5.12.10 | Bonita Springs, FL | Glenn Steil Sr., who built Compatico into a system cloning power and later owned a Steelcase dealership in Fort Myers, Fla., died of a heart attack Friday. He was 68 years old.

Steil founded Compatico in Grand Rapids in 1989 and carved a niche in the industry by cloning successful cubicle systems created by office-furniture makers after their patents expired. The company started with compatible parts and kits for Herman Miller's Action Office. In the late 1990s, the company added Haworth UniGroup and Steelcase Avenir compatible parts.

Steil is most remembered for his politics and later his philanthropy. Steil was a fixture in Republican politics in Michigan. His career in politics started in 1992 when he successfully fought to establish political term limits in Michigan. He unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 1993 and in 1994 he was elected to the Michigan State Senate where he served for eight years. He considered running for Grand Rapids mayor in 2003.