Francis Paul Lucier

Mr. Francis Paul Lucier, age 85, of Atlantic Beach, passed away October 22nd, 2:55p.m.at Fleet Landing.

Beloved husband of Mary Alice Lucier, her husband of 35 years, devoted father to Pam, Chuck, Andrea, and Nanette, loving grandfather of four grandchildren, and loving brother to Ellen and Joseph.

Francis Lucier is a self-made executive from Northampton in the western part of Massachusetts. His father was a policeman there for 35 years and his mother, Viola, a homemaker. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 1951. He achieved a Masters of Business Administration at Rutgers during 3 years of night school.

The most exciting and fulfilling part of his career started when he arrived at Black & Decker in 1963, joining the marketing department. In 6 months, he was made Marketing Executive of the emerging consumer products business. By 1966 he was the head of all marketing. The next year he was elevated to general manager of the US Operations. In 1972 he rose to President. In 1975 Alonzo Decker, Jr. relinquished the position of CEO and Francis succeeded Mr. Decker as Chief Executive Officer. It was the first time in the Company's history that a member of Black or Decker families did not hold the post of Chief Executive Officer.

In 1984, Francis retired as the Chairman and CEO of Black & Decker, and over the next 20 years he served as director on boards of such companies as PHH Group, Inc., MNC Financial Inc., the holding company for Maryland National Bank, Glaxo Smith Kline, Beckman Instruments, Inc. His professional role extended to over 20 company boards. Furthermore, he took great pride in being the Chairman and Founding Shareholder in Hartland and Company from 1989 - 2002.

Besides his career accomplishments, Francis was active in Baltimore politics. He was Chairman of the Maryland Taxpayer Coalition, a group seeking a state constitutional amendment to limit spending to a fixed percentage of per capita personal income. Furthermore, he was President of the Council of Economic Education. He co-authored a study which examined the critical impediments to Maryland's economic growth. Finally, Francis was the past President of the Maryland State Chamber of Commerce from 1974 to 1975.

The University of Massachusetts conferred the degree of Doctors of Laws, honoris causa, for Francis' leadership in bringing people together to resolve social problems, and concern for community affairs… with selfless concern for others.

As a member of the Fleet Landing Community he served on the Resident's Council but his greatest joy was volunteering at the Health Center every Monday. In 2012, the Florida Healthcare Activity Coordinators Association, named Francis Resident Volunteer of the Year for the State of Florida.