News

In Memoriam: Kenneth W. Higgins

Publisher well-remembered by the sign industry

Published

13 years ago

July 11, 2011

Robin Donovan Signs of the Times July 2011 Issue

Kenneth W. Higgins, 61, the long-time publisher of the former Sign Business magazine, died July 3 at home in Melbourne Beach, FL. He was born January 25, 1950 in Englewood, NJ. In 1957, he moved to Boca Raton with his parents, Kenneth and Jean Higgins.

Ken graduated from Florida State University in 1972 and was drafted into the U.S. Army. Stationed in Germany, he developed a love for travel. After discharge, he returned to Boca Raton High School, his alma mater, to teach history and coach tennis and volleyball. He earned an MBA from FSU in 1981.

In 1981, Ken moved to Boulder, CO, and spent the next two decades with National Business Media (NBM), where he served as publisher of Sign Business and Digital Graphics. Most recently, he sold tradeshow space for NBM.

Wade Swormstedt, our publisher, remembers Higgins as a colleague: “Ken competed with us for two decades and, during that time, I don’t believe we ever had anything but pleasant conversations. He realized that we were certainly much more alike than different, and that, although what we both did was very important, it still needed to be placed into proper perspective. We laughed together quite a bit when discussing the foibles of publishing.”

Higgins is survived by his wife, mother, three children and four siblings.

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