Karl F. Slacik

Karl F. Slacik
formerly of Binghamton
Karl F. Slacik, for many years a member of the International Financial Community passed away at Palm Beach Gardens, FL, September 23, 2010 after a brief illness. He was 81 years old. Born in Binghamton to a family engaged in a regional business he prematurely began working at age 13 because of the labor shortage during World War II. While working in the family business he continued attending school and graduated from North High School in 1947. He subsequently went to Rider University and received a Bachelors degree. His professional career began in upstate New York where he was employed by Link Aviation in Binghamton, the Raymond Corporation in Greene and the Kordite Corporation, a subsidiary of Mobil Oil, in Macedon. He also taught management accounting in the evening program at Broome Technical College. As the depth of his technical expertise increased and became recognized outside the immediate area he was employed by the ITT Corporation as an internal consultant and worked extensively throughout South America. Following success in this assignment ITT transferred him and his family to Brussels, Belgium where for four years he was Finance Director for ITT Europe. He eventually left ITT and became Vice President and Controller of Indian Head Corporation in New York and subsequently Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Echlin Corporation in Branford, Connecticut. In 1977 he was approached by Levi Strauss & Co. of San Francisco, the world's largest producer of apparel. He was appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and elected to the board. Following retirement he briefly pursued other financial interests and in 1990 relocated to Palm Beach County in Florida. As a prominent financial executive, Slacik was well known on Wall Street and in the money centers of Europe where he represented his companies' interests. He authored several articles on finance and management and was a co-author of the "Chief Financial Officers Handbook" (Dow Jones-Irwin, 1986). He belonged to several professional organizations and was a founding member of the "International Association of Financial Executive Institutes" and Vice President of the Belgian Institute. His wife and he were extensive travelers and had a wealth of business associates and friends throughout the world. Following retirement he frequently volunteered as a consultant for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the International Executive Service Corps (IESC). In this capacity he provided management expertise to governments, companies and institutions in countries with which the United States wished to strengthen relationships. He worked with the Ministry of Privatization in the Czech Republic in addition to numerous companies in Poland, the Slovak Republic, Russia including Siberia and Egypt. Included board memberships with the Bay Area U.S.O., the Bay Area Council of Boy Scouts and the U.S. Sixth Army Civilian Advisory Committee. He was a communicant of St. Patrick Church in Palm Beach Gardens and a member of the Knights of Columbus since 1960. Karl Slacik was married for 59 years to the former Regina C. Lasicki of Binghamton. In addition he is survived by two daughters, Roxanne LaBeau of Las Vegas and Claudia Slacik of London; three sons, Charles of Newport Coast, CA, Francis of San Francisco and Kurt of Harrisburg, PA; five granddaughters.
Funeral services will be held Thursday at 9 o'clock at the Sedlock Funeral Home Inc., 161 Clinton Street, Binghamton and at 9:30 at St. Cyril's Church where a funeral liturgy will be offered for him. Internment will be at the Slovak Catholic Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Wednesday evening from 4-7 pm.