Remembering Jerry Swormstedt (1934-2015)

The sign industry lost one of its most dedicated servants on the day before Easter, when Jerry Swormstedt (my uncle), the former president/chairman of the board of ST Media Group Intl. (parent company of Signs of the Times magazine) died from a massive heart attack he suffered on Good Friday. He was 80.

In a career that spanned 46 years, Jerry was quite active in the sign industry, as evidenced by his being bestowed with the industry’s highest honor, the Intl. Sign Assn.’s Distinguished Service Award (now known as the Kirk Brimley Distinguished Service Award) in 1994. Jerry served as judge in ISA’s annual sign-design contest more than a dozen times between 1970 and 1994. In his native Cincinnati (OH) area, he served as the secretary for both the Sign Contractors of Greater Cincinnati association and Associated Sign Industries of Ohio (which grew into the current Midwest Sign Assn. in 1986), the latter for more than a decade.

A veteran of the U.S. Army, Jerry subsequently joined the then-ST Publications for good in 1959 as an associate editor on Signs of the Times. In 1970, he became editorial director for all three of the company’s magazines, including Screen Printing and Display World (now known as Visual Merchandising & Store Design). In 1979, he became the publisher of Signs. In 1992, he assumed presidency of the entire company following the retirement of his older brother, Dave Reid Swormstedt, Jr. When Jerry’s son, Tedd, was named president in 1999 (the role in which he continues today), Jerry became chairman of the board, a role in which he served until his retirement in 2005.

Jerry’s outgoing, gregarious personality and hearty laugh, along with his exuberant dancing, will always be remembered by sign-industry veterans from 20-50 years ago. Like his only sibling, Jerry was also an amateur herpetologist who had numerous snakes, and even an alligator, at his house! He loved the outdoors, especially Hilton Head Island, SC, where his cremated ashes will be spread. A sure-handed third baseman, Jerry played in company softball games well into his 50s. Had Jerry lived just a bit longer, he and Tedd would have made their annual sojourn to watch the Masters golf tournament in Augusta, GA.