NEWS

Radovan Despot (1955-2012)
It is with much sadness and regret that we notify you that Professor Radovan Despot (known as Didi to many) died on April 24, 2012 at age 56.  Radovan was a much admired member of the IRG, having joined in 1998, and was most active as a leader of WP 4.1.   He will also be remembered by us for his efforts to encourage other eastern Europeans to participate in the IRG, and he was one of the forces behind the Symposium held in conjunction with the IRG Slovenia meeting in Ljubljana.

Radovan was born in Zagreb, Yugoslavia, which later became the capital of Croatia following secession in 1991. He attended the Faculty of Forestry, Wood Technology Department in Zagreb, graduating with a BSc in 1980, and later his MSc and PhD. Early on he was employed at the Faculty of Forestry University of Zagreb as an assistant in the wood protection science disciplines, and rose to become an assistant professor in 1997 and later Professor. He remained at the University until his untimely death.  Radovan was twice elected as Head of the Institute for Research in the Wood-working Industry (ZIDI) and also he was twice the Vice-Dean of the Wood Technology Department at the Faculty of Forestry. In 2004 he was elected as a national coordinator of COST for Forestry, Products and Services Domain (DC FPS).  He participated as a researcher in a number of national scientific projects, as well as being leader of two national and two international scientific projects. His scientific work is protection and restoration of wooden objects and artworks, wood protection and wood modification was well recognized in the IRG community and he published over 100 scientific papers during his career.

Our sincere condolences go out to his wife Svetlana (Lana to Radovan), his daughter Nika and son Bojan.  Radovan will be sorely missed by the IRG community.

Dick Jackson (1937 - 2012)

It is with considerable sadness that we report that after a heroic battle with pancreatic cancer, Dick Jackson died on March 15, 2012. Dick Jackson was the CEO of Pacific Wood Preserving in the US.  Dick had degrees in business and marketing and worked in wood preservation throughout his career, where he displayed a keen interest in new technologies which led to Elaina and Dick being regular attendees of IRG meetings over the years.  Dick built his first treating plant in California in 1978, and after selling that operation went on to develop the five treatment facilities of Pacific Wood Preserving in California, Arizona, Texas, Oregon and Nevada.  Dick was known for trying out and, usually succeeding with, various technological advances in wood treatment, including new chemistries, technologies for improving wood treatments, and also enhancements in the environmental aspects of treatment facilities. Dick will be remembered as both a marketer and an innovator in moving the US wood preserving industry into a new era.