Richard Louis Iazzetti

Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, Richard’s roots were shaped by the energy and grit of his hometown. He was an accomplished high school athlete, playing football and baseball for Marist High School. He and his beloved wife of 55 years, Penny, were married on January 3, 1970, in Bayonne, New Jersey. Rich went on to study Chemical Engineering at Syracuse University, earning his Bachelor’s degree in 1971. While at Syracuse, he was a proud member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He later earned his MBA at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio, graduating in 1983.

Rich built a successful career as a chemical engineer and business leader, known for his dedication, sharp intellect, and unwavering work ethic. In 1983, he settled in Houston, Texas, where he and Penny raised their family and built a community of lifelong friends.

Rich’s professional career was built on chemical engineering and defined by his entrepreneurial spirit. Early in his career, he worked as a Production Manager at Drew Chemical near Parsippany, New Jersey; as a Plant Superintendent at Air Products and Chemicals in Cleveland, Ohio; and as an Operations Manager at Ceilcote in Cleveland, Ohio. He made the move to Texas as a Manufacturing Manager for Ceilcote. The experience that he gained in the corrosion control industry led him to start his own company as President and Founder of Advanced Engineered Materials (ADVEM, Inc). He later sold the company to Koch Industries where he worked as an Executive Vice President. He holds two U.S. patents in the areas of adhesives and concrete coatings. One of the applications for his products that he loved to talk about was coating the astronaut training pool at NASA Johnson Space Center.

Rich was proud to lead Network In Action networking groups in Cypress and Katy, TX. He was a true mentor. He loved sharing his knowledge and bringing people together to help one another gain success and grow their businesses through networking.

Beyond his professional achievements, Rich will be remembered for his deep devotion to his family. Rich was a dedicated father and grandfather who instilled a love of sports into his children and grandchildren. He loved teaching them how to play baseball and softball, and coached many youth teams from the dugout and the stands. He couldn’t help but show his competitive nature at the family Thanksgiving football games, pool volleyball matches and baseball on the beach. Rich was a gifted storyteller, sharing tales of growing up in New Jersey and playing stickball with his friends and going to the shore. He also enjoyed being a handyman. He loved woodworking and built all sorts of useful items, such as personalized chairs for his grandkids, playtables, bookshelves and even a goal post for the family football games. He was the ultimate Mr. Fixit and especially loved doing home repairs for all of his children. His handiwork lives on.

He is survived by his beloved wife Penny; his children, Traci (Alex) Milam, Matt (Emily) Iazzetti, and Elaina (Rhett) Vallo; his cherished grandchildren Kirby, Eva, Harrison, Paller, Macey and Ann; and his sister Rita Montanaro. He was preceded in death by his parents Louis and Lucille Iazzetti and his sister Maria Crawford.

A lifelong fan of the New York Yankees and the New York Giants, Rich tried to watch every game.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his honor to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Wounded Warrior Project.

A mass will be held at 11am on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church, 11507 Huffmeister Road, Houston, TX, 77065.

Please joined the family online. The Mass can be view with the following livestream link

https://youtube.com/live/FxBXNxMeY-c?feature=share