07.07.2010

Frank Scarborough 1947-2010

We have received reports that have been sadly confirmed that Frank Scarborough previously of Grove, Snorkel and UpRight, passed away this morning following a massive stroke last Friday. We understand that he was on a life support machine until he passed away at 6:00am Kansas/Central time USA. He would have been 63 on July 20th.
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Frank Scarbourough (R) with Bill Jansink enjoying watching the work get done at Platformer Days 2006

Scarborough spent most of his life in the crane and access industry, starting out in the management training programme of Grove Manufacturing in Shady Grove in late 1979. He progressed though a number of positions including marketing services, however his favoured job was sales. When anyone asked what his job was he would often say "I am just a pedlar". He moved to Snorkel in the mid 1986 where he played a major role in that company's success as a district manager and then vice president of sales and marketing.

He left Snorkel in 1992, joining UpRight and moving to Selma California where he was vice president of North American sales, marketing and customer service, later adding Asia to his responsibilities. With the demise of UpRight’s US business in 2001 he left the company and after a period out of work rejoined Snorkel in St Joseph in 2003 as chief operating officer. The company's assets and property had been acquired by a group of local investors following its closure by owners Textron/Omniquip.

He played a major role in taking the closed Snorkel business back into the mainstream powered access market and built up a solid and profitable business. The success of his and his colleagues efforts was demonstrated by is sale in 2007 to Tanfield for $125 million. He remained with the business but eventually decided that the new ownership structure was not for him leaving in mid 2008 just a year after the sale.

Since then he has worked with American Crane and Tractor Parts in Kansas City but was planning at least a partial retirement.

Frank leaves behind his wife of 43 years - Bonnie and daughters Leslie and Marielle and his first grandchild Sofia - just a few months old and already the 'apple of his eye'. He will be missed by a great many people the world over. And there will be many today who will recall with fondness this honest, open, trustworthy man who loved people and could bring a smile to your face and yet be incredibly frustrating at the same time.

His eldest daughter Leslie said: "We have not determined his memorial plans- but you know my dad, it will be a celebration, not a funeral". On behalf of all of us here at Vertikal our thoughts and condolences go out to his family on his untimely and premature passing.

Frank was a very special - oft misunderstood - but much loved individual


UPDATE

The family of Frank Scarborough has announced that there will be a ‘Celebration of Life’ ceremony held to mark his passing on Saturday, the 17th July at the St. Joseph Benton Club, 402, North 7th street, St Joseph Missouri, starting at 13:00 Central time.