Dick had experience in computer systems
design, project management and systems
consulting, and Remote Oil Analysis Ser-
vices Terminal—ROAST—was born. That
innovation turned out to be ground-break-
ing and was the first of many significant
innovations over the years.
Chisholm and Dick guided the company
through the early years, enjoyed steady
growth and purchased another rival labora-
tory called Oil Check Labs in the process.
One of the early innovations was an au-
tomated viscometer that provided a high
degree of accuracy and throughput. The
viscometer was so successful that com-
mercial versions of the instrument were
later marketed internationally.
The company name was changed in 1992
to Fluid Life because of the expansion of
services from testing oils only to also in-
clude fuels, greases, coolants, and filtra-
tion debris. After Chisholm’s untimely
death in 1993, Dick took the sole reins of
the company and later oversaw expansion
MAY 2017
H
business elite canada 25
