Paul Atkinson died on August 4, 2009.

Paul was one of my favorite people. He was an excellent business leader having served for many years as the President of Sun Shipbuilding in Chester, Pennsylvania.

Appalled at the corruption he saw destroy Sun Shipbuilding after his retirement, Paul brought litigation to hold those involved responsible. His litigation helped illuminate the story of who made money on destroying the economy of Chester, Pennsylvania and why the economics of globalization have nothing to do with economics. Frustrated by the corruption he encountered pursuing the litigation, he published the story of the destruction of Sun Shipbuilding.

I published an introduction describing his efforts: Piracy on the Delaware: Paul Atkinson’s story of how the Bush Boys, Sun Oil, the U.S. Navy, and the Philadelphia “upper crust” profitably destroyed a great shipbuilding business and its hometown of Chester, PA.

Excerpt: The greatest economic engine of a community is knowledge. What do we know how to build, to grow, to make that is useful? Great business enterprises organize people and tools in a learning environment that creates wealth for the employees, for the investors and for the surrounding community. When you destroy such an enterprise, you also destroy an ecosystem and the rich intellectual capital that gives it vitality and creates wealth and purpose. Destroy such an enterprise and you destroy the primary source of learning and relevancy in the community. Destroy such an enterprise and you destroy a powerful constituency for transparency and accountability in government. Without businesses like Sun Shipbuilding, we will not have communities.

I will miss Paul. My heart is full of thanks for his life and work; for all that he taught me and the good times we shared. My prayers go out to his family and colleagues.

Chester Challenge Press Release: Perceptive Shipbuilder, August 17,2009

Photos of Sun Shipbuilding:

Photos are from OldChesterPa.com Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company.