Obituary- Frederick George Lubker Jr.

September 1, 1942 – December 7, 2018

Stone Harbor, New Jersey

Lufasco Inc.

Photo of Fred Lubker

Frederick George Lubker Jr. of Stone Harbor, NJ passed away on Friday, December 7, 2018 at the age of 76. Born in Darby, PA to the late Frederick George Lubker, Sr. and Elizabeth North Lubker, he moved to Stone Harbor in 2000 from West Palm Beach, FL.

Fred established Lufasco Inc. (Lubker Fastener Company) in 1967, leading the company until its sale in 1998. Fred was a mentor to hundreds within the industry and an active member of the NFDA.

He was regarded as an expert in business entrepreneurship and was called upon to lecture on many occasions at leading industry events and university classrooms. After the sale of Lufasco, Fred established Lubker Development, developing properties in the Southern New Jersey area.

He was a member of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish St. Paul Church where he was an usher and attended daily mass. A member of Philadelphia Country Club and Ibis Golf and Country Club in West Palm Beach, he enjoyed golfing and boating.

Fred is survived by his wife of 58 years, Joanne M. Carrigan Lubker; his children, Pamela Lubker, Frederick Lubker III, Christopher Lubker, and Benjamin Lubker; his sister, Lois Miller; and nine grandchildren.

Fred started his career in the early ‘60s with the Wynne Bolt and Screw Company (Philadelphia,
PA). He primarily was awarded the job based on his skills as a typist, at a time when being a
quick and accurate typist was key to landing office work.

Fred quickly adapted his people skills and common sense to learn both the industry and to endear
his customers. His role as an inside sale representative grew more significant with each passing
year, as did his passion and understanding of the fastener distribution business.

In 1967, with his third child recently born, Fred (beaming with confidence and self-assurance)
thought it time to venture out on his own to create his spot in the fastener landscape. With an
open-check loan from a supporting acquaintance (the story is that Fred wrote the blank check in
the amount of $1,000.00, big bucks in those days, with a promise he quickly honored to repay),
Fred started Lufasco Inc. (Lubker Fastener Company). Realizing shortly thereafter that he would
need additional support to provide the service the customers were expecting, Fred asked Rich
Procopio to join him.

The company grew steadily through the years as Fred and Rich honed their skills and became
more competent and confident in the business they had built. Lufasco quickly became a leading
provider of fasteners in the Mid-Atlantic region and was recognized and awarded with more and
more significant OEM business opportunities. The company with Fred and Rich at the helm
forever maintained a reputation of high quality, superior service, and fair pricing.

Good things, however, have a way of coming to an end. In this case, with both partners having
growing families and increased wants and desires, it was decided that the partnership should end.
In 1984, Fred purchased Rich’s share of the company and assumed full ownership of Lufasco.

At about this time Fred’s son Rick started with the company on a full-time basis. Sons Chris and
Ben would join a few years later, all playing significant roles in day-to-day operations as well as
strategic development of the company. The business grew during these years from a single
facility located in Exton, PA to four facilities in Exton, PA, Morgantown, PA, Hagerstown, MD,
and Rock Hill, SC.

In 1998, Fred received an offer he couldn’t refuse and decided to sell the business to Purchased
Parts Group of Memphis, TN. At the time of the sale, Rick was president of Lufasco, Chris was
branch manager in Rock Hill, and Ben was integral in customer sales and service.

Fred remained a mentor to sons Rick, Chris, and Ben. Rick would go on to establish Lubker
Distribution in West Chester, PA, Chris became branch manager of Thruway Fasteners in
Atlanta, GA, and Ben moved from the industry into a finance role with Vanguard.

Rich Procopio went on to establish Specialty Resources, Inc. His sons remain in the business
with Randy serving as president of Specialty Resources and Rusty serving as vice president.

 

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