Roger Prescott, 70, retired president of Fortafil Fibers Inc., died May 13 following a food-choking incident.
He was a visionary of low-cost carbon fiber for general industrial applications such as wind turbines, offshore oil equipment and automobiles, said Peter Oswald, vice president of marketing with Toho Tenax America Inc. in Rockwood, Tenn.
A resident of Canton, Prescott was born in Hornsea, England, graduated from the University of Leeds in England in 1961 and resided in the U.S. for 43 years.
He worked during a four-decade career for Rolls Royce Ltd., Bell Helicopter Co., Great Lakes Carbon Corp., Akzo Nobel, Acordis NV and Fortafil. Toho Tenax acquired Fortafil in 2004.
A memorial service was held May 22 in Roswell, Ga. Survivors include his wife, two children and five grandchildren. The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals are accepting memorial donations.
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