company. It was the start of a family legacy, one their daughter, Erin Mullally, helped build from the very beginning.
Erin & Her Dad
For Erin, Valve Tech was never just her father's business — it was where she learned what it truly takes to build something meaningful. Working alongside Mike, she learned every facet of the company firsthand: how to design and build custom aerospace components with precision, how testing and manufacturing came together, how quotes and business decisions were made, and how to run the business as a whole.
Mike wasn't just teaching Erin a job — he was passing along his way of thinking: the importance of quality, precision, problem-solving, responsibility, and never being afraid to roll up your sleeves. Their relationship became something special, a father and daughter working side by side, with Mike as teacher, mentor, and guide. Every project brought a new lesson, and every day working together added another piece to the foundation of Erin's own future.
More Than a Business
What Michael built was never just about valves, components, or manufacturing — it was about people, family, and creating something that could outlast one person's lifetime. His greatest accomplishments were measured not only by Valve Tech's success, but by the family he loved and the knowledge he passed down to his daughter. Patricia was there from the beginning, and Erin was there learning alongside him — together becoming part of something bigger than any one of them.
The Loss of Michael
In 2018, Michael's life was unexpectedly cut short by a massive heart attack. His passing left an enormous hole in the lives of his family, friends, and colleagues, and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him — the heartbreak of losing a husband, father, grandfather, friend, mentor, and leader.
But Michael's story didn't end there. The company remained. The knowledge remained. The values remained. And his family remained. Erin carried with her years of firsthand experience learning the business directly from her father — she inherited not just a company, but his knowledge, his values, and his vision.
Continuing the Legacy
Today, as we look toward Valve Tech's future, we often find ourselves asking a simple question: how proud would Mike be of the journey we're on? That question drives us forward. Our goal isn't simply to preserve what Michael built — it's to keep building on it, expanding into areas that complement Valve Tech's strengths in assembly and applications, opportunities we believe Mike and Erin would have embraced.
One step in that direction is our partnership with Accurate Welding in Windsor Locks, Connecticut — an exciting new chapter that expands our capabilities while staying connected to the foundation Michael established more than four decades ago. Growth, for us, isn't just about getting bigger. It's about getting stronger, creating new opportunities, serving customers better, and building something sustainable enough for future generations to carry forward.
The Next Generation
Perhaps the most meaningful part of Valve Tech's future is already taking shape within the Mullally family. Erin's children, Nash and Sawyer, represent the next chapter of the legacy. Just as Erin learned from her father, she now has the chance to pass that knowledge, history, and values on to her own children.
Nash and Sawyer will grow up knowing the story of their grandfather — the man born in Auburn, New York, in 1945; the partnership he built with Patricia; the decision to start Valve Tech in January 1986; the long hours, hard work, and hard-won accomplishments. And they'll know their mother was there from the earliest days, learning the business from her dad and helping lay the foundation the company still stands on. Someday, if they choose to become part of that story themselves, they won't be starting from scratch — they'll be standing on the shoulders of the generations who came before them.
A Legacy That Lives On
Michael may not be here to see the future his family is building, but his presence can still be felt everywhere — in the work, in the company he founded, in the people he taught. It's in Patricia, who stood beside him when the dream was only beginning. It's in Erin, who learned the business from the ground up and carries her father's legacy forward with pride. And it's in Nash and Sawyer, who represent the possibility of that legacy continuing for another generation.
The Valve Tech story didn't end when Michael passed away in 2018 — it became a legacy: of family, hard work, craftsmanship and perseverance, and the courage to believe in something and build it. From Michael and Patricia, to Erin, and now toward Nash and Sawyer, the story continues.
As Valve Tech enters its next chapter, the goal remains the same: build something worth passing on — something Michael would be proud of, something Erin can continue to grow, and something Nash and Sawyer can one day carry forward. Because a company can be founded by one person, but a true legacy is built by generations.
The journey that began in January 1986 continues. The Valve Tech legacy lives on.