Obituary
Frederick George Lubker, Jr.
LUFASCO INC.
September 1, 1942 – December 7, 2018
Stone Harbor, New Jersey
LUBKER, FREDERICK GEORGE JR., 76, of Stone Harbor, NJ, passed away on Friday, December 7, 2018. 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.
Fastener News History
Fred started his career in the early 60’s with the Wynne Bolt and Screw Company located in Philadelphia, PA. He primarily was awarded the job based on his skills as a typist, when ‘back in the day’, being a quick and accurate typist was key to landing office work.
Fred quickly adapted his people skills and ‘uncommon’ 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 there-after 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. Son’s 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 with head-quarters in Exton, PA and satellite facilities in 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 son’s Rick, Chris, and Ben. Rick would go on to establish Lubker Distribution in West Chester, PA, Chris becoming Branch Manager of Thruway Fasteners in Atlanta, GA., and Ben moving 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.