BOB KASIK
E-mail from Al Frankenburger 7/28/02
I'm sorry to inform you of the death of
Bob on Sunday 7/28 during an auto race at Elkart Lake, Wisconsin. The cause of
the crash has not yet been determined. A medical problem may have precipitated
the crash as the driver behind Bob indicated that he failed to brake approaching
the turn.
Kerry Group Mourns Loss of Bob
Kasik
Employees from throughout Kerry Group gathered in the Chicago suburb of Wheeling
yesterday to pay their respects to the family of Bob Kasik, Vice President of
Special Projects and Nutritional Development for Kerry North America (KNA) and a
key figure within the food industry during his 35-year career.
Kasik, a veteran racecar driver, suffered a heart attack while in his racecar,
leading to the crash at the Road America course in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on
Sunday, July 28. He was 56 years old. Members of his immediate family include
his wife, Sheila, and daughters Amy, Elizabeth, and Victoria.
“Bob was just a wonderful person,” said Troy Mobley, Applications and
Development Technician for Kerry Specialty Ingredients. “He was one of the best
I’ve known; to work with, as a friend, anything.”
Penny Marsh, KNA Group Manager, Regulatory Affairs, agreed.
“I feel like he’s one of the most influential mentors I’ve had at Kerry,” she
said. “He’s largely responsible for what I’ve been able to achieve.”
Kasik began his career in 1967 as a research microbiologist with Beatrice Foods.
During his 21 years with Beatrice, he held positions of increasing
responsibility and was serving as Vice President of Research and Technical
Services at the time Beatreme (a division of Beatrice) was purchased by Kerry.
He authored or co-authored numerous patents throughout his career, and was
instrumental in developing new products, exploring new markets, and reviewing
potential acquisitions for Kerry up until the time of his death.
Extraordinary Intelligence
Kasik’s many career accomplishments were driven by a number of factors,
according to those who worked with him. High on the list was his intelligence
and industry knowledge.
“He had a very active mind,” said Dr. Tony Adamany. “I worked with him as a
colleague and a customer and there was nothing we felt we couldn’t do.”
Jack Warner, Chairman, KNA, added that Kasik’s innovations were always practical
and useful.
“He was focused on improving existing products or developing new ones with two
objectives in mind --- they had to work for the customer and they had to make
money for Kerry,” said Warner.
Mobley said that Bob came into Research one day when they were struggling with
getting the color right on an order.
“He reformulated a couple of things and the color was perfect,” recalls Mobley.
“He was that sharp.”
“Bob was perhaps the ultimate ‘go-to’ person,” added Jane Faivre, Executive
Secretary. “He took calls from Kerry people all over the globe. It didn’t matter
whether the person was calling from Canada or Brazil or Malaysia. Bob understood
the issue and would tell them to cut down on this or add some of that. And if
Bob didn’t know the answer right off, he would figure it out.”
Gruff,
With a Heart of Gold
Although Kasik had a great reputation as a source of information, those who
first met him were often startled by his gruff manner.
“He was rough around the edges, very straightforward and blunt,” said Tanya (Adamany)
Wisby, niece of Dr. Adamany and a former Kerry assistant to Kasik. “He would
tell it like it is.”
“The gruff exterior was a façade,” added Dr. Adamany. “It betrayed a tender
gentleness. There was a sweetness about him.”
Barb Spencer, Administrative Assistant, said that Kasik wanted to appear gruff
but he was a ‘teddy bear’ with a great sense of humor.
“When my son, Nick, who was a student at the time, was having trouble with his
car, Bob’s friends did a lot of work on Nick’s car for practically nothing,” she
added. “A couple of days later, Bob said to me ‘Are you sure that kid’s yours?
He called and thanked me.’”
Passion
for Racing
Kasik’s love for cars and racing was recognized not only by friends and family,
but also by the racing community. A 27-year veteran of the racing circuit, he
won the 1996-1998 Showcase National series and was a frequent qualifier for the
annual SCCA Valvoline Runoffs® National Championship event.
His love of racing also extended beyond the track, according to those who knew
him.
“You were racing every time you rode with him,” said Dr. Adamany. “He did not
turn onto exit ramps; he slid into them.”
Jack Warner laughed and agreed.
“When the bar went up at the tollbooth,” said Warner, “it was like the racing
flag went down.”
Dan Englebert, Technical Manager for Support Services, said “I used to tell him
that he was the only guy I knew who would go from zero to sixty in the
drive-through lane.”
Friends also said that Kasik insisted on driving whenever he was in a car.
“I must have ridden with him a hundred times,” said Mark Earley, Executive Vice
President, KNA, “and the only time he didn’t drive was when we took a taxi.”
Spencer talked about the time she and a co-worker went to lunch with Kasik in
South Beloit.
“I swear it took us 13 seconds to get there, said Spencer. “He was going crazy
because Harry Antrainer (Director of Operations for Kerry Coatings) was driving
the car ahead of us at about the speed limit. Bob accused Harry of being a
member of the Anti-Destination League.”
