John Steven Renkert, known affectionately as Steve, passed away unexpectedly on January 2, 2025, at the age of 87. Born on March 30, 1937, in Canton, Ohio, to the late Donald J. and Amelia S. Renkert, Steve’s life was one marked by passion, innovation, and an enduring commitment to family, community, and the ceramic tile industry.

Steve’s professional journey began with a solid academic foundation, earning a B.A. from Yale University in 1959 and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1964. After starting his career at Corning Glass Works, he returned to Canton to join the family business, the Metropolitan Brick Company (now Ironrock Capital, Inc.), alongside his father and brother, Hal. Steve and Hal were the fourth generation of Renkerts to continue the family’s involvement in the brick and tile business, dating back to 1866. From 1966 to 1997, Steve served as the company’s President, CEO, and later Chairman, transforming it from a struggling brick manufacturer into an industry leader in extruded tile and thin brick production. Today Ironrock is well known, under the Metropolitan Ceramics®, Metrobrick®, and Royal Thin Brick® brands, as the legacy of quality and service continues under the 5th generation led by Guy Renkert.

Steve’s vision and leadership were pivotal in introducing the split-tile manufacturing method to the U.S., building, with his brother, the first high-volume, low-cost architectural tile plant in the country, and establishing Metropolitan Ceramics® as a premier brand. These contributions earned him widespread recognition, including being named the 2002 Tile Person of the Year by the Tile Council of America (TCA, now TCNA). This prestigious honor celebrated his transformative influence on the North American ceramic tile industry, from crafting the ISO standards for ceramic tile to innovating slip-resistant tile solutions for demanding applications. He also served as a Director on the TCA board.

Beyond his professional achievements, Steve was a vibrant and driven individual with a love for spirited debates and a deep commitment to his family, his work, and his community. He valued meaningful relationships and held a profound sense of faith in his later years.

About Tile Council of North America (TCNA)

TCNA is a trade association representing manufacturers of ceramic tile, tile installation materials, tile equipment, raw materials and other tile-related products. Established in 1945 as the Tile Council of America (TCA), it became the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) in 2005, reflecting its membership expansion to all of North America.

The Tile Council is recognized for its leadership role in facilitating the development of North American and international industry quality standards to benefit tile consumers. Additionally, TCNA regularly conducts independent research and product testing, works with regulatory, trade, and other government agencies, and publishes installation guidelines, tile standards, economic reports, and promotional literature.