Celebrating Dick Betsch’s Retirement!
Arco Building Systems has been privileged for the past 24-plus years to have one of the best in the business on our team: Dick Betsch. As our general manager for more than two decades, Dick has made a tremendous impact on our operations and our character as a team. He is retiring at the end of 2021, and everyone here at Arco wishes him nothing but the best going forward.
Knowledgeable, patient, always able to make you laugh—Dick has always been a pleasure to have on the Arco team. Over his years with the company, he has truly cared about his interactions with customers, wanting to make the right decision when faced with a challenge. Dick, a walking example of what the Arco difference means, shared his insight on making the right decision: “When there is a challenge, sleep on it. Quick reactions are often not the best ones.”
He said working at Arco felt like a place where he could really make a significant difference for co-workers and customers, from getting new hires up to speed to helping customers reach their goals. When asked about what he will miss the most about working at Arco, Dick answered simply, “The people.”
Dick is truly a special part of our team.
The Arco Team Wishes Dick a Happy Retirement
After everything Dick has done for Arco, our employees, and our customers through the years, we would like to take this opportunity to share a few words and memories about him. Help us honor Dick Betsch through the memories and takeaways from our team. Enjoy!
“I have worked with Dick for over 24 years, and he has been an asset to Arco since the day he started. I have learned a lot in respect to the technical aspect of metal buildings, and I attribute my knowledge to him. My favorite part of working with Dick are all of the memories we have made on our road trips to visit customers, but that is all I can say about that. Dick will certainly be missed, but I wish him the best and look forward to many visits.”
“A memory of Dick that sticks with me to this day was when he, Tom Freeman (Arco’s founder), and I played golf together.
It was cold, rainy, and basically a horrible day. Dick and I really did not want to play on such a bad day, but we knew Tom Freeman was getting older and wasn’t in Atlanta as much anymore because he had moved to Panama City, Florida, and Allen (Tom’s son who became president before Carolyn) was running everything at Arco.
So, we teed off and started playing through the terrible weather. After I guess about nine holes of being soaking wet, cold, and miserable, we asked Tom if he wanted to quit and call it a day. Tom Freeman said, “no, let’s finish this round of golf; I don’t get to play very often anymore.”
Dick was amazed that Tom, at his age, was such a tough person that didn’t quit when things were difficult. I think Dick and I learned something important that day. We were both about to give up on a tough day but someone more elderly and in lesser shape health-wise than us made us stick it out. It made both of us stronger, and I can see how that has shaped Dick into being a strong general manager for over 24 years.”
“A memory of Dick that sticks with me to this day was when he, Tom Freeman (Arco’s founder), and I played golf together.
“I am going to miss his jokes, the way he pages over the intercom, and emphasizes electronic check when he processes building deposits. He has made such an impact on the way I view this industry and the endless possibilities there are with Arco. I credit a lot of my knowledge to him and will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have worked alongside him. He will be missed!!!”
“My favorite memory of Dick is his corny and funny jokes and vast knowledge of the metal building industry. Also, on the golf course at our annual company outing, he is a great golfer to watch and to learn from. Dick excels whether it is in the office or on the golf course.”
“Dick has a lot of knowledge about metal buildings. I had none when I started at Arco. He’s always willing to take the time to explain anything I didn’t understand—sometimes with terrible hand-drawn details/sketches, but it helped me understand better when I just couldn’t wrap my head around something. He also loves to tell corny jokes or give me corny jokes to tell everyone at our weekly meeting. My favorite memories of Dick will be the way he always would pose for pictures at any Arco outing.”
“I’ve worked with Dick for over 20 years, and he has helped me learn the business and helped me sell many jobs. I will miss his knowledge of our industry and his sense of humor.”
“I have enjoyed working with Dick all these years. He has always been helpful at turning Arco's challenges into success. And it’s great to have a boss with a good sense of humor!”
“It’s hard to pick just one favorite memory of Dick because he is quite a character. He’s also extremely knowledgeable and has taught me a lot in the time that I’ve been with Arco. He always has a smile and a corny joke at the ready which makes working with him a pleasure.”
“I will always appreciate Dick’s steady guidance over the years here at Arco. He has a great ability to get to the root of a problem and fix it. I’ll always remember how proud he is of his Irish heritage. May his retirement years be many and happy.”
“Dick, my fellow Pennsylvanian, truly stands for the saying 'cool, calm, and collected.' His energy in the office was infectious, and his presence will truly be missed. He was always making jokes and willing to learn our millennial lingo. He went above and beyond to bring out the best in all of us so we could reach our full potential. Being completely new to the industry, he made me feel comfortable and confident and helped alleviate my anxiety about stepping into a new career. He made a significant impact on me, and I will continue to use him as a mentor as I continue at Arco and in life in general. He is truly an Arco legend and someone I will never forget!”
“My favorite memory of Dick is when we dressed alike for Halloween. Dick is always there to assist in any way he can with questions about steel buildings to conversations about life. Walking throughout the office, you may see him with a piece of celery in hand. I will miss him, his great advice, and his ‘heck yeah’ commercials.”
“With Carolyn Wade as my mom, I grew up coming into the Arco office. Ever since I can remember, Dick has always been a knowledgeable, wise, goofball. When I first started working at Arco, I was nervous about learning the industry, but with his guidance and support, I felt at ease. Dick is always willing to teach others while never failing to crack one of his corny jokes. I will truly miss having Dick in the office, but he will always be a part of the Arco family.”
“Dick was one of the most welcoming people in the office when I first started. He is so funny, caring, lighthearted and just a blast to talk with. As much as you can learn from him technically, you can learn from him from all his crazy Arco stories over the years. I loved spending time in his office chatting, and I will miss him dearly.”
“Dick has been a fantastic manager, mentor, and friend. He mastered being business-focused while keeping it light with jokes and stories. I wish him all the best in a well-deserved retirement!”
While we’ll miss him, Arco will continue with the high standards Dick has set as general manager. Thankfully, Arco won’t miss a step in the hands of our new general manager: Jason McIntyre.
Allen Freeman, 40-year Arco president (left); Dick Betsch, general manager emeritus (center); and Jason McIntyre, new general manager (right) at an Arco golf outing in 2012.
Jason McIntyre
NEW GENERAL MANAGER
“I believe I bring a unique perspective to Arco with my background on the manufacturing side of the industry. From the shipping office to being responsible for much of the estimating department, I have been involved in almost every aspect of the process in the past 24-plus years. Moving over to Arco as general manager was a logical step. I have worked as a vendor for Arco for the past 21 years, and my relationships with the owners and employees made the decision an easy one.
The opportunity for new challenges and the chance to help Arco’s next generation are what I look forward to the most, along with working side by side with those I have known for years.
Stepping into the role as GM, I will be able to pull my previous experiences together with what I am learning here at Arco for the betterment of the company. The chance to have a bigger voice in presenting and implementing those ideas down the road is exhilarating.
I cannot thank my family enough for their support and encouragement towards this chapter of our lives!”
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