DALLAS - Jack L. Stiles, founder of Stiles Corp., a manufacturer of specialty air conditioning products, died Feb. 10, 2004, due to complications from heart bypass surgeries performed last December. He was 74. The products he invented and produced included portable, wall-mount, and split-system air conditioners for commercial and military markets.

Mr. Stiles started his career as an HVAC service contractor in Louisiana and Mississippi. He became interested in improving the reliability and serviceability of the packaged air conditioners built in the 1950s. He also saw an opportunity to improve roof-mounted applications by using metal-fabricated accessories.