Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/55968
78 • MARCH 2012 • WORLD FENCE NEWS Roy Milligan remained active in the fence companies which he founded until his death Dear fence industry friends and associates: With heavy hearts, we at Modern Fence and Supply Company of Springdale, Arkansas announce the passing of our owner, Roy J. Milligan. Roy passed away suddenly on Jan- uary 4, 2012 at age 87, surrounded by his wife and children. He was a pioneer in our industry. In 1950 he had a new "cyclone" fence installed at his home in Tulsa. His father, Vernon, saw the fence and decided to open Modern Fence Company in Ft. Smith, Arkansas in 1950. After a few years, Roy moved his Roy J. Milligan family back to Ft. Smith and took over the business. The firm grew, and in 1960 he expanded to start Modern Fence and Supply Company in Fayet- teville, Arkansas. Roy sold the Ft. Smith operation in 1999 and focused more on the Fayetteville company. In 2005, after outgrowing the Fayetteville location, the company moved to Springdale, where it contin- ues to thrive under the leadership of Roy's son, Steve, and his son-in-law, Cotton Presley. Today, Modern Fence and Supply is the largest fence company in North- west Arkansas. Roy loved the fence business. When the International Fence Industry Association was started (now the American Fence Association), he was an early board member and co- founder of the Razorback Chapter. While on the board of governors, Roy and James Glascock – a good friend and even better competitor – brought the IFIA convention to Hot Springs, Arkansas. In 2011, Roy made his last trip to a fence convention with Steve to Las Vegas. He had a great time catching up with some old friends and finding out about others. Roy was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving as a Seabee. He landed on Normandy's infamous Omaha Beach "Dog Red" sector in the early morning hours of the D-Day invasion. He continued his service in both the European and Pacific Theaters during World War II. After returning from the war he met and married Helen Rose Thomp- son of Ft. Smith in 1947. They re- mained married for 64 years. Roy leaves behind his wife; two sons, Clark and Steve Milligan, both of Fayetteville; one daughter, RoseAnna Presley, of Fayetteville; his brother, Bob Milligan, of Staunton, Virginia; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Roy was also active in raising money for the girl's shelter in Ft. Smith and was a lifelong member of the St. Boniface Catholic Church in Ft. Smith. Randy Ward General manager Modern Fence and Supply Company Springdale, Arkansas West Coast Regional Fence Show is on the horizon for this fall The West Coast Regional Fence Show – described as "The Biggest Lit- tle Show in the West" – is slated for Oct. 4-6, 2012 at John Ascuaga's Nugget in Reno, Nevada. The show is sponsored by the California Chapter, Califor- nia Fence Contractors Association and the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the American Fence Association. The event will include the trade show, as well as educational sessions, chapter meetings, a gate operator seminar, golf tournament, special awards and the opportunity to take the Certified Fence Professional (CFP) exam. For more information on attending or exhibiting, contact the following in- dividuals: • Dick Boyle, Pacific NW chapter president and show chairman, 888- 207-2225, r.boyle@frontier.com. • Kent Bailey, California Fence Contractors Association chair, 800-382- 9700, kbailey731@aol.com. • Mike Wenisch, California Chapter past president, 916-635-4005, fence@gsfco.com. • Brad Howard, show co-chair, 206-255-3387, or contact via e-mail at: howardfencing@yahoo.com. Attendees should make their room reservations directly through the Nugget. Call 800-648-1177. Attendance to the show floor is free to those who pre-register. On Feb. 3, President Barack Obama announced details for a $1 bil- lion Veterans Job Corps that the White House says will put up to 20,000 vet- erans to work over the next five years on projects to preserve and restore na- tional parks and other federal, state and local lands. Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki described the program as "a bold new effort" to lower the high un- employment rate for post-Sept. 11 mil- itary veterans, which stood at 13.1 percent in December, 2011. The government estimates that 250,000 post-Sept. 11 veterans are un- employed. Obama proposed the corps in his State of the Union address, describing it as "enlisting our veterans in the work of rebuilding our nation." At an appearance on Feb. 3 at an Arlington County firehouse, Obama announced that the new federal budget includes $5 billion in funding pro- posed in the American Jobs Act to spur police and firefighter hiring in 2012. Preferences for the grants will go to communities that hire post-9/11 vet- erans. Obama said that his administration Mullin receives AFA's Distinguished Service Award continued from page 35 "After working in the fence industry for over 35 years, her success can be attributed to her expansive knowledge, her relentless integrity and her strong business savvy." Howard added, "Betty has always made training a priority, with the bet- terment of the industry in mind. When the CAGOI (Certified Automated Gate Operator Installer) program began in 2007, Encon was at the forefront. Betty required her entire technical staff and sales team to pass the examina- tion. Encon has offered several certifi- cation exam opportunities for dealers in the industry." Mullin said she was extremely honored to be a recipient of this award, but unfortunately she was unable to at- tend the presentation. Joe Weber, her friend and Encon sales director for 21 years, accepted the award on her be- half. "I have had the privilege of work- ing for Betty all of these years. She is a unique individual with an unwritten philosophy that if you take care of the business, the business will take care of you," said Weber. "She exemplifies the highest ethical standards, and has al- ways enjoyed being an AFA member. She has the highest regard for the pro- fessionalism that this association rep- resents." Established in 1984 and headquar- tered in Hayward, Calif., Encon Elec- tronics is one of the few pure wholesale distribution companies in the gate, door and access control in- dustry. It began as small, unknown company specializing in gate operators and parts and has transformed into a leading distribution company offering products from over 70 different manu- facturers. The firm has 24 employees. According to longtime employee and general manager Jeff Harris, "The success of Encon Electronics is di- rectly attributed to Betty's commit- ment to customer service. Free training to all of our dealers on any product we sell, along with the commitment to UL and ASTM safety standards, has helped our customer base grow their companies into truly professional in- stallers. "We are thrilled that the industry has acknowledged Encon and specifi- cally Betty for all her dedicated work and remarkable service." will "help our communities hire veter- ans as cops and firefighters, so that America is as strong as those who de- fend her." The White House also is announc- ing an expansion of entrepreneur train- ing for service members leaving the military. The Veterans Job Corps will in- volve projects such as repairing trails, roads, levees and recreational facili- ties, according to the White House. Other work could include provid- ing visitor programs, restoring habitat, protecting cultural resources, eradicat- ing invasive species and cutting brush to reduce the risk of forest fires. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said that the Civilian Conservation Corps, established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the De- pression to put hundreds of thousands of the unemployed to work on projects in government parks and lands, serves as a "very good indicator" of what the administration hopes to accomplish with the Veterans Job Corps. "When one looks back at the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps, we take great comfort that those who take this on will leave a great legacy for the United States," Salazar said, adding that the program would "make a significant dent" in the deferred maintenance that has become common at many federal, state, local and tribal lands as government budg- ets have been cut." Proposed conservation program would employ veterans in restoring parks, other public lands