May 2025 Volume 7

INDUSTRY NEWS

REMEMBERING LYLE D. SHARP, FORMER FIA PRESIDENT

L yle D. Sharp obituary, 1931-2024, Hilton Head Island, SC, PictureThe Forging Industry Association (FIA) was recently informed of the loss of Lyle D. Sharp, former FIA President from 1989 to 1991, who passed away last Fall, November 25, 2024, at the age of 93. Sharp was a respected leader in the forging industry, known for his decades-long career at Clifford-Jacobs Forging Co. and his dedicated service to the industry.

Sharp was deeply committed to his community, serving on numerous boards and finance committees, including the Salvation Army, Champaign Chamber of Commerce, First National Bank of Champaign, Carle Hospital, and First Presbyterian Church in Hilton Head. After retiring in 1993, he continued to serve on the board of Clifford-Jacobs and remained active in his community, splitting his time between Hilton Head and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, where he cherished time with family. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Kathleen Rankin Sharp; their three daughters, Lee Ann (Doug) Glidewell, Julie (Carl) Downs, and Lindsey (Dave) McCourt; seven grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lyle F. and Irene Frederking Sharp, and his sister, Betty Meyer. Sharp’s leadership and commitment to the forging industry left a lasting impact, and his legacy will be remembered by colleagues, friends, and family alike.

Born on May 25, 1931, in Chicago, Sharp grew up in the small town of Clinton, Illinois. His early years were marked by a strong work ethic and determination, spending summers working as a busboy and on the railroad before graduating from Clinton High School in 1949. He briefly attended Illinois State Normal University, where he played basketball, before joining the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. Sharp spent two years stationed in Japan, working in military intelligence, before returning to the United States and earning his accounting degree from the University of Illinois in 1957, graduating with Bronze Tablet honors, recognizing the top 3% of his class. Sharp’s professional career began at Price Waterhouse & Co. in Chicago, but he found his long-term home in the forging industry when he joined Clifford-Jacobs Forging Co. in Champaign, Illinois, in 1960. Over the next 33 years, he rose from comptroller to president and chairman of the board, guiding the company through significant growth and change. He served as president of the Forging Industry Association (1989-1991) and remained an active supporter of the industry throughout his life.

FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2025 77