The Roofing Industry Remembers Dick Fricklas
Jul. 29, 2016
Richard "Dick" Fricklas (1934 - 2016)
CRA's 2003 Lifetime Achievement award recipient, Dick Fricklas passed away on July 27 after battling mesothelioma since February 2013. Mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive form of cancer that develops in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart. Caused by asbestos, mesothelioma has no known cure.
Dick was one of the roofing industries biggest supporters and there are very few as technically knowledgeable in their field of expertise as he was.
Dick was a researcher, author, journalist and educator. He retired from the Roofing Industry Educational Institute in 1996, but continued to lecture and publish frequently. He was co-author of the fourth edition of the Manual of Low Slope Roof Systems and a contributing columnist for RSI, RCI Interface and Buildings Magazines.
His roofing career started in 1957 as an R&D chemist for Johns-Manville, and as a development chemist for Riegel Paper Corp. He returned to JM in 1964 and joined their Roofing Division. He received a patent for a fire-rated vapor retarder system, and was co-developer of other patented product lines. He also was given the opportunity to work with FM Global and Underwriter's Laboratories on fire-rated roof systems.
In 1972, Dick found time to complete his Master's Degree in Physical Chemistry, graduating from Rutgers University just weeks before relocating with JM Research to Denver, Colorado.
Dick helped JM develop and present programs for JM's Built-up Roofing Systems Institute (BURSI) school for architects and engineers. When BURSI's first director retired in 1974, Dick was invited to take over the widely recognized program.
In 1978 at the request of NRCA's Board of Directors, BURSI invited National Roofing Contractor's Association (NRCA) directors to attend the entire-4-day educational program. An ad-hoc committee was formed to explore creating an industry-wide educational corporation similar to BURSI, and Dick was invited to be the Roofing Industry Educational Institute's (RIEI) first technical director.
In 1996, dick retired from RIEI but remained active in the industry, writing a Technical Instruction for the Corps of Engineers and co-authoring the 3rd and 4th editions of the Manual of Low Slope Roofing. He also helped RCI with curriculum development and had taught at the University of Wisconsin's Roofing Seminars.
Dick found time to enjoy his 3 children Michael, Kenneth and Susan, seven grandchildren, and also traveling with his wife of 57 years, Anita.
Services will be held on Friday, July 29, 2016 @ Noon
Temple Sinai, 3509 S Glencoe St. Denver, CO 80237
Donations: In lieu of flowers, the family asks for a contribution to:
The Arthritis Foundation (Colorado) 2280 South Albion Street, Denver CO 80222
http://www.arthritis.org/colorado/
Or
Jewish Family Service of Colorado, 2281 South Tamarac Drive, Denver CO 80231