Earlier this year, QCP lost our inimitable founder and former CEO Fred Crook. Until his retirement in 2016, he had a consistent routine. He woke up and performed an elaborate calisthenics session, drank his first of many Tejavas, and headed out to Norco around 6 a.m. for another day at his home away from home, QCP.

Fred’s experience with precast concrete dates back to 1958, when he was 19 and took on a job learning the ins and outs of running a concrete manufacturing plant. A true people person and known for his silver tongue, he was particularly skilled in sales and customer service. He was a problem solver, smart, and scrappy, with a strong intuition that guided his business decisions.

In 1976, he was driving to Rancho Cucamonga, looking for land to start his own precast business and came across Form Products. He went on to purchase the company, which operated out of a 6,000-square-foot office building and had six employees. About 10 years later, he purchased the property that became the location of QCP’s headquarters, which grew to have as many as 200 employees at one time. 

Each employee and customer was important to Fred, and he treated everyone like family. In the days following his passing, Fred’s family was inundated with stories from employees about how he purchased new bikes, paid rents, and covered daycare expenses — which he had never spoken about before. That generosity extended to the Norco community, and he’d frequently donate products to furnish sites across the city. 

Fred was the heart and soul of QCP, and he truly had a passion for concrete. He thought it was so interesting that it was one of the few materials that got stronger with age, and loved how it was moldable in production and immovable after installation.

Fred is survived by his wife of 60 years, Cathy, his three children, eight grandchildren, and great-grandson. Those of us at his home away from home will forever remember him as a pillar of strength, generosity, and love.