In Memoriam

As the excitement, wonder and awe of the IMTS 2012 event showcases the latest advances in metalworking technology, it is with a heavy heart that I must pause to share the sad news of the passing of a great man.

On August 6th the publishing industry lost one of its own, Tony Morrison, who unexpectedly passed away at his home at the age of 44.

Tony was the owner and publisher of Fabricating & Metalworking and also performed some management and administrative duties behind the scenes of our sister publication, Industrial Machinery Digest. He was a deacon of Westwood Baptist Church in his community and served in their children’s ministry. In everything that he did, whether business or pleasure, Tony always put his family first and was a beloved husband, father, son and friend.

He is survived by his wife of 14 years, Janna Morrison, who has taken the helm of Fabricating & Metalworking as owner and president, and their daughter, Avery Claire Morrison, along with a host of family members and friends.

I had the privilege of working closely with Tony for the past 14 years. We first met in 1998 when he was an advertising sales manager. He had come up through the welding industry as an authorized third-party inspector of pressure vessels, and his knowledge of metal fabrication and machining provided a personal bond between us that grew over time into a very close relationship.

His success in sales eventually earned him the title of publisher of Fabricating & Metalworking in 2002. From there he helped revamp the design of the magazine and raised the mutual respect of our readers and our clients through continual expansion and improvement of our content and services. He loved the magazine so much that he bought it outright in 2010 and, as owner, he assembled and built one of the most talented teams in the trade press.