Glen Dimplex founder Martin Naughton has died.Naughton (87) took ill while travelling in the United States with his wife Carmel, his family said in a statement. He died a short time later at Harborview Medical Centre in Seattle on Friday.Naughton, who founded Glen Dimplex in 1973, was a well known philanthropist through his work with the Naughton Foundation.Glen Dimplex grew from just seven employees in 1973 to become one of Ireland’s largest privately-owned manufacturing businesses, with a turnover of some €1.5 billion, and one of the world’s largest manufacturers of domestic appliances.He was also the co-owner of The Merrion Hotel in Dublin, along with the family of businessmanLochlann Quinn. In 2015 Naughton was awarded a KBE from the then Prince of Wales. In 2016 he was a recipient of France’s highest national honour, the Legion d’Honneur, in recognition of his far-reaching work for peace on the island of Ireland.Martin and Carmel Naughton pictured at a reception to mark the opening of Championing Irish Art: The Mary and Alan Hobart Collection, at IMMA (Irish Museum of Modern Art). Naughton and his wife Carmel were conferred the honour of the Order of Saint Gregory the Great by Pope Francis in recognition of their outstanding philanthropy in the areas of education and the arts.“Though he received countless awards and accolades over a lifetime of achievement, his greatest pride and joy was his wife Carmel and their beloved family,” the statement added.He is survived by his wife Carmel and children Fiona, Neil and Fergal and their extended family and many friends.