George G. Raymond Jr.

George G. Raymond, Jr.
of Naples, Fla.George G. Raymond, Jr. died at the age of 83 on January 5, 2005 in Naples, Florida. He was a former resident of Binghamton, N.Y., summered in Nantucket, Mass., and resided in Naples since 1991. Mr. Raymond was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., but was really a native of Greene, N.Y., where he spent 60 years of his life. He graduated from Greene Central High School in 1939. World War II interrupted his college career at Cornell University in 1943 when he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in Europe. In the early '50's, as President of The Raymond Corporation, Mr. Raymond led a team of engineers in the development of an entirely new concept in the material handling industry. Forklift trucks had been large and unwieldy and required wide aisles in warehouses for maneuvering. Raymond's new "narrow aisle truck" could operate with ease in aisles as tight as eight feet or less, saving as much as four feet per aisle of unproductive space. This concept catapulted The Raymond Corporation into the modern era to become the leader in the material handling industry. Today, warehouses all over the United States and worldwide utilize narrow aisle trucks. In addition to being President, CEO and Chairman of the Board of The Raymond Corporation, Mr. Raymond was a Director of Security Mutual Life Insurance Co. of New York, a Director of Rath & Strong of Boston, a Director of G.N. Johnston Equipment Co. of Canada, a Director of NBT Bank of Norwich, a Director of Marine Midland Bank of Binghamton, a Director of Universal Instruments of Binghamton, a Trustee of The Raymond Foundation, and a Trustee of Alfred University, Alfred, N.Y. Alfred University awarded Raymond Chairman Emeritus and Doctor of Law Honorous. Mr. Raymond served as President of the Association of Lift Trucks in 1951. He was President of the Material Handling Industry in 1956-57. He served as President of the Industrial Truck Association in 1968. He was a member of the American Management Association, the Chief Executive Forum, Binghamton Chamber of Commerce, Greene Rotary Club and Young Presidents Organization from 1956-71. He served twenty years as a member of the Greene School Board, fifteen years as President. He was Chairman of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Foundation in Binghamton, N.Y. He was a founding Member of the Family Firm Institute in Lausanne, Switzerland, the foremost association of family run and family controlled business. He was an avid sportsman and enjoyed cross country skiing, fishing, golf, and tennis. He was a member of The Club at Pelican Bay, and the Sankaty Golf Club, Nantucket, Mass. He is predeceased by his wife, Cynthia. He is survived by his wife, Robin; his sister, Madeline Young; two sons Pete Raymond and his wife, Karen, Steve Raymond and his wife, Marnie; one daughter, Jean Raymond and Lorraine Ylvisaker, Beth Keeley, Amy Reistrup; 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the Glenview Scholarship Fund, care of Community Foundation, 2400 Tamiami Trail North, Naples, Fla. 34103, or the Moore Memorial Library, Greene, N.Y. 13778. A memorial service will be held at The Glenview, 100 Glenview Place, Naples, Florida, on Sunday, January 16, at 3 p.m. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 26, at the Zion Episcopal Church in Greene, N.Y. at 2 p.m.