Major
Contributions
Despite his many innovations and accomplishments, Kasik was perhaps best known
for his willingness to help others.
No question,” said Stan McCarthy, President, Kerry North America, “one of his
major contributions was the imparting of his technical knowledge to people
throughout Kerry Group.”
Earley agreed, adding that Kasik “served as a mentor to a lot of young trainees
over the years. In recent years, many of them were located in our facilities in
developing countries.”
“Bob had an incredible amount of knowledge,” said Marsh, “but he didn’t feel
that knowledge was power. He shared what he knew.
“I think the road ahead of us is going to be very challenging without him,” she
added. “The impact will be huge because of all the things he was involved with,
not to mention his contacts throughout the industry. It’s a great loss,
personally and professionally.”
[Below are some of the news reports of the racing accident]
Associated Press article pulled from
ESPN's website
Sunday, July 28
Kasik dies after wrecking
Associated Press
ELKHART
LAKE, Wis.
--
A
veteran driver was killed when his car slammed into a wall of tires during a
road race Sunday.
Robert Kasik, 56, of Roscoe, Ill., failed to brake on a sharp turn at the end of
a long straightaway at Road America, track spokeswoman Cheryl Barnes said.
''Apparently Mr. Kasik made no attempt to slow down around the turn,'' Barnes
said. ''That leaves a lot of unanswered questions.''
Witnesses at the race said he went off course at a high rate of speed at Turn
12, called Canada Corner. Barnes said Kasik was likely driving up to 160 mph in
his 1996 Chevrolet Camaro. Kasik, who raced for at least 35 years, was competing
in the GT-1 racing class with about 25 others in similar vehicles. Barnes
described Kasik as a very experienced driver. ''We just never expect to
have a death,'' she said. ''It is a shock and it is a real loss to the racing
community.'' Kasik drove off the track and into a 275-foot wide gravel pit
designed to slow cars that miss the turn, but his car plowed into a 5-foot high
tire barrier instead.
Kasik
was taken by ambulance to Valley View Hospital, where he was pronounced dead
shortly after 11 a.m. Sports Car Club of America technical inspectors surveyed
the car, but could not determine a cause for the crash. Sheboygan County Coroner
Dave Leffin planned an autopsy, Barnes said. "We're looking at possible
mechanical failure, possible operator failure and possibly a medical condition,"
Leffin said.
Monday, July 29
SCCA Driver Fatality; Kasik Involved In
Single-Car Incident At Road America National
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. - (July 29, 2002) - Robert Kasik, 56, of Roscoe,
Ill., was pronounced dead Sunday morning at 11:13 a.m. (CDT) at Valley View
Hospital (Plymouth, Wis.) by Sheboygan County Coroner Dave Leffin. Kasik was
involved in a single-car incident Sunday at Road America during a Sports Car
Club of America-sanctioned Club Racing National event. The cause of death is
pending outcome of the autopsy. Witnesses reported Kasik failed to slow his GT-1
class Chevrolet Camaro for turn 12, also known as Canada Corner, and left the
circuit at a high rate of speed. Kasik was a veteran of 27 years of competition
and won the 1996-1998 Showcase National series. He was a frequent qualifier for
the annual SCCA Valvoline Runoffs® National Championship event, recording a best
finish of fifth in 1998. "We are deeply saddened to have lost Bob Kasik, a
member of our SCCA family," said Steve Johnson, SCCA President and CEO. "Our
thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends." A food scientist, Kasik
is survived by wife Sheila and children Amy, Elizabeth and Victoria. Funeral
arrangements are through Kolssak Funeral Home, 189 S. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling,
Ill. 60090; 847-537-6600. Visitations scheduled for Thursday, August 1 from 2:00
to 6:00 p.m. followed by a funeral service from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. A private
entombment service will be held on Friday
Tuesday, July 30
Heart Attack Led To Kasik's Fatal
Accident At Road America
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. - (July 30, 2002) - Robert Kasik, 56, of Roscoe, Ill.,
suffered a heart attack while in his racecar, leading to his fatal accident at
Road America Sunday during an SCCA Club Racing National event. Reports have
found that Kasik was unconscious due to a heart attack when his Chevrolet Camaro
left the track at turn 12. Kasik sustained a basal skull fracture in the
resulting impact, which the coroner has listed as his cause of death. Funeral
arrangements are through Kokssak Funeral Home, 189 S. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling,
Ill. 60090; (847) 537-6600. Visitations are scheduled for Thursday, August 1
from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. followed by a funeral service from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. A
private entombment service will be held on Friday
Wednesday, July 31
Auto Racing - Heart attack killed driver
Chicago Sun-Times Sports section pg 129:
A 35-year veteran race car driver suffered a heart attack
before he was killed when his car slammed into a wall of tires during a GT-1
race Sunday at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. An autopsy showed that Robert
Kasik, 56, was stricken before the accident at the end of a long straightaway,
track officials said. Kasik lived in Roscoe, Ill., just north of Rockford.
.
