Obituary: Dick Brown – The Passing of a Southern Icon
Monday, November 5, 2018
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Posted by: Alyce Ryan
It’s easy for a proud son to brag about his father, and I will.
This morning, October 25, 2018, an Industry icon, friend and brother passed away quietly in his sleep after a 2 ½ year fight with cancer. He was beloved, respected and revered by all that knew him. He was a man of all people, with a heart for men and women whom ran factories that he built and ran during his 53-year career in the paper and packaging business.
His career started with Gaylord Container in Tampa, Florida as a designer, he quickly moved in to manufacturing, and transferred to Crown Zellerbach in Raleigh, NC as the plant manager. After several years there, an opportunity came to move in to General Management and he moved to Kansas City, Missouri with Stone Container. This opportunity came with the chance to build a new facility which would have future impact in his career, with building opportunities. After several years another opportunity came with yet another move to LaPorte, Indiana with Boise Cascade. He was the GM of this facility for several years until he was contacted by the Cornish family to build and start a facility for Lin Pac in Atlanta, Ga. This move and opportunity meant he was really coming home, as Atlanta is where Dad was born, even though he grew up in Tampa…….He loved Atlanta and the South!
Working with Lin Pac and building sheet feeders seemed to fit Dad, as it offered the opportunity to forge a service that was desperately needed in the 1980s……working closely with all of the sheet plants in the SE fit Dad, as he really loved the operators of these companies. Providing a service that elevated the performance of these operations made him feel a part of their growth and success. After putting Lin Pac on the map with several locations, he figured that he could put this effort toward building his own company……so Jet Corr was created. The first operation in Conyers, Ga was built with the complete dedication to serving the sheet plants completely……boxes, sheets, cutting dies, plates, samples, freight…..he did it ALL, and with the subsequent second operation in Conyers and the additional plant in Statesville, NC, total dedication to the independent operations was his mission. Service at all cost was the recipe for success, and he succeeded.
In the early 90s, Dad decided to join forces with Richard and Anthony Pratt as Pratt Industries had purchased the Macon Kraft Mill in Macon, Georgia and were looking to establish themselves in the US market….so Pratt acquired Jet Corr to consume paper from the mill. Dad was also involved with the construction of the first recycled paper mill in the US, waste collection program, Georgia Box Group acquisition, Target Group acquisition, Bell Fiber Group acquisition for Pratt in the US. Dad wished he had stayed the course with Jet Corr but was proud to see what the Pratt family had done with his company to become the success that they are in the US.
Upon leaving Pratt, Dad worked on other companies including Brown Motorsports with top fuel funny car, and a pro modified car, transportation services, and fuel sales. North Spoon Ranch, which included cutting horse team and breeding as well as cattle ranch and sales.
After a short hiatus from the packaging business, Dad re-emerged with an opportunity with Carolina Container. Thanks to the vision of Ron Sessions, the president of Carolina Container, Dad was able to offer his expertise and guidance in the operations owned by the company. This also proved to be a great sales opportunity, as Dad developed and serviced customers out of the operations.
In 2015 another opportunity presented itself with Dennis Mehiel, another industry icon, and owner of US Corrugated. He agreed to help Dennis build a new operation in Covington, Ga…..he oversaw the construction and startup of this facility along with the management team of the company. He continued to work with Carolina Container and US Corrugated until his passing.
Dad loves this business and the people that work in it, and I know the people in the business love him right back……
Dad planted “seeds” with people throughout the Metro Atlanta and SE that have become successful in this business…….companies were started by many of these people, and the landscape of the industry in this area will forever be changed as a result of his efforts from all of the companies that have been mentioned. I am proud and humbled to see the impact that he has had on so many. I am the luckiest person on earth to be his son and to witness all he did.
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