A helicopter crash near Phoenix on Feb. 14 killed five people including Thomas J. Stewart, owner of Services Group of America, the parent company of Food Services of America, which moved four years ago from Seattle to Scottsdale.
On Friday, Stewarts company released the names of the other four victims who died in the crash: Stewarts wife Madena Stewart, 40, their 5-year-old daughter Sydney, the pilot of the plane 63-year-old Rick Morton, and Madenas brother Mailang Abdula, 38.
Two of the family dogs onboard -- Emma and Rosie -- also perished.
Thomas Stewart - better image
Thomas Stewart
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Thomas Stewart
The company helicopter was carrying the passengers from the Flagstaff area to Scottsdale Air Park when it crashed in a desert wash at approximately 3 p.m. The cause of the accident is currently under investigation by the NTSB and the FAA.
Stewart was a politically conservative businessman who held annual fundraisers for the GOP at his sprawling Vashon Island estate that was put up for sale in 2007.
In its statement, the company said Stewart "was a long-time philanthropist who supported education and the arts; a community activist championing free enterprise; a life-long adventurer; and a foodservice industry leader."
The statement said Services Group of America is a $2.7 billion company which is ranked 157th on the Forbes' Largest Private Companies in the U.S. list and that the "roots of the company go back 40 years when Stewart was building Stevedoring Services of America in Seattle."
Previous Stories: February 15, 2010: Helicopter Crash Killed Thomas Stewart
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