Richie Phillips

Richard Gregory Phillips Sr. (August 24, 1940 – May 31, 2013) was an American lawyer. From 1978 to 2000, he was general counsel and executive director of the Major League Umpires Association (MLUA). He held a similar position for National Basketball Association (NBA) referees. Phillips is notable for recommending that Major League Baseball (MLB) umpires resign en masse in 1999.

Biography Phillips, the son of a police officer, was born in August 1940 in Philadelphia.

Phillips' law office was located in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. He represented the Transport Workers Union and handled legal matters for the top brass of the Carpenters Union. At the time, Pilot Freight was struggling to stay afloat in a sea full of transportation providers. Phillips was able to lead the company to the top of the industry, and by the time he stepped away from day-to-day management of the company, Pilot Freight Services was the largest privately held freight forwarder in the United States. In 2007, Phillips' son Richard Jr. became CEO of the company.