Bernard J. "Butch" Pietrini, 62, of Villanova, Pa., president of the King of Prussia Equipment Corp. and vice-president of B. Pietrini & Sons Inc., died Jan. 1 at Jefferson University Hospital.
Born in Bryn Mawr, Pa., he was a graduate of Cardinal O'Hara High School and Montgomery County Community College. He was a Staff Sergeant in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
Joining the family concrete construction business in 1968, Mr. Pietrini started as a laborer and worked his way up to supervisor. In 1976, the company purchased its first concrete pump, which Mr. Pietrini operated, pumping the concrete during the day and repairing the pump at night. He became very proficient in this line of work and soon worked with pump manufacturers to make pumps more reliable and user friendly.
The Schwing Concrete Pump Company awarded B. Pietrini & Sons with a distributorship to sell and maintain concrete pumps for Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. This developed into another successful operation for the family business.
In 1982, the company formed King of Prussia Equipment Corporation, which rents and sells all types of equipment relating to the concrete construction industry, with Mr. Pietrini as president.
An active member of the American Concrete Pumping Association, he served on the board for many years. In 2006 at the World of Concrete in Las Vegas, he was awarded the coveted Pioneer Award for outstanding service to the concrete pumping industry.
In 1986, Mr. Pietrini and his brother Fran purchased Center Square Golf Club and made it one of the most popular and well-maintained courses in the area. Mr. Pietrini enjoyed playing golf, especially against his dad and brothers, and was always very competitive and made many friends through the sport.
His many hobbies included drag racing, having built a 450 hp Chevy Vega race car that competed at many local drag strips with a lot of success. Later becoming involved with horse racing, Mr. Pietrini owned 12 race horses at the high point of the "Pietrini Stables."
He was the son of the late Irene Norcini Pietrini and Bernard Pietrini.
Mr. Pietrini is survived by his wife, Terry F. Clark Pietrini of Villanova; stepsons, Richard Fazzi of Boston, Mass., and Jamison J. Fazzi of Villanova; brothers, Andrew G. Pietrini of Cranbury, N.J., and Francis A. Pietrini of Wayne, Pa.; and his nieces and nephews.
Article reprinted with permission of The Delaware County Daily Times.
