Dick Bus named Person of the Year

As president of ATAS, Bus has been a strong proponent of supporting the youth of the Lehigh Valley and introducing them to potential careers within manufacturing, architecture, engineering and construction.

At the 31st annual Lehigh Valley Commercial and Industrial Real Estate (CIRE) awards breakfast, Dick Bus of ATAS International, Inc., received the Person of the Year award. It was presented to Bus on October 25, 2024, at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, during a sold-out event attended by approximately 450 Lehigh Valley professionals. This event is a fundraiser for the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) at Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital and St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital.  

The 2024 Project of the Year award was given to the new Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Coincidentally, Bus served on the Da Vinci board for several years, and ATAS supplied metal panels for its new facility; exterior and interior wall panels and soffit panels. ATAS also sponsored manufacturing-focused exhibits within the new science center.  

As president of ATAS, Bus has been a strong proponent of supporting the youth of the Lehigh Valley and introducing them to potential careers within manufacturing, architecture, engineering and construction. Those efforts include involvement in the Manufacturers Resource Center’s What’s So Cool About Manufacturing middle school video competition, the National Association of Manufacturers’ annual Manufacturing Day event, the Da Vinci Science Center’s WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) Forum and the Lehigh Valley Let’s Build Construction Camp for Girls. Bus has also been a dedicated supporter of the Boy Scouts of America. He led Troop 150 in Orefield and saw several of those boys achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, including his son, Mark. Bus stated, “The most rewarding things I’ve done are not usually business-related. At the top of the list was being a Scout Master.” Bus was honored with the Good Scout Award by the Boy Scouts of America Minsi Trails Council, Trexler District, in 2016.

Many of Bus’ family members, colleagues and friends attended the CIRE awards ceremony. He shared the company’s history and the fact that it started in 1963 by his father, Jacobus “Jack” Bus, in the basement of their home in Rochester, NY. Due to the company’s growth, they moved the business to the Lehigh Valley in the mid-1980s. Bus is very proud of the longevity of the company and its commitment to the Lehigh Valley community. He stated, “I owe my success to a lot of people throughout my life, starting with my parents, immigrants from Holland, who knew nothing about the construction or manufacturing industries, but had the nerve to start a business to feed eight kids.”

With four manufacturing facilities for ATAS, and two facilities for their affiliate company, BRIGHTSMITH Coaters, the Bus family is looking forward to continued growth, innovation and support of the communities in which they operate.

About ATAS International, Inc.

Founded in 1963, ATAS International, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of metal roofing, wall cladding, ceilings, perimeter edge metal and accessories. The ATAS portfolio features an expansive selection of products available in aluminum, steel, zinc, stainless steel and copper. Standard profiles include narrow and wide ribbed wall panels, corrugated styles, standing seam and batten seam roof systems, metal shingles, shakes, tiles and more. Additional options include curved, tapered, and perforated panels; concealed or exposed fasteners; smooth or embossed textures; horizontal and vertical applications and a choice of over 40 stock colors with 70% PVDF finish.

With sustainability at the forefront of modern building design, ATAS proudly supports green building objectives with high-performance solutions, such as solar-ready roof panels, insulated metal panels, cool roofing products and solar air heating wall panels. The ATAS team consists of product and market specialists that provide a high level of support for your project, from initial discovery and design to installation. ATAS has two ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturing locations in the United States: the headquarters in Allentown, PA, and their facility in Mesa, AZ. ATAS also has a second location in Allentown, PA, and recently added a new manufacturing location in University Park, IL. For more information about ATAS International, please visit www.atas.com or call 610.395.8445.