Newspaper publisher the KM Group has announced the death of its president Edwin Boorman at the age of 76.
Mr Boorman, who died after a short illness, had served as managing director, chief executive and chairman of the family-owned company, which owns a portfolio of weekly newspapers, websites and radio stations across Kent.
He took on the role of president in January 2006, passing the chairman’s baton to his daughter Geraldine Allinson.
Mr Boorman, left, had been taken ill just before Christmas, and passed away peacefully last night. News of his death was carried today on the Kent Messenger website, KentOnline.
A former president of the Newspaper Society, serving from 2001 to 2002, Mr Boorman was awarded an OBE in 2002 for his services to the Royal British Legion in Kent.
KM Group managing director Richard Elliot described him as “a great figure with a true passion for local journalism”.
He added: “Edwin helped build a company that everyone at the KM Group is proud to work for, and we will all miss him greatly. Our thoughts and best wishes are with Geraldine and all the family.”
Mr Boorman was the third generation in a family that has owned the business since the late 1800s. His daughter is the current president of the NS.
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I would just like to offer my condolences to the Boorman family. Having met Edwin a number of times, he clearly took a genuine interest in the company and its place in the community.
His enthusiasm for the paper continued after his daughter Geraldine took over as chairman and he was particularly active in his charity work as president of the newspaper group. I am sure he will be missed by many.
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I first met Edwin when I joined the KM group in 1968 as launch editor of its evening paper in the Medway Towns. He had an unwavering belief in the value of local newspapers. I admired his ability to fend off predators and maintain the group as a family business based in the community it served so well.
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The Chartered Institute of Journalists, of which Mr Boorman was a member, sends its condolences to his family at this very sad time.
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I first met “Mr Edwin” when I joined the KM group as a down-table sub in 1976. He was always kind and caring, and passionate about local newspapers. A true gentleman who always found time to talk to his staff as he walked through the office. Happy days. He will be missed by many.
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I am sure that everybody who has had the privilege of working for Edwin Boorman will be deeply saddened by this shock news. I spent 10 extremely happy and progressive years – from 1971 to 1981 – working for the Kent Messenger Group, ending that period with more than four years as editor of the Kent Evening Post. Edwin was a true newspaperman and he could sometimes irritate his editors because of his very close interest in the editorial content. He and I had our volatile moments but you always knew that his desire to be involved came from the very best of motives because he loved his newspapers with a passion. Edwin never once mentioned the bottom line to me but he always knew what was on my front page. When I left Kent to become the editor of the Nottingham Evening Post, Edwin and his father both wrote heartfelt letters of congratulation and good wishes in which they were fulsome in their thanks for my efforts. Real gentlemen,both. Edwin wrote: ” I hope you can always speak well of this company.” I always did and, to this day, I still do.
Barrie Williams
Former editor of the Kent Evening Post, the Nottingham Evening Post and the Western Morning News.
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Top man, for me his key attributes were, passion, energy, fun, forbearance, commitment. When he made a decision he stood by it come rain or high water. I liked him. Kent will miss him.
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It was my pleasure to know Edwin Boorman as an employee and as secretary of a charity that he was Patron of. He was “hands on” in both areas. People were not just numbers to him as he took time to know those that worked for him and anyone that he came in contact with. When I retired from the KM, he took the time to e-mail me
with best wishes. As others have said, he was a true gentleman, in every sense and had passion and commitment in everything that he was involved in. He was funny, easy to talk to and had a “twinkle” that made you forgive him instantly, even when he was a bit late for a meeting….
Kent has lost a true ambassador.
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