Two brothers who grew up in Bolivar were recently acknowledged for their accomplishments in long careers of making a difference.

Dick Richardson, an entrepreneur and high-level leadership trainer, and retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Arthur “Rich” Richardson, who rose from the enlisted ranks to earn an officer’s commission and lead aircraft maintenance operations at several Marine Corps bases, are the sons of the late Arthur Howard Richardson and Twila Richardson.

Sister Jane (Richardson) Mendlik of Matthews, N.C. sent along some updates about her brothers’ recent recognition. “We still have many friends and relatives in the Olean area and would like to share our brothers’ accomplishments.”

Dick Richardson, a member of Bolivar High School’s Class of 1969, was awarded the Elmira College Bette Ann Mammone Academy’s Lifetime Service Award, which is presented to alumni whose accomplishments in life meet high standards of humanitarianism.

At an awards ceremony earlier this spring — Dick graduated from Elmira in 1974 — he was recognized for his work in training professionals to be leaders in their companies as well as in society. Fellow alumni chose Dick for his success in business, leadership and the community.

His company, Experience to Lead, has trained professionals from companies and agencies such as IBM, NASA, Amazon and Goldman Sachs. His seminars have been presented at prestigious locations like Normandy and Gettysburg and his “Apollo Leadership Lessons: Powerful Business Insights for Executives” is available on Amazon.

Dick’s prestigious career includes two U.S. patents in adult learning design; serving as director of global leadership development at IBM; founding and serving as chief executive officer of Experience to Lead, a leader in experiential learning; and founding and serving as CEO of SuccessBreaks, a leading-edge learning platform for entrepreneurs.

Richardson has earned the Entrepreneur of the Year in Business and Professional Services category by the American Business Association.

Amazingly, he is also a survivor of Flight 1549, commonly called the “Miracle on the Hudson.” The US Airways flight took off from New York City’s LaGuardia Airport en route to Charlotte, N.C. on Jan. 15, 2009, when the Airbus A320 struck a flock of birds and lost all engine power. Pilots Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and Jeffrey Skiles glided the plane to ditch on the Hudson River near Midtown Manhattan and all 155 people on board were rescued by nearby boats.

Dick, of Charlotte, gave the commencement address at the 2023 Bolivar-Richburg Central School graduation.

Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Richardson, Bolivar Class of 1960, received the Colonel Michael “Iron Mike” Nyalko Lifetime Achievement Award from the U.S. Marine Corps Aviation Association’s John Glenn Squadron in April.

The award was presented in recognition of his dedicated service during his career and his contributions since retirement. He has served as the treasurer for the John Glenn Squadron for many years, raising millions of dollars for scholarships. Additionally, he has donated thousands of his own dollars to several charities, including a local ear, nose and throat organization to help children regain their sight and hearing.

A conference center at Patuxent River Naval Testing Base — The Lt. Col. A.H. Richardson Conference Center — is named in his honor.

After enlisting in the Marines as a teenager, Rich was assigned to aviation mechanic’s school. In 1961, he was selected to serve on the maintenance crew of the Marines’ first F-4 Phantom squadron, a job that would eventually take him to a tour of duty in Vietnam. Rising to gunnery sergeant and then warrant officer, Rich was selected to to attend Aircraft Maintenance Officers School in Memphis, Tenn. in the mid-1970s.

In all he served 41 years in the Corps, with assignments that took him to Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Vietnam, Hawaii, Japan, Washington, D.C., Cherry Point, N.C., Beaufort, S.C. and Patuxent River, Md. Rich was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1990 and retired in 2000.