MILCOM Founders Podcast – Episode 31: A Christmas Tribute to Richard “Dick” Beaupre, Founder of ChemArt
On this special Christmas episode of the MILCOM Founders Podcast, we honor the legacy of Richard “Dick” Beaupre, U.S. Navy veteran and founder of ChemArt, one of America’s most successful ornament manufacturing companies. Host Rod Loges speaks with Hamilton Davison, current CEO of ChemArt, and David Marquis, former President, as they share Dick’s remarkable journey from Navy service to building a company that has created White House Christmas ornaments for over four decades.
- Dick’s military service in the U.S. Navy (1956-1958) and how he used GI Bill benefits to fund his chemistry education
- His path from research labs to securing patents in photochemical etching techniques
- Launching ChemArt in 1976 from a former ice cream factory with his wife Barbara and just four employees
- Building the White House Historical Association ornament program, which began in 1981
- Dick’s commitment to giving back through URI scholarships for non-traditional students
- How his technical skills and business vision proved that American manufacturing could thrive through innovation and quality craftsmanship
- Veteran entrepreneurship combines technical expertise with business vision
- GI Bill education benefits can transform military service into entrepreneurial success
- Building a family business requires commitment to both employees and community
- Innovation in manufacturing comes from applying specialized technical knowledge to market needs
- Creating scholarship opportunities helps future generations face the same challenges you once overcame
Website: https://chemart.com/
Hamilton Davison, Chief Executive Officer of ChemArt Company and Beacon DesignHamilton Davison is Chief Executive Officer of ChemArt Company and Beacon Design in Lincoln, Rhode Island. An entrepreneur who has started or scaled over a dozen businesses, including conceptualizing and designing a novel retail card & gift store that was ultimately franchised to over 150 locations, Davison also has a deep background in manufacturing, consumer goods marketing and design-led product development. His experience is a good fit for Beacon Design by ChemArt, combining efficient onshore production, rapid market response and excellent customer service.
Davison has run a nonprofit organization and served on a variety of nonprofit boards over his career. He has served on a variety of corporate boards for both publicly traded and private companies. He also has deep direct-to-consumer experience working with direct marketing, e-commerce and catalog marketers. He holds a Master of Science from the University of Texas and an undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University.
David Marquis, Former President and Co-Owner of ChemArt CompanyDavid Marquis is the former President and Co-Owner of the ChemArt Company, a Manufacturer of Custom Designs primarily focused on serving Philanthropic and Non-Profit Entities. He is a graduate of Bryant University and received his Master’s Degree in Business from the University of Rhode Island. Dave has a passion for U.S. History, which has shaped his company’s drive to help organizations raise funds by telling stories that are unique to their mission or cause.
Richard “Dick” Beaupre was a U.S. Navy veteran (1956-1958) who transformed his passion for chemistry into one of America’s most successful ornament manufacturing companies. After completing his military service, he enrolled at the University of Rhode Island in 1958, using GI Bill benefits to fund his education while working two part-time jobs and raising a young family.
Following his 1962 graduation with a chemistry degree, Dick spent years in research labs developing innovative processes. He secured patents for photochemical etching techniques that would later become the backbone of his own venture. In 1976, he and his wife Barbara launched ChemArt from a former ice cream factory with just four employees.
The company grew steadily, finding its niche in precision-etched metal ornaments using the same process created to produce precision components in its ChemTecUSA division for industries like aerospace, military, and medical.
Dick’s contributions to URI were equally significant. In 2006, the university awarded him an honorary doctorate. A decade later, they named their new chemistry facility after him: the Richard E. Beaupre Center for Chemical and Forensic Sciences. He created scholarship funds specifically for non-traditional students (parents returning to school, people balancing work and education, anyone facing the same challenges he once did).
When Dick passed away in March 2018, he was laid to rest with full military honors. While the public record shows he served honorably in the Navy from 1956-1958, the specifics of that service (his rating, his duties, where he was stationed, how those experiences shaped his business philosophy) aren’t documented. Those details remain with the people who knew him: his three sons, his colleagues at ChemArt, the employees who describe the company as “family” because of the man Dick was.
His story illustrates what veteran entrepreneurship looks like when technical skills meet business vision. From Navy service to university chemistry labs to factory floors, Dick proved that American manufacturing could thrive through innovation, quality craftsmanship, and commitment to both employees and community.
The MILCOM Founders Podcast champions and celebrates military community business owners. Each episode brings practical insights and lessons learned from successful veteran entrepreneurs.
Sponsored by One Degree Financial www.onedegreefinancial.com