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Glen Ellyn, IL the Bearing Specialists Association (BSA) honored two industry leaders with Lifetime Achievement Awards at its 2007 Annual Convention May 4-8 at Marriott Marco Island Resort, Golf Club and Spa. Dennis B. Clark, who retired in 2003 as president of North American Industrial Distribution, SKF, and Richard Gipson, Gipson Bearing Co.
BSA created the award in 2001 to recognize lifetime achievement within the industry and the association. Recipients must have been a member or participating manufacturer of BSA for at least twenty five years, attended BSA events, been actively involved in the affairs of the association, and demonstrated a leadership role within the industry.
A native of Jamestown, New York, Clark started his bearing industry
career with MRC in 1961 as a sales and management trainee. In February of 1962 he was assigned to the MRC New York City office as a Sales Engineer. In 1965 Clark left MRC and started with SKF, where he held a number of positions of increasing responsibility. In 1985, Clark was named president of McQuay Norris in St. Louis, a recent acquisition by SKF.
Then Clark started his journey to and from SKF in another professional life.In 1986 SKF sold McQuay Norris; Clark retired from SKF and went to work with Chicago Rawhide as Vice President of Sales in their Aftermarket Division. In July of 1990, SKF purchased Chicago Rawhide and Clark was named President, starting his second career with SKF! In January of 1997, Clark moved back to the core bearing business, becoming President of the North American Industrial Division and in January of 1998 he was named President of the North American Industrial Distribution business. In February of 2003, he retired from SKF the second time. Today, Clark serves on the Board of Directors of two companies in the distribution business: Apache Hose and Belting, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Electrical Equipment Company, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Richard W. Gipson earliest experience with the bearing business was a part-time job summers in the warehouse of Don S. Grove. When his father launched Gipson Bearing Company, Inc. in October 1957, Gipson began working part time with his father and his brother as an inside sales representative. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Business Administration in 1958, Gipson signed on as a full time employee. His career at Gipson Bearing was interrupted by active duty with the United States Air Force during the Vietnam conflict. Major Gipson retired from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard in 1974 after twenty years of service.
Gipson Bearing is one of BSA charter member companies, and the association has been the beneficiary of Gipson leadership many times over the last 41 years. Gipson served on the Industry Advisory and Long Range Convention Planning Committees and has served as a member of the BSA Board of Directors on three separate occasions. In 1981-1982 he chaired the Convention Committee. Gipson also served as the 1995-1996 BSA President.
After losing both his Dad and his brother, Gipson was determined to keep the company in the family. He did so with the assistance of his sons, Eric and Craig. It is his most memorable accomplishment. Today, as Gipson says, the boysare now running the business. Eric is the inside man ,while Craig ells!?Gipson Bearing Company will celebrate its 50th Anniversary in October of this year, just weeks after Gipson and his wife celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in September!
Clark and Gipson are only the fifth and sixth recipients of BSA Lifetime Achievement awards. In 2001 BSA awarded the first Lifetime Achievement award to Wendy McDonald of BC Bearing Engineers. In 2004 two additional Lifetime Achievement awards were given to Jim Fitzpatrick, Sr. of Bearings Specialty Company and John Nations of Bearings & Drives. Last year, a Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to James Martin III, who retired in late December 2005 as Director-Distribution, Marketing Services & Integration, The Timken Company. It marked the first time the award was presented to a manufacturer.
BSA is the ust belong to organization for authorized bearing distributors.?An international service and educational organization of authorized distributors representing a total of nearly 100 companies distributing factory-warranted ball-, roller-, and anti-friction bearings and invited manufacturers of bearings and related products, the association mission says, BSA is the forum to enhance networking and knowledge sharing and promote the sale of bearings through authorized distributors.For more information on BSA, contact the BSA office at (630) 858-3838; fax (630) 790-3095; email info@bsahome.org or visit the association website at www.bsahome.org.
| Product Model | Inside Diameter | Outside Diameter | Thickness |
| GE100AW bearing | 100 | 210 | 59 |
| GE80AW bearing | 80 | 180 | 50 |