Norris wondered:
<< Apart from the loss to the industry of a very dynamic leader and innovator, are there any other lasting effects..ie has the future of the company already been put in place or was Burke, a very hands-on person it seems, convinced that he still had at least another twenty-five years at the helm before he hd to think about grooming an heir?? >>
I was an early employee of that company, being their first manufacturer's representive in the south-eastern USA (on-the-road straight commission salesman, circa 1977-81?)
Burke's son has been "at the helm" for a while now (albeit with his Dad at the sidelines, coaching a bit).
Dale Brown cycles de ORO Bike Shop 1410 Mill Street Greensboro, North Carolina 27408 USA 336-274-5959 http://cyclesdeoro.com http://www.classicrendezvous.com http://www.carolinacup.com http://www.greensborovelo.com http://www.bikegso.org http://nbda.com
-----Original Message----- From: Norris Lockley <norris.lockley@yahoo.com> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Sent: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 6:47 am Subject: [CR]Trek Cycle Inc - Richard Burke.
I have been away from the List for a few weeks - should have been in France to follow the Paris - Nice, but never made it..other problems in my life dictated a different agenda.
I have checked out the facts as far as I could before sending in this email, but my search through the CR archives did not throw up any information..so maybe the news is not out in the States. My apologies however if I have been less than diligent.
One of my few opportunities to relax these days, as life seems to get more hectic the older I get..but perhaps it's just that I work more slowly and time slips by more quickly..is reading the monthly editions of Fortune magazine and the weekly ones on TIME - the European edition.
This week's edition bore an announcement in th the Obituaries page of the death of Richard Burke, the founder of the TREK Bike Co in 1976, at the age of 73, from complications following a heart operation.
I never met Richard but corresponded with him when I was trying to sell the world-wide rights to a new frame-building process for a French company. He appeared to be a very regular guy, as I think you folks would say.
As far as I can remember, there are List members who worked at TREK back in the day. Apart from the loss to the industry of a very dynamic leader and innovator, are there any other lasting effects..ie has the future of the company already been put in place or was Burke, a very hands-on person it seems, convinced that he still had at least another twenty-five years at the helm before he hd to think about grooming an heir?
Very sad to hear of his death at such a relatively young age.
Norris Lockley, Settle UK
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