Robert D Polucki

Bob attended Nutley High School, where he met his future wife, Susan. Upon graduation, he attended Newark College of Engineering (now New Jersey Institute of Technology). and received a BS in Chemical Engineering. Bob worked for Union Carbide in Bound Brook as a process engineer while also attending night school (4 years) to acquire an MBA from Rutgers, which enabled Bob to then accept a new position as a marketing research analyst at Union Carbide's corporate headquarters in Manhattan. Preferring to work closer to home, Bob then switched to an engineering company in Murray Hill, NJ, during which time Bob attended Seton Hall Law School at night (4 years) and received a JD degree.

By now an attorney and a member of the US Patent and Trademark Bar, Bob decided in the 1970s to take a chance and became the in-house attorney for a small engineering firm called Rapifax, which was involved in a new technology, the high-speed fax machine. At that time, high-speed transmission was anything less than 1 minute per page. The company's premier product was the size of a washing machine and weighed about 350 pounds.

Via a series of mergers, Bob's position evolved into his legal post as Corporate Counsel and Secretary with Ricoh Company, Ltd., a multi-billion dollar corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Bob was responsible for all legal activities in the Western Hemisphere (except Cuba), including Secretary for Ricoh Canada and Ricoh Latin America until he retired in 2004. Bob served on the Board of Directors and as the Chair of the International Electronics Manufacturers and Consumers of America, a trade association headquartered in Washington, DC. While working at Ricoh, Bob also became a member of the Advisory Board of the School of Management and was later appointed to the NJIT Board of Overseers.

Bob was a down-to-earth guy who enjoyed tinkering, especially with cars like his Corvette. Bob learned carpentry from his father, who was recognized as a Master Carpenter. After purchasing a house in Watchung, Bob created a workshop in the basement, complete with numerous hand and power tools, which he used to replace the deck, build a shed (used as a garage), made a sofa table and end tables, and remodeled the bathroom. Since Bob's father was also a Master Plumber, Bob learned plumbing skills, which he put to good use in the house. Bob had a great sense of humor

and enjoyed traveling and dining out, especially at "diners and dives". He was a good cook and liked to search the internet to find new recipes for making dinner on Saturday night. He actually liked mowing the lawn with his Cub Cadet tractor and did a lot of digging for flower beds, veggie garden, shrubs, etc. Needless to say, Bob will be missed, especially by Sue, his wife, for over 58 years.

He is predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Marie (Bilinski) Polucki, brother William Polucki, and nephew James Polucki.

Bob is survived by his wife, Susan, brother-in-law, Michael Rapp, sister-in-law, Joan Polucki, nieces, Barbara Morgan and Theresa Manzo (husband Michael), and nephew, Thomas (wife Toni).

A memorial mass will be held on Saturday, December 20, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., at St. Mary's Stony-Hill R. C. Church in Watchung, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution to the Watchung First Aid squad, which came to Bob's assistance several times before his final hospitalization.