In Loving Memory of Pinakin Patel

Pinakin Manibhai Patel was born on August 14, 1942, in Borsad, India to Manibhai Patel and Kamlaben Patel.  While in India, he earned a law degree (he comes from three generations of attorneys) but never practiced, because science was ultimately his true passion. That’s why he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree from Baroda University in India and gained relevant experience by working at Alembic Chemical Company.  A few years later, he met Niranjana Patel and got married in June 1967.  

Upon arriving in America in 1969, Pinakin attended West Chester University of Pennsylvania and accomplished another feat by earning a graduate degree in Organic Chemistry. He spent the next 20 years of his career at Hardman/Harcros Chemicals, initially as a bench chemist, and worked his way up to General Manager. 

During the holiday season of 1997, he was frustrated that employees under him were being treated unfairly by corporate, so he decided to leave. Remarkably, within two months, Pinakin launched his own epoxy resin formulation and manufacturing company, Innovative Resin Systems (IRS), and started receiving purchase orders from the onset.

As it turned out, the company was truly innovative as Pinakin became the inventor of various patents the company still uses to this day. The organization is also highly regarded within the industry as they’ve been published in several trade magazines and is run by a team of loyal employees, each of which Pinakin built strong relationships with, regardless of their job title. That’s why IRS remains successful now and is well-positioned to continue its success for years to come.

When Pinakin wasn’t working, his passions included spending time with family and friends, jogging, gardening, reading, and watching cricket.  He also loved listening to Indian music and watching classic movies.

Unfortunately, Pinakin lost his battle to cancer on Friday, September 17th. He is survived by his son, Sachin, daughter Neha, and son-in-law Bill.  He was a very generous person, selfless and forgiving, and beloved by his extended family, friends, and colleagues. We will all miss him dearly!  

Instead of flowers, we request you donate to help fight cancer. This way, someone you love hopefully has a better chance of defeating this horrible disease. 

To donate, just complete the form below. Every penny (minus credit card processing fees) will be donated to St. Jude Children Hospital in honor of Pinakin Patel.