For years there has been a critical demand within the sign industry for a book on the structural engineering of signs. This comprehensive text more than meets that demand -- it exceeds it. Sign companies, ...
Mr. Souder exemplified what a trade-journal editor should be
When a man lives into his mid-90s, and maintains lucidity into the final months, his death can hardly be considered a tragedy. I received a Christmas card from Mr. Souder (here at ST Publications, nobody ever called him anything but that), approximately a month before he died, and he spoke of how much he appreciated the American Sign Museum and keeping up with the sign industry via ST.
His death signaled the end of an era, as did his 1981 retirement. I'd have trouble believing that his death, at the beginning of ST's centennial, and his retirement, within months of both Gerber Scientific Products' introduction of the Signmaker III and then NESA's (now the ISA) hiring of George Kopecky as its first paid president, are coincidental.
The basic details of Mr. Souder's 47 years in the outdoor-advertising and on-premise sign industries can be found on page 38 in a somewhat standard obituary. He would have said it needs some editing.
His somewhat high-pitched voice belied the fervor with which he championed betterment of the sign industry. His editorials spoke for the sign industry. Billboard stalwart Foster & Kleiser (now part of Metromedia) commemorated his retirement with a special billboard in Cincinnati.
-->Bill Dorsey, an ST staff member from 1976 to 1988, said Mr. Souder was the best editor this magazine ever had: What I remember about him is his kindness, even when I chose to oppose his views."
In a December 1986 ST editorial, Bill wrote, "My voicing of opinions was tolerated; recording them in black type on white paper was an altogether different matter. He would tell me, almost fatherly, `You know, Bill, outdoor advertising gets enough bad press without ST contributing to the cause.' "
By that time, Mr. Souder had retired, and Bill wrote much of the content for that issue, which focused on outdoor advertising, which Mr. Souder loved. Bill came from a newspaper background. He then believed a trade journal should report like a newspaper. Let the chips fall where they may.
Today, Bill states, "Mr. Souder cared to cover the industry in a positive light. If you're in the trade-journal business, that is your mission and goal. Mr. Souder did the job at hand and never wavered."
Did you enjoy this article? Click here to subscribe to the magazine.