Joseph Carfora

(September 14, 1944 - July 04, 2025)

Brooklyn, NY | Lakewood Ranch, FL

Joseph Carfora has been many things in this world and filled many roles with humility, compassion, and faithfulness. He was always his children's greatest supporter and #1 fan from ballet to baseball to gymnastics to ice hockey. Joe loved life, his family, & friends more than anything. He was a kind, loving, giving, hardworking, and dedicated role model to all. Joe lived his life with pride as a born mentor and leader. He never missed an opportunity to coach or teach anyone from his own children to underprivileged individuals.

Joseph Carfora, age 80, a wonderful and dedicated son, husband, father, grandfather, uncle and dear friend, passed away peacefully at his home in Lakewood Ranch, FL on July 4, 2025.

Joe was born September 14, 1944 in Brooklyn, New York to Joseph and Josephine Carfora. Joe was the eldest of 3 children raised in Hicksville, Long Island.

A school leader both academically and athletically, Joe graduated in 1962 from Hicksville High at the top of his class as Senior Class President. Joe then graduated with honors as a mechanical engineering student from Rutgers University in 1966 and received ROTC commission as a Distinguished Military Graduate. Joe was a Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity member, active in collegiate athletics (football, wrestling, track, and rugby), winning three letters and All-League honors. Joe was also elected to various honorary societies while at Rutgers.

Joe met the love of his life, Sharon Ann Salvino, at Lake George, New York. They married in January 1968 and started their lives together while stationed in Germany. Joe received his commission as an Army second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. Following three months of training at the Ft. Belvoir, Virginia engineering school, Joe was sent to Wildflecken, Germany in April, 1967 where he became a company commander in the 54th Combat Engineer Battalion. After 22 months in that assignment, Joe & Sharon came back home and he was promoted to captain in the Army Reserves. Joe was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for his leadership in raising both the training and readiness level of his company in Germany.

Joe was very proud of his children and grandchildren. His family has been his greatest life achievement and if you met him, he made sure you knew. Joe was always proud to introduce his family to friends and colleagues. Joe was always proud to make connections to help people pave their way toward new endeavors whether that was a high-school or college student seeking a first employment opportunity, or a tenured individual looking to advance their career. Joe was the best son, brother, husband, father, uncle, cousin, Papa, friend, & mentor anyone could ever ask for. To know him was to love him. Joe and Sharon created a beautiful life and loving family together, enjoyed 57 years of marriage filled with love, hope, best friendship, and encouragement.

Professionally, over an amazing 40 year plastics industry career, Joe successfully managed and ran businesses for both public and privately held companies, including General Electric, Bee Chemical, Morton-Thiokol, American Cyanamid, Cytec Industries and Bulk Molding Compounds, Inc. His career began as a sales/marketing professional at General Electric and included 10 years of merger & acquisition work at BMCI before his 2008 retirement.

Joe was president and owner of ESM Consulting of NC, a management consulting business specializing in helping privately held business owners develop exit strategies and further assisting them in selling their businesses as they move into retirement. He operated this business after retiring from full time work in 2008 and closed it at the end of March, 2014 when he and his wife, Sharon, moved to the Sarasota, Florida area to enjoy downsized living with a maintenance free yard and the nearby Gulf Coast beaches.

Before retiring from the plastics industry in March 2008, Joe was the Executive Vice President of global business development for Bulk Molding Compounds, Inc. (BMCI), a $135 Million global producer of thermoset composite molding compounds serving the automotive, electrical, electronic, fuel cell and appliance industries. Headquartered in West Chicago, Illinois, BMCI has manufacturing locations in Illinois, Ohio, Mexico, Brazil, Germany and China, and is the largest global producer of the type of thermoset composites known as bulk molding compounds (BMC).

For ten (10) years before retiring from BMCI, Joe was responsible for the company's merger and acquisition activities, plus its global marketing and new business development programs. In this capacity, he also served as the key commercial leader of BMCI's fuel cell business. Joe has been a leader in the thermoset composites industry for over 20 years. He joined BMCI through its acquisition of Cytec Industries' Polyester Molding Compounds Business, which he ran as its general manager for 9 years.

Cytec was formed as a spin-off of American Cyanamid Company's Chemical Division, which Joe joined in 1987, initially serving as Cyanamid's director of automotive marketing. Prior to joining Cyanamid, he served in various company officer, general management, marketing, sales and technical service management positions in the plastics industry, which he has been a member of for the past 45 years. Before Cyanamid, Joe served in key positions with Morton International, Bee Chemical Company and the General Electric Company, where he began his career in 1966.

Joe is a past chairman and secretary of the National Science Foundation's (NSF's) Industrial Advisory Board at The University of South Carolina Center for Fuel Cell Research and was BMCI's representative to the US Fuel Cell Council. He has authored, co-authored and presented a number of papers on BMC applications. He previously served on the board of directors of BMC Mexico, BMC Far East Limited and The RJ Marshall Company of Mexico and currently serves on the board of directors of Penn Compression Moulding, Inc., a North Carolina plastics parts manufacturer.

During retirement, Joe & his beloved wife Sharon relocated from Chapel Hill, NC to Lakewood Ranch, FL. They enjoyed traveling, exploring beaches, supporting their four grandchildren's many sports and endeavors, visiting with family and friends, mentoring young student-athletes with math and reading needs while assisting with academic and athletic goal setting. He continued to be very active with his high school reunion committee, the Rutger's Alumni Association, and enjoyed weekly karaoke with his Uncle Dan and friends.

Fiercely loyal, genuine, sincere, optimistic, and always showed a deep concern for other people in his world. Joe spent a great portion of his life volunteering his time or helping others until he needed help himself.

Joe was a legend in the family tree, and simply a hero to many. His optimism was infectious and he taught his children to never give up even in the toughest of times and that hard work would always prevail. Family and friends will forever cherish all the fabulous conversations and memories created throughout his lifetime but the one common bond everyone will miss most, Joe's friendship. Joe touched so many lives in so many different ways and his impactful guidance and loving example was experienced by all.

Joe will be deeply missed, his wisdom and his passion for life, not just today...but everyday. Such a tremendous loss but there is comfort knowing Joe lived a full life and is now at peace with his loved ones.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph & Josephine Carfora (Albanese), and younger sister, Carmela Jane (Peter) Colling. Joe is survived by his wife Sharon Ann Carfora (Salvino), brother Santo (Jeanne) Carfora, brother-in-law Peter (Carmela) Colling, his children; Joseph (Radmila) Carfora, Kelly (Alan) Keuneke, and 4 grandchildren; Arianna, Nicole, Braeden, & Carmela. All of whom he loved and touched deeply.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Joseph Carfora’s memory to a charity of your choice. Condolences may be expressed to the family at https://www.rtslwr.com

Thank you for all your prayers, love, and support during this difficult time.