Tom Hagan, longtime advert man, enterprise chief and namesake of Karsh Hagan, one in every of Colorado’s largest promoting companies, died Tuesday from problems of Alzheimer’s illness in his hometown of Detroit. He was 92.
Hagan, together with former enterprise associate Phil Karsh, based the company Karsh Hagan in Denver in 1977. The pair grew the enterprise to change into some of the profitable companies within the area, with present annual billings of $80M. Notable accounts of KH embrace: Anschutz Medical Campus, Aspen Snowmass, Financial institution of Colorado, Colorado Lottery, The Colorado Tourism Workplace, Denver Worldwide Airport, McDonald’s, Pinnacle Financial institution, Steamboat, Telluride, Journey South Dakota and VISIT DENVER.
For greater than 46 years, the company helped a whole lot of enterprise shoppers develop and prosper
by offering profitable promoting campaigns that benefited shoppers.
“Tom Hagan was an icon, and VISIT DENVER was lucky to have labored with him and Phil,”
stated Richard Scharf, president and CEO of VISIT DENVER. “For a few years we had been a gateway to the Rockies, and his inventive experience put Denver on the map as a tourism vacation spot,”
Born April 4, 1931, in Covington, Ky., Hagan was a Korean Conflict veteran who attended
Wayne State College in Detroit beneath the GI Invoice. Hagan began his profession in PR, engaged on
newsletters and at a couple of nationwide companies earlier than touchdown at Campbell Ewald Advertising and marketing
Communications in Detroit as govt inventive director of the Chevrolet car
account.
After vacationing in Colorado, Hagan knew Denver was the place he needed to boost his
household and advance his profession. Hagan landed a job as inventive director in Denver at Frye-Sills Promoting Company, the place he met Phil Karsh and the 2 grew to become quick associates. Karsh died in Lakewood in 2016.
Hagan retired in 1996 and the company was headed by Pocky Marranzino. In 2009, Hagan’s daughter, Kathy Hagan, joined Marranzino and so they now function house owners and co-CEOs.
“He was not solely my dad and my greatest pal, however he was additionally my mentor,” stated Kathy Hagan.
“He taught me the ethics of enterprise and life and set an instance of onerous work. He inspired
me to be an entrepreneur and all the time promoted the power to do something. He all the time had time for everybody who known as him. His steering and help allowed many to excel within the enterprise,
and I’m humbled to have represented Dad and Phil’s legacy at Karsh Hagan.”
With 70 full-time staff, the company strives to assist mentor and foster younger, inventive minds
by an internship program that has spanned a long time. A few of Denver’s high promoting executives labored at Karsh Hagan through the years and through formative levels of their careers.
“He devoted himself to serving to aspiring younger minds and inspiring up-and-coming expertise
to forge a manner into the enterprise,” stated Marranzino, who has been with the company for 41
years. “Hagan helped set up our Household, Enjoyable, and Freedom tradition. He was my pal and
all the time stated, ‘enjoyable is the place you discover it.’ ”
Hagan served on the Ronald McDonald Home and the Colorado Historical past Museum boards, amongst
different boards. He remained lively and visited with the company into his late-80s.
“He uncovered us to his love of journey, impressed us to be adventurous,” stated granddaughter Kate Rundles. “He confirmed us the world and he inspired us to place enjoyable first, so we by no means needed to ‘work’ a day in our lives,” added granddaughter Emily Rundles.
Hagan is survived by his spouse, Pat; daughters Kathy Hagan, Kelly Steppler, Sue Heisterman; stepdaughters, grandchildren, nice grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Particulars of an upcoming service will quickly be introduced.