The CEMCO family is deeply saddened to announce the recent loss of President Emeritus and industry beacon Richard Poliquin. Rich was surrounded by family when he passed peacefully on Thursday June 27th.

Richard Poliquin was born to Peter and Elizabeth Poliquin in 1930 and was raised in North Dakota before coming to Southern California to join his brother Raymond (1921-2005) in 1939. Rich (as he was commonly known) served in the US Navy in the Korean War as a Mechanics Chief of a carrier-based Corsair fighter/bomber crew in the Pacific. Upon completing his service, he was honorably discharged and returned to the States. He learned the lathing trade and in 1954 with his brother Ray, started the Western Cornerite Co. Later in 1960 Rich became Vice President and General Manager as the company renamed itself Western Metal Lath Co. He served together there with his brother Ray the President, for over 25 years.

In 1980 Rich followed his brother Ray as the two Poliquin Brothers purchased California Expanded Metal Products Co. where he served as President, and President Emeritus for over 35 years. Rich’s vast knowledge of manufacturing, production, and building product technology led to many of the industry’s most popular products including the recently introduced Safety-Edge Technology. For over 60 years Rich has shared his expertise with the construction industry and many of us continue to benefit from his leadership, ingenuity and integrity. He will be forever missed.