In Memoriam Ralph Beard
From NLGI… Our dear friend and colleague, Ralph Beard, passed away in Montgomery, AL on Thursday, March 3rd, 2016. All who knew him will mourn his loss. Ralph was an active member of NLGI, STLE, SAE and ASTM. He had been very active in establishing the lubricant industry’s only North American undergraduate minor in the field, the Tribology & Lubrication Sciences Program at Auburn University. He also served on its Industry Board of Advisors. His support and efforts in these endeavors will be sorely missed. Receiving his B.S. from Auburn University in 1971, Ralph began his over 45 year career in the lubricants industry with Union 76, followed by Keil Chemical and in 1981 he was named Technical Director of The Farm Oil Company. Returning to his native Alabama in 1990, he formed his own company, Triad Lubrication Components. He sold Triad to Palmer Holland in 2010, but continued to serve as V.P. of Lubrication Components. In the last few years he had served as the Global Lubricant Technical & Business Development Manager for Dorf Ketal and then served as Director of Corporate Development for Functional Products. Goodbye, Ralph, we will always remember your kindness, wit, wisdom and tenacity.
- 10 VOLUME 80, NUMBER 1
