Active 5 years, 8 months ago
1936-2024
Richard F. Kibben
Richard “Dick” Fisk Kibben, 88, died on July 28, 2024, with his family at his side in his Florida home after a brief illness. Dick was born on May 10, 1936, in Saranac Lake, NY.
Dick started his career at The Badger Company and later moved to the Lummus Company working in labor relations. He was later recruited to be an Executive Director for Construction at the Business Roundtable (BRT), New York, NY where he worked from 1974-1994. The BRT is an association with membership of CEO’s of 200 of the largest US companies. He was responsible for directing the Roundtable’s program to improve the performance of the US construction industry. In 1994 he received the “Free Enterprise Man of the Year” award by the Associated Builders and Contractors. In 2000 he was elected as a member of the National Academy of Construction, Austin, TX, as part of its first class of inductees for his contributions to the US construction industry. As a final career he worked 4 years with Rudolph Libbe, Inc., Toledo, Ohio, as their Safety Director.
Jack Turner nominated Dick, and Ted Kennedy and Jim Braus submitted references. As Jack stated in his nomination form, “In the Business Roundtable for 20 years this Nominee provided outstanding leadership in bringing to focus the problems and solutions of the construction industry. He is one of few men who stimulated technical and economic effectiveness in the industry. He became a respected resource to the industry for knowledgeable assistance to hundreds who called on him for help. Due to his leadership, the Construction Industry Cost Effectiveness (CICE) project was a large success and an important contribution to the industry. The Construction Industry Institute was part of much fruit which indirectly resulted from his work.”
He is survived by his devoted wife, Janet (Sawyer) Kibben of 35 years, and his loving children: daughter Laura Hayward Kibben and grandson Calder Emilio Kibben and son Matthew Fisk Kibben (Betsy Hepp) and grandson Charles Fisk Kibben who reside in the greater Portland Oregon area. He always spoke of his children and grandchildren with great pride. He is also survived by several cousins, his brother-in-law Thomas Sawyer (Jan Marie), three nephews and a niece. He graduated from Saranac Lake High School in 1953; New England College Prep School 1954 and then attended Boston University (BU) where he received a Bachelors’ degree. While at BU he played on the men’s varsity soccer team. He served in the Army Reserve while in Boston and received an honorable discharge in 1960. He and his late wife, Nancy Hipman Kibben, began their family in Boston, ultimately moving to Mountain Lakes New Jersey where he raised his family. During college he built a state camp on 2nd pond in Saranac Lake and years later purchased a camp on Lake Kiwassa which he owned for more than 50 years. After his marriage to Janet, they lived in New Jersey, Ohio, NY, and Florida.
Dick loved the outdoors and, as long as he was physically able, he participated in many sports. He skied at Whiteface Mountain, Lake Placid, NY, as a season-pass holder well into is 70’s, downhill raced in high school and college, climbed more than 20 of the over 4,000 ft. high peak Adirondack mountains (some multiple times) and untold smaller peaks. He was an avid boater having spent time canoeing, power boating and sailing both large and small craft. He enjoyed camping as a young person and as a parent. He also was an avid golfer, well known for his excellent putting.
When possible, he strived to give back to the community including such roles as Trustee for the Riverside Hospital in Boonton Twp, NJ; Director of Industrial Devices Corporation Novato, CA; Trustee of Paul Smith’s College, Paul Smiths, NY; and Founding Member of the Construction Innovation Forum, Ann Arbor, MI. In Saranac Lake he was an enthusiastic Ice Palace Builder, volunteer at the First Presbyterian Church, member of Rotary International, Trustee of Saranac Lake Voluntary Health Association, Trustee of Pine Ridge Cemetery, Director of the County Library System, volunteer for the Inter-Faith food pantry and Director of ADKAction. In 2007 he was proud to serve as King of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival.
His friends and family will dearly miss his native Adirondack charm.
―Edd Gibson, 2024
Dick started his career at The Badger Company and later moved to the Lummus Company working in labor relations. He was later recruited to be an Executive Director for Construction at the Business Roundtable (BRT), New York, NY where he worked from 1974-1994. The BRT is an association with membership of CEO’s of 200 of the largest US companies. He was responsible for directing the Roundtable’s program to improve the performance of the US construction industry. In 1994 he received the “Free Enterprise Man of the Year” award by the Associated Builders and Contractors. In 2000 he was elected as a member of the National Academy of Construction, Austin, TX, as part of its first class of inductees for his contributions to the US construction industry. As a final career he worked 4 years with Rudolph Libbe, Inc., Toledo, Ohio, as their Safety Director.
Jack Turner nominated Dick, and Ted Kennedy and Jim Braus submitted references. As Jack stated in his nomination form, “In the Business Roundtable for 20 years this Nominee provided outstanding leadership in bringing to focus the problems and solutions of the construction industry. He is one of few men who stimulated technical and economic effectiveness in the industry. He became a respected resource to the industry for knowledgeable assistance to hundreds who called on him for help. Due to his leadership, the Construction Industry Cost Effectiveness (CICE) project was a large success and an important contribution to the industry. The Construction Industry Institute was part of much fruit which indirectly resulted from his work.”
He is survived by his devoted wife, Janet (Sawyer) Kibben of 35 years, and his loving children: daughter Laura Hayward Kibben and grandson Calder Emilio Kibben and son Matthew Fisk Kibben (Betsy Hepp) and grandson Charles Fisk Kibben who reside in the greater Portland Oregon area. He always spoke of his children and grandchildren with great pride. He is also survived by several cousins, his brother-in-law Thomas Sawyer (Jan Marie), three nephews and a niece. He graduated from Saranac Lake High School in 1953; New England College Prep School 1954 and then attended Boston University (BU) where he received a Bachelors’ degree. While at BU he played on the men’s varsity soccer team. He served in the Army Reserve while in Boston and received an honorable discharge in 1960. He and his late wife, Nancy Hipman Kibben, began their family in Boston, ultimately moving to Mountain Lakes New Jersey where he raised his family. During college he built a state camp on 2nd pond in Saranac Lake and years later purchased a camp on Lake Kiwassa which he owned for more than 50 years. After his marriage to Janet, they lived in New Jersey, Ohio, NY, and Florida.
Dick loved the outdoors and, as long as he was physically able, he participated in many sports. He skied at Whiteface Mountain, Lake Placid, NY, as a season-pass holder well into is 70’s, downhill raced in high school and college, climbed more than 20 of the over 4,000 ft. high peak Adirondack mountains (some multiple times) and untold smaller peaks. He was an avid boater having spent time canoeing, power boating and sailing both large and small craft. He enjoyed camping as a young person and as a parent. He also was an avid golfer, well known for his excellent putting.
When possible, he strived to give back to the community including such roles as Trustee for the Riverside Hospital in Boonton Twp, NJ; Director of Industrial Devices Corporation Novato, CA; Trustee of Paul Smith’s College, Paul Smiths, NY; and Founding Member of the Construction Innovation Forum, Ann Arbor, MI. In Saranac Lake he was an enthusiastic Ice Palace Builder, volunteer at the First Presbyterian Church, member of Rotary International, Trustee of Saranac Lake Voluntary Health Association, Trustee of Pine Ridge Cemetery, Director of the County Library System, volunteer for the Inter-Faith food pantry and Director of ADKAction. In 2007 he was proud to serve as King of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival.
His friends and family will dearly miss his native Adirondack charm.
―Edd Gibson, 2024
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