TORRANCE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pelican Products regretfully announces that our company founder, Dave Parker, died on April 27 at the age of 83. He will be deeply missed by employees and associates of Pelican.
Dave Parker led Pelican’s operations for 28 of its 44 years. In 2004, he retired and divested his financial interest in Pelican, selling his stake to New York City-based Behrman Capital. But he never lost interest in the company he built from the ground up. Along with his wife Arline, he started Pelican in 1976 from the garage of his home in Torrance. It was a humble beginning for a company that has expanded across the globe and now operates in 26 countries, 24 international sales offices and seven manufacturing facilities, employing nearly 1,500 people worldwide.
Although the first product Mr. Parker invented was a small marker buoy used to pinpoint the location of submerged divers, it was a first aid kit designed specifically for divers that really put him on the map. When customers started repurposing the waterproof, crushproof and dustproof cases to store other items, he saw an opportunity to expand his product collection. It wasn’t long before he tapped into emerging plastics engineering to make a line of durable equipment protection cases that could be used for a range of purposes.
“None of us would be here at Pelican today if it weren’t for the efforts of Dave Parker,” says Pelican Products CEO, Lyndon Faulkner. “He was a true visionary and an ingenious inventor. We will always be grateful to Dave for having the entrepreneurial prowess and the independent spirit to build this great American company from a fledgling idea into a respected player in the industry."
Mr. Parker’s innovations were officially recognized in 1993 when he won the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Small Businessperson of the Year award. He was subsequently honored as second runner-up nationwide at a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden with President Bill Clinton.
In honor of Dave Parker and the great impact he made, we have produced a limited edition first aid kit to commemorate his venerable achievements. Embellished with a brass plate etched with David H. Parker’s name and dates of life — 1936 to 2020 — the kit is characterized by circa 1976 branding. Now available for purchase at https://www.pelican.com/us/en/product/cases/memorial-first-aid-case/protector/1120dpm for $99.00 MSRP, just 100 pieces will be sold. All proceeds will be donated to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. This organization assists the families of fallen firefighters and works towards reducing future firefighter deaths and injuries. We felt this was a fitting charity because first responders are integral to Pelican’s heritage.
A more detailed account of Dave Parker’s lifetime achievements is available upon request.
Pelican Products, Inc. is a portfolio company of Behrman Capital, a private equity investment firm based in New York and San Francisco.
Pelican Products, Inc. is the global leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance protective cases, temperature-controlled packaging solutions, advanced portable lighting systems and rugged gear for professionals and outdoor enthusiasts. Their products are used by professionals in the most demanding markets including fire safety, law enforcement, defense / military, aerospace, entertainment, industrial and consumer. Pelican™ products are designed and built to last a lifetime. The company operates in 26 countries, with 24 international sales offices and seven manufacturing facilities around the globe. In Europe, the company does business under the name Peli Products, S.L.U. For more information, visit www.pelican.com or www.behrmancap.com.