KM Group president Edwin Boorman dies

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Today brought the sad news of the death of KM (Kent Messenger) Group president Edwin Boorman OBE (picture: KM Group).

He had been taken ill before Christmas and died on Wednesday night.

I am sure I am not alone, certainly among the people of Kent and staff at the KM, in being saddened by this news.

It was relevant to me as my career in journalism started at the KM, and I had five very productive years there.

I joined as a junior reporter in 2005 after a dramatic career change led me to fulfill my ambitions of becoming a journalist.

As an aspring hack, I knew how difficult it was to get a job on a newspaper, and had, at the age of 30, completed a “work experience” stint at my local among a group of  journalists all younger than myself and with less “experience” in the work place.

But I swallowed my pride and got down to the job in hand, doing whatever it took to get a position on a local rag.

I was incredibly fortunate my CV was spotted by the recruitment team at the KM, and after an interview I was offered a job on one of their papers, the Tunbridge Wells Extra. I was absolutely over the moon.

I spent three years with the group as a reporter, which  I confess included some very challenging moments, before I was offered a job as news editor.

During that time I met Mr Boorman a few times, once at an awards ceremony. He was very warm to his staff despite being “the boss”, and enjoyed a drink and a laugh with the reporters.I  remember he had a great sense of humour.

When I started he was the group’s chairman but passed that role to his daughter Geraldine in 2006  when he became president.

Today’s news  gave me cause to think back on my days at the KM and I remember them  fondly.

Don’t get me wrong, being a reporter on a local newspaper was the toughest most frustrating job I have had, but I shall always be thankful to the KM for knocking me into a pretty decent journalist (I like to think).

I am grateful they gave me my first break in the trade and took me on with little more than a Journalism certificate and bucket loads of ambition.

My thoughts are with Geraldine and Mr Boorman’s family.

Comments

  1. Anonymous19 March 2012 at 23:17

    Nice to read the great attributes to Edwin Boorman but there is no reference to him sacking 155 members of staff in 1985.
    Many of these people had served most of their lives for his company (Kent Messenger) and were thrown out on the scap heap at a whim.
    No thought was given to them, many of whom had children and mortgages, others who had served over 25 years' service, and had their lives ruined.
    RIP Edwin Boorman, we remember you.

    ReplyDelete

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