Obituary of Richard P. Barnett

Richard Perry Barnett, age 48 of Halfmoon passed away suddenly on Saturday, August 1, 2015 surrounded by friends. Rick was born on May 3, 1967 in Mount Shasta, CA. He was the son of Beth Barnett (Spaulding) and Richard E. Barnett. He was predeceased by his father and also James and Nancy Coryea, whom he considered his second parents. Rick graduated from Brushton-Moira High School in 1985 as a member of the National Honor Society. He continued on to Siena College and graduated Cum Laude with his Bachelor of Business Administration in 1989. In June of this year, he completed the Advanced Management Program for Executives from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Rick began his professional career working as an Auditor for Ernst and Young in Albany, NY. He later became the Finance Director for GE’s Schenectady Operations and then advanced to be the Manager of Finance for GE Energy. In 2000 Rick co-founded Blue Slate Solutions and served as the CEO for 12 years. Through Rick’s leadership, Blue Slate was acquired and joined EXL Service of New York City in July of 2014. Early this year Rick took on broader responsibility as the Senior Vice President of EXL Consulting. Rick dedicated much of his time to the Capital District community. Rick served for 2 years as the President of the Northeastern New York chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, a cause very dear to his family. He was a former member of the Board of Directors for the Albany-Colonie Chamber of Commerce and served on several company boards including KZO Innovations, Gavant Software, LabPrints and AutoQuant Imaging. Rick was also a long time member of the Albany Chapter of Entrepreneurs’ Organization. Rick also mentored and advised numerous young business leaders and entrepreneurs. Rick coached for many years in the Clifton Park Baseball League, sharing his love for the game and the tenets of good sportsmanship with all of the young players whom he quickly “adopted” as part of his family. Rick was an avid hunter, an activity he shared with his son Hunter. He had a passion for golf and loved playing with his son Ryan. He loved going to football games at Auburn University with his daughter Hannah. Cooking for his friends and family brought him great joy and he was a self-proclaimed “wine connoisseur.” Trips to Cape May with his wife Angela, along with family and friends were a highlight for many years and plans were to retire there. Rick was fiercely loyal, and will be remembered by all who knew him for his generosity of spirit, passion for life, sharp wit and intellect, gracious hospitality, boundless kindness and compassion, and his limitless love for his family and friends. In addition to his mother, he is survived by his treasured wife Angela (LaMountain), his cherished children Ryan, Hannah, and Hunter, his sisters Nina and Becky Barnett, his brother Joseph Coryea, and many nieces and nephews. Calling hours will be held on Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Catricala Funeral Home Inc., 1597 Route 9, Clifton Park, with a funeral Mass on Friday at 11 a.m. at Corpus Christi Church in Round Lake. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Richard Barnett to the: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Northeastern NY Chapter, 950 New Loudon Rd. Suite 330 Latham, NY 12110