By Cathy Kelly, Santa Cruz Sentinel

The president of Granite Rock Co., Bruce W. Woolpert, died Sunday afternoon while boating in Lake Tahoe, company officials said.

Woolpert, 61, was operating a power boat he owns when he fell and died from injuries suffered in the fall, said Keith Severson, the company’s marketing services manager.

The Coast Guard is investigating, Severson said.

Woolpert also served as Graniterock’s chairman and chief executive officer and was the grandson of company founder A.R. Wilson. The company split from the larger Granite Construction in 1936. Both are based in Watsonville. Graniterock includes six locations in the Bay Area and two Santa Cruz County sand plants. Company operations are based largely on high-quality aggregate extracted from a quarry in Aromas, Severson said.

Woolpert had a strong work ethic and was a stalwart supporter of local schools and charities, including the United Way, he said. His wife, son and daughter also worked at the company part-time, Severson said.

The Woolpert family and the company’s board of directors have appointed Mark Kaminski as chairman of the board and acting CEO, Severson said.

Placer County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jeff Ausnow said Woolpert’s body was found floating near Blackwood Lake Condominiums on the North Shore on Sunday afternoon. There are no signs of foul play.

Woolpert and his wife, Rose Ann, have two children, Marianne and Arthur.

Funeral arrangements are pending, Severson said.