NBM Remembers Ken Higgins
National Business Media (NBM), and the entire staff of Sign & Digital Graphics magazine, remembers colleague and friend Ken Higgins, who passed away suddenly July 3, 2011. He is survived by wife Diane Phillips as well as his children, Eric and Kristin.
Ken was the former publisher of Sign Business and Digital Graphics magazines, and was an integral part of the success of The NBM Show. He will be remembered for his professional accomplishments as well as for his warm friendship and wry sense of humor. He began working with NBM in 1988 and over the years has touched the lives of hundreds of industry professionals.
“Ken was a respected and loved part of the Sign & Digital Graphics group,” says S&DG Publisher Mary Tohill. “Ken was a professional colleague of mine for more than 20 years, but more importantly, he has been a close personal friend. All of us will miss him enormously. Anyone who worked with Ken over the years will remember him showing up at trade shows with a smile and his signature sandals. Please keep his wife Diane, and children Kristin and Eric in your thoughts and prayers.”
“For more than 20 years, Ken has been an important part of Sign & Digital Graphics, as well as the whole NBM family,” says Bob Wieber, president of NBM. “Ken had many friends throughout the sign industry, and those who knew him well knew a friendly guy with a quick smile and an even quicker wit. At beer-thirty, let’s hoist one for Ken.”
Under his leadership, Ken helped establish Sign Business and Digital Graphics magazines (now Sign & Digital Graphics) as the most respected and well-read trade journals serving the signage and commercial graphics industries. His easy manner, intelligent humor and professionalism will surely be missed.
The Sign Industry has certainly lost one of its most colorful stars. I have worked with Ken for almost 20 years and never saw him in any mood except "HAPPY". He will be missed and I'm sure he has already started the "cheeseburgers in Paradise Happy Hour" up there. Ken was a Cubbies fan and I always enjoyed swapping stories over a cold beer with him. He will be missed. From all of us at the Sign Outlet Store, our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
I knew Ken well for a few years when I worked as an ad director for a sign industry supplier. We never had the usual “Salesman” “Buyer” relationship, far from it; I looked forward to Ken’s visits and made excuses to see him more often. I was devastated to hear of his passing. Having recently re-entered the industry, I hoped to meet him again. I’m deeply saddened I won’t get that chance, and I will miss him terribly. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family and to all who knew him as I did—Ken had a way of getting into your heart, and never leaving. I’m forever fortunate to have known him.
To have known Ken Higgins, as a friend, and a colleague, was a true gift. His encouragment, support, and sense of humor were invaluable. He was my first contact with the sign industry and my life was never the same again! His obvious courage in these past few months was, and is, inspirational. I can truly say that I am a better person for knowing him. My heart has a "Ken Higgins" shaped hole that will only be filled on that Heavenly day when we meet again.
Very sad to hear of Ken's passing. My sincere condolences to his wife and children. Ken is a consummate professional and a true gentleman. He was always supportive and helpful, and I always felt as though I'd known him for years. I am proud to count myself among those that called him friend.
Respectfully,
Jim Redmer
My condolences to Diane, Eric and Kristen. What a terrible loss. Ken was a truly wonderful human being. I am honored to have been his friend.
Rest in peace, Ken.
Jim Doggett
Was there anyone more colorful in our industry than Ken? His great smile and his readiness with a joke or a kind word will never be forgotten. I'll certainly miss him at any shows I attend in the future...
Having met Ken once when he visited with Kent Taylor/JSI Sign Systems (Atlanta, GA) several years ago, I am saddened to hear of his death. My condolences to his family. Respectfully, Tim Turner
All of us here at U.S. Banner were also very saddened by the news of Ken's passing. We've worked with Ken at NBM for many years. He always had a smile on his face! We will keep him and his family and friends in our thoughts and prayers! May you rest in peace Ken.
So sad to hear about Ken. He always had a warm smile and a hug ready when making his rounds at trade shows. Condolences to his family and friends at NBM, from all of us at Océ that knew him.
I'm really very sorry (and saddened) to hear of Ken's passing. I met him a couple of times over the years, and he was always very kind. My condolences to his family and NBM.
I was really saddened to hear about Ken's passing. Even though we competed against each other for more than a decade, he was a friend. We laughed about the foibles of publishing much more than our competitive situation. He knew that what we both did was important, but he always kept things in proper perspective and never took himself too seriously. I don't believe we ever had anything but pleasant conversations. My heart-felt condolences to his widow and children. Ken will be greatly missed.
We at CADlink are very, very saddened to hear this news. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ken’s wife and children. We have had the pleasure of being business associates of Ken’s throughout his entire career with NBM. He always went that extra step to help us achieve our objectives. What a great ambassador he was for National Business Media!
More importantly, some of us had the great pleasure of becoming good friends of Ken’s throughout the 20 years or so as well. As Bob Wieber referenced, there were many times that we seemed to be around, with Ken, at “beer-thirty” for interesting industry-related conversations and sometimes even more interesting conversations that were not remotely related to our industry. Ken obviously had a passion for people and that’s what made him so nice to be around. We missed seeing him at the trade shows lately and will now miss him even more.
What a shock! I attended high school with Ken in South Florida and we graduated in 1968. We didn't see each other, physically, until our 40th high school reunion. However, we had kept in touch prior to that since we were both in the same industry (I retired from DoD and now do graphics for IEEE). Ken would mail me some of your magazines, along with us swapping graphics banter. I saw Ken during the fall of 2009 at your show in Baltimore and him being a terrific and outgoing guy is an understatement. I'm saddened for his lovely wife and surviving children and relatives. Ken, you're a great guy and we ALL are going to miss you very much. Ken was pure CLASS!
Gary Garvin
Laurel, MD
What sad news to hear of the passing of Ken Higgins. Please pass along to his family sincere condolences from one who has known Ken in the business for probably 17-18 years. He was truly a very nice man – professional, knowledgeable, and a class act. I know that he will be missed greatly by those who were closest to him, but I can also attest that he will be missed by the sign industry in which he had such a significant presence and impact for the better.
Wow...how sad to hear of Ken's passing. Ken was always an encourager to me. When I was teaching for N.B.M., Ken would often join the class in progress...and he stayed until the end. He was always interested in not only the attendees, but the entire trade show crowd. A very nice gentleman with a quick wit, a well placed compliment, and a bit of advice here and there on how to make the show better. I will really miss him. I'll see you up there in Heaven one day, Ken. Enjoy the paradise!
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