A distinguished engineer and inventor, Fred leaves behind a legacy of innovation that spanned multiple industries, and an expansive circle of family and friends who admired him for his intelligence, warmth, wisdom, and generosity. He is survived by his loving wife, Sylvia (neé Aruffo) Orkin, his sons, William (Leah) Orkin and Kenneth (Sondra) Orkin, his stepsons Donald (Kembra) Smith and Christopher Aruffo, his granddaughters, Elodie Orkin and Alexandra Orkin, and his brother Louis (Charlotte) Orkin.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, to William and Dorothy Orkin, Fred graduated from The Ohio State University, where he was president of Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT) fraternity. After completing his studies in electrical engineering, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army Signal Corps.
Fred began his professional career in the aerospace industry. In the early 1960s, he worked with NASA in space exploration, first on the Gemini Space Program, in telemetry (the transmission of data from spacecraft to ground stations), and then at GE Aerospace as Launch Operations Director for NASA’s Manned Orbiting Laboratory Project.
In the 1970s, Fred was recruited to bring aerospace-level quality and reliability to other industries, first to industrial turbine engines, and later to medical devices and pharmaceuticals at Baxter Healthcare, headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois. At Baxter, Fred led key quality control initiatives and was responsible for the invention and development of the world’s first computerized ICU infusion pump system. He also authored the chapters on “Computers & Quality Control” in the Juran Quality Handbook, the leading reference for quality control engineering.
In 1993, Fred left Baxter to form an engineering and product development firm, focused on health care innovation. Among his inventions were a contraction monitor for pregnant women, purchased by Medtronic, an industrial grade pill cutter for large pharmacies, such as the VA, acquired by Becton-Dickinson, and an automated pill counter for wholesale and retail pharmacies. He also licensed applications of his inventions outside healthcare, including his patented sensor technology for use in monitoring fluid levels in the oil industry, licensed to ABB.
Fred’s career as an entrepreneur spanned 30 years, and he remained actively engaged in his work throughout his ‘80s and into his ‘90s. In addition to developing and marketing his innovations, he served on the boards of numerous start-ups and growth companies, including Hemocleanse, Ash Access Technologies, Renal Solutions, Care Products, Advanced Analytical Technologies and NextOne.
Fred maintained a variety of interests outside of work and was deeply committed to his local community and the professional associations that represented the values he admired. In Highland Park, he served as President of the Historical Society and in various leadership roles in the Highland Park Rotary. He was a senior member of the American Institute of Industrial Engineers, the American Society of Quality Control, and maintained a lifetime membership with the Tifereth Israel Temple in Cleveland, Ohio.
Fred Orkin will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing him. A memorial service will be held on November 10, 2024, at his home in Highland Park, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Williamson College of the Trades, williamson.edu. May his memory be a blessing. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals - Skokie Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com
Graveside services will be held in Cleveland on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12 AT 11 AM AT THE MAYFIELD CEMETERY 2749 Mayfield Cemetery Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44106.
Arangements under the direction of BERKOWITZ-KUMIN-BOOKATZ MEMORIAL CHAPEL
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