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Obituary: Industry pioneer Tom Togher 1940-2007 We must apologise for the inordinate time delay in bringing you this sad news, but Tom Togher, pioneer of both the original Hire News magazine and Hirex, died at the end of January at the age of 66. Tom, from Co. Galway, in partnership with Brian Shannon, published the first edition of Hire News in December 1971. Tom was an entrepreneur and saw the start of the growth in the tool hire market and the need for an exhibition to link the newly formed hire companies with manufacturers and suppliers. According to the many friends who have sent tributes to Tom, he built his success on his personality and ability to work with, and listen to, hire companies and suppliers to determine their needs from an exhibition and trade magazine. After the first couple of exhibitions Tom formed a Hirex Committee of Suppliers/Manufacturers to discuss the needs of the exhibitors and each of the Committee members agreed to represent product sectors of the industry. In 1979 Tom took full ownership of Hire News and Hirex. Tributes to Tom say that he was one of life’s great characters and, with his Irish charm, very easily got people to work with him, not for him. Tom was passionate about his work and cared about people. His strongest supporter throughout his working life was his wife Marge, who played a big part in his success story. Having
sold
Hirex
and
Hire
News
to
EMAP
in
1984,
Tom
wanted
to
retire
and
play
Space precludes us from publishing more than a few of the many tributes paid to Tom, but Ray Caulfield, former Errut MD, describes him as “one of our industry’s great characters and a true friend who will be sadly missed by so many.” Mark Rogers, MD of Hire Technicians, whose father John opened the first hire shop in the UK in 1955, says “Tom took our hire industry into the 20th Century and did so with flair and humour. He was a great person to know.” Pierre Boels, MD of Boels BV, pays tribute by saying, “Tom will be remembered as a pioneer for the UK rental industry and the concrete equipment industry, and my family and I will remember him as a professional businessman who was always a good friend.” On behalf on the entire hire industry, we would like to pay our respects to one of our industry’s pioneers, ambassadors and good friends, who will be greatly missed. We would also like to send sincere condolences to his family. Executive Hire News › Archives › August 2007 › Obituary: Industry pioneer Tom Togher 1940-2007
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