Reginald Stanley Frye
On May 16, 2024, Reginald Stanley Frye passed-on in Pasadena, CA.
Reginald Stanley Frye was born in Yakima, WA on May 18, 1937 to Virgil and Elsie Frye. The Frye Family lived in Yakima, until when Reginald was 10, the Frye Family moved to Seattle, WA.
Reginald attended Bailey Gatzert Elementary School, Washington Junior High School, and graduated from Garfield High School in 1956. Throughout the years leading-up to graduating from high school, Reginald worked for his father in the manufacturing, sales, and distribution of his father’s entire line of patented Shur-Kleen cleaning products, which were so popular and so highly regarded, they were sold in major outlets throughout the Pacific Northwest.
After graduating, Reginald continued to work in sales and distribution of the Shur-Kleen product line, but later went to work at Boeing Aircraft. Reginald left Boeing and moved to California, having enrolled in Los Angeles City College. While at LACC, Reginald met, courted, and married Wilberdel “Mikki” Goree, who was his wife for over fifty years. The young couple resided in Los Angles for several years: Reginald worked in the aviation manufacturing industry.
In 1960, Reginald and Mikki moved to Seattle. Shortly thereafter, Mikki gave birth to their first child, Gregory.
In 1964, Reginald was hired as a salesman at Washington Natural Gas to sell natural gas service along with gas water heaters, stoves, and furnaces. Reginald was extremely successful, which resulted in being awarded Salesman of the Month on a number of occasions.
During this period of 1960-65, Reginald and Mikki began participating more deeply in cultural and political activities in the Black Community in Seattle’s Central Area. Reginald was a founder and member of The Westerners, a social and business club for African American men. The Westerners sponsored many activities including financing, booking and promoting major Black entertainment and sporting events in Seattle’s Black Community. At that time, The Westerners were the only independent entity repeatedly bringing nationally known acts to Seattle: Aretha Franklin (her first time to Seattle!), James Brown, Bobby “Blue” Bland, The Coasters, Ike & Tina Turner, The Crusaders, and many, many others.
Based upon his contributions to the financial success of his father’s business, The Westerners, and his accomplishments at Washington Natural Gas, Reginald ventured-out into business for himself. With the encouragement and support from Washington Natural Gas, in 1972, Reginald and his business partner started 3A Gas & Electric, Inc., an independent franchise selling and installing natural gas appliances in homes throughout the Seattle Area.
As a result of his political awareness and business acumen, Reginald was active in the political arena in Seattle, King County, and the State of Washington. He developed relationships with local, regional and state officials. He was invited to attend meetings with Democratic Party leaders, eventually becoming acquainted with Senators Jackson and Magnuson and Representative Brock Adams, and quite familiar with Governors Evans, Ray, Spellman, Gardner, Lowry, and Locke. These Democratic Party connections were instrumental in Reginald being introduced to Congressman Parren Mitchell, Democratic Representative from Maryland, who was the main progenitor of the concept of government set-aside programs, which created opportunities for minorities and women that had not previously existed. Congressman Mitchel became one of Reginald’s mentors.
After becoming aware of the opportunities now available under newly-created government set-aside programs, Reginald created 3A Industries, Inc. in order to expand his ongoing gas and electric activities, but mainly to diversity his business and begin operations in the construction industry.
By quickly learning the “rules of the game”, Reginald creatively utilized the capital from the gas and electric operations to finance construction operations. 3A Industries, Inc. began by successfully bidding on “small works”, and over the years successfully bidding on and completing million-dollar contracts throughout the State of Washington. Some of those projects included the Alaska Pipeline (BP & General Electric), METRO Bus Tunnel, I-90 Coleman Park Lid, Mercer Island Tunnel. One of many other firsts for Reginald and 3A Industries, Inc. occurred in 1967, when 3A Industries, Inc. became the first and only Black contractor in the Pacific Northwest to build a dam! - Boundary Dam in Metaline Falls, WA.
3A Industries Inc. also formed a joint venture with EDJ, Inc., named 3A/EDJ, Inc., which provided consulting services for minority contracting on several major construction projects and contracting entities: Washington State Convention & Trade Center (Phases I & II), Mariner's Baseball Stadium, King County METRO, Goodwill Games, University of Washington, and the Seattle Public School District.
In concert with many other individuals and organizations, Reginald remained deeply involved in local and statewide politics, especially the monitoring and enforcement of level of compliance of government entities and majority contractions that were participating in set-aside programs. Reginald organized numerous community meetings and protests to bring pubic awareness to the practices and extent of economic discrimination that act as barriers for minority and women-owned businesses. Reginald was instrumental in drafting the minority contracting legislation that was used by the State of Washington and most legal jurisdictions throughout the State of Washington. Reginald was intensely involved in the creation of, and was an on-going consultant to, the Washington State Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises.
Reginald was also a pivotal activist in putting pressure on unions to open-up their apprenticeship programs to provide minorities and women with a path for full union membership. He used the legally obligatory and binding language of the set-aside programs to confront and gain the cooperation of majority contractors to provide contracting opportunities to minority and women-owned subcontractors and suppliers,
3A Industries, Inc. became one of the largest Black General Contractors in the Pacific Northwest. Reginald was one of the founders and President of the Central Contractors Association, as well as being instrumental in organizing and coordinating the Black Truckers’ Association, and numerous other Black organizations, contractors, engineers, suppliers.
In 1970s, 3A Industries, Inc. went into a joint-venture with EDJ Industries, Inc. to form 3A/EDJ Transit, Inc. and successfully bid on a contract to provide transportation for the Seattle Public Schools. 3A/EDJ Transit, Inc. subsequently successfully bid on transportation contracts with King County METRO and the Goodwill Games. 3A/EDJ Transit, Inc. eventually became, at one time, the largest Black-owned employer in the State of Washington with over 150 full-time employees. However, Reginald’s most valuable accomplishments are the many, many value-added contributions he made for the betterment and benefit of his Community, by supporting and promoting individuals, businesses and organizations.
In 2002, Reginald liquidated 3A Industries, Inc. and began a well-deserved respite from managing a business day-to-day, while simultaneously making significant changes to the social, political, and cultural landscape of Seattle and the entire Pacific Northwest.
Reginald has been preceded in passing by his wife, Wilberdel “Mikki”; his son, Martin; and his daughter, Trana. His surviving family members include his son, Gregory; grandson, Martin, Jr., granddaughters, Jasmine and Shriya, and his sister-in-law, Larcyna “Lucky” Benson. He is also survived by numerous close friends and associates, especially Eleanor D. Johnson, with whom he partnered on several successful business ventures, most notably 3A/EDJ Transit, Inc.
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