Truck-Lite's Bradley Van Riper, senior vice president and chief technology officer, has died at the age of 64 after a brief battle with cancer.

Van Riper started his career at Truck-Lite in 1978 as a maintenance technician, working his way up at the company as it grew. In 1994 he became vice president of research and development, taking on his most recent role in 2006.

As SVP and CTO for Truck-Lite, he supported the development of new product innovations and held several patents. He was responsible for developing technology integration plans, intellectual property monitoring, and adapting regulatory standards for the global Truck-Lite organization.

He was also involved in several industry organizations and committees, including the Society of Automotive Engineers, the Transportation Safety Equipment Institute, the Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association, the Society of Plastic Engineers, the Technology & Maintenance Council of the American Trucking Associations, and the United States delegation to the Groupe de Travail "Bruxelles 1952" (GTB), which develops performance standards for transportation products used in Europe. Van Riper was a recipient of TMC's highest honor, the Silver Spark Plug.

"Brad has been an integral part of the Truck-Lite organization for 40 years," said Brian Kupchella, Truck-Lite CEO. "His contributions extend beyond the success of this company to the entire transportation safety industry. He will be missed by all who knew him."

Van Riper also was active with the Chautauqua County Traffic Safety Board, which works to improve traffic safety conditions across the county; the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier, STEM Wars and Career Search and manufacturing technology institute board at Jamestown Community College, and the LINKS Charity, which has contributed more than $1.5 million to local cancer care efforts since its inception in 1991.

In his personal life, Van Riper was an avid sports fan who loved to golf, fish and spend time with his family. He is survived by a wife of nearly 40 years, two sons, one grandson, his mother, and four siblings.

Memorials may be made in Brad's name to the LINKS Charity to help fight cancer in the Jamestown, New York, area at www.linkscharity.com, or to the Bemus Point United Methodist Church, 4954 Bemus-Ellery Road, Bemus Point, NY 14712.

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