Obituary: Tributes pour in for beloved industry stalwart

Born on a small island off the coast of Bergen, Norway, called Lygra, Norheim was a loving father, grandfather and friend, survived by his two daughters Stephanie Delibertis and Karen Norheim.

Norheim passed the reins of the company to his daughter Karen in 2019 naming her as president and COO. Prior to that, she served as vice president and executive vice president during her 17 years with the company.

Not only will Norheim be remembered for building a successful company, he also played a huge role within MHI the US Material Handling, Logistics and Supply Chain industry, trade association, where he also served as president of CMAA, (Crane Manufacturers of America Association) and was extremely influential in raising the profile of overhead cranes and hoists in the USA.

Hal Vandiver, former president F. Hal Vandiver & Associates, Inc. in Desha, Arkansas, was a close friend of Norheim and was part of the MHI management team including former executive VP of the Material Handling Industry and former managing director of the Crane Manufacturers Association of America.

“Oddvar Norheim was a very good friend of mine.  We met in association with his company’s participation as a member of the Crane Manufacturers Association of America in the mid-90s.  Oddvar served as a volunteer leader in many roles, most notably as vice president, 2005-2006 and as president, 2007-2008,” said Vandiver.

“It was during his tenure, through his clear vision and strong leadership qualities, that set the stage for CMAA to position itself as the preeminent authority on overhead crane manufacturing. CMAA also recast its membership scope to allow the organization to embrace a broader range of members to better represent the overhead crane industry. Over the next decade, his vision drove CMAA to more than double its membership and assert a stronger influence on the quality of crane manufacturing.

“Oddvar was a brilliant engineer with strong work ethics and high expectation for performance. He was also a most kind and generous person. We were good friends. I’ll miss him.”

John Paxton, current CEO, MHI and former president Demag Crane and Components Corporation in North America, added that everyone at the trade association is saddened by the loss of Oddvar Norheim.

“Oddvar was a passionate leader in the North American crane industry. He was the vice president of the CMAA from 2005 to 2006 and then CMAA president from 2007 to 2008. Under his leadership, the organization published the CMAA Buyer’s Guide to help customers properly select Overhead Cranes, and he led the continued development of the CMAA specifications. The passion to elevate the Overhead Crane industry runs in the family as Oddvar’s daughter, Karen Norheim, is the current President of CMAA.

“As the proud owner and CEO of American Crane and Equipment Corporation in Douglasville, PA, his passion for engineering was always on display as they completed many challenging major projects in the Nuclear and Aerospace industry. No project was too big or too complex for Oddvar and the American Crane Team. Oddvar enjoyed his work in the crane industry and the great personal relationships that he developed throughout the years. He will be missed by his friends and colleagues in the Crane and Hoist Industry.”

A memorial service in honor of Norheim was held on, Friday October 29, 2021 at the Dengler Funeral Home, Inc. 144 N. Spruce St. Birdsboro, PA 19508 from 10-11:45am followed by his burial at Ss. Peter and Paul Cemetery, 1600 S. Sproul Rd. Springfield, PA 19064.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, www.jdrf.org/donate.