Earl B. Muir was born on December 15, 1937 in West Frankfort, Illinois. He married his wife Linda and together they had two daughters, Earla and Penny.
Earl’s work career began with White Corporation. He worked there for several years before being hired by Copeland Corporation in 1978 as Manager of Research. His career would change not only the trajectory of the company, but in important ways the world as well.
Earl Muir had a natural fascination with how things worked. Curiosity was a God-given gift which he maximized throughout his life. He also loved to work in a team environment where his imagination and curiosity could synergize and inspire others.
Earl started as manager of research at the Sidney plant but was eventually promoted to vice president of research and engineering at Copeland, which became Emerson Climate Technologies. Earl was the leading visionary concerning the development of the scroll compressor at Copeland Corporation-Emerson. In partnership with Dick Peltier, the men and their teams developed the scroll product that revolutionized the heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration industries. The genius of the scroll compressor is that it is more efficient, quieter and more durable than the existing state-of-the-art compressors.
Earl’s faith was very important to him. It influenced how he viewed the world and interacted with others. In his early years with Copeland, he was troubled by the effect certain byproducts from compressors, Copeland’s main product, had on the environment. Muir took on this challenge and made it a personal goal. He helped lead the effort on an international level to make refrigerants more efficient.
Muir and Peltier received the 1995 Emerson Technology Leadership award. Perhaps the most prestigious was the Outstanding Engineering Achievement Award from the National Society of Professional Engineers in January 1999.
He retired in 2002 after a successful career that included numerous awards and accomplishments. He personally held several patents that he acquired throughout his career.
Earl was a devout Christian and lover of gospel music. He was a long-time member of Piqua Christian Church where he served as an elder. His generosity was evident throughout his life as a generous giver to various charities and scholarships. Earl was a skilled problem solver and great leader. Earl was a talented mechanic, who enjoyed working on anything with an engine.