Tribute to a Blood Brother

The grown man wept without shame. One by one, heavyweights in the outdoors industry lined up to thank him and shake his hand.
Moments earlier, Outdoor Guide boating editor Darrell Taylor, and outdoors public relations specialist, Kevin Howard (Howard Communications), had presented Curt Hicken with a brand new, Browning Citori shotgun. It was a bird hunter's dream.
They had conspired along with the board of directors of the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers (AGLOW) and its officers to honor the retiring executive director for his long-term service and dedication to the group at its annual conference in September, which was held in Gaylord, MI.
“I don't know what to say. I am overwhelmed,” Hicken said, as tears rolled down his cheeks.
“No need to say anything.” I smiled.
“You deserve it and more. Take your accolades like a man.”
He laughed.
AGLOW, one of the oldest and largest outdoor writer groups in America was celebrating fifty-four years of history. Not all those years were glorious, and as a past president and executive director for more than a decade, Hicken had ridden the roller coaster of good times and bad.
“About fifteen years ago or so, we started to decline a bit,” Hicken had told me.
“Our members were aging, and we weren't recruiting young communicators fast enough. About ten years ago or so we reached our nadir, and I thought AGLOW might not survive.
“We had a couple, poorly-attended conferences, and we were losing members at a rapid rate. And like any business or organization, there is that cycle of growth, maturation and decline.”
What Hicken is reluctant to tell anyone is he is primarily responsible for AGLOW's relatively recent resurgence.
As soon as Hicken took over as executive director, he and past presidents like Tim Lesmeister, Dan Donarski, Mike Schoonveld, and others, began to recruit younger folks into the group and onto the board of directors.
Hicken's vision of tourism and its place as a corporate partner turned out to be one of the key factors in AGLOW's comeback, too.
“Early on, I felt that none of the other writer groups, including us, were paying enough attention to the tourism aspect of the outdoors. If you'll remember, those early years when we had special events at our conferences, many of the writers grumbled about having to attend.
“But it is a natural. Every outdoor story begins with a destination. Now we have more tourism corporates then any other writers group, and you know how valuable they have become as it relates to event sponsorship. Now our members and tourism folks can't wait to get together.
“The convention and tourism bureaus bring young, enthusiastic and pretty faces to the party. The whole look of our organization has changed,” he says.
As a former board member and AGLOW past president, I have worked closely with Hicken for several years now.
He was one of the very first editors for Outdoor Guide Magazine , and at a time when I didn't know a spinning reel from a baitcaster, Hicken mentored me into the business.
We've been down a lot of trails together.
Any of the past presidents will tell you, Hicken's influence on AGLOW has been significant. He has had one great idea after another. I know.
We have stolen several of them for our state group, the Missouri Outdoor Communicators, one of the largest state writer organizations in America.
I watched him over the years as he wrestled and worried with all the details involved in event planning for the major conferences.
In just my few years with AGLOW leadership responsibilities, I've seen how our annual conclave has become big business. What once were simple duties have become almost a full-time job for the executive director.
Glenn Sapir, a general for the National Shooting Sports Foundation shook Hicken's hand and thanked him.
Ron Bice, public relations director for Wildlife Research Center, and our retiring Corporate Member Liaison hugged him. Bice was a huge force in our resurgence over these past years, as well, and has served on AGLOW's board for a decade.
There was Jim Reid from Coleman, Tony Macrito from General Motors, Bill Hilts, Sr., an award winning outdoors journalist, Paul Beachnau, Gaylord tourism supreme commander, and so many others.
Past presidents and future presidents all took turns congratulating this fine man for his many years of dedication and service to AGLOW.
I thought for a second during the bittersweet moment and smiled.
For I knew that soon he would have more time for fishing and hunting.
And I couldn't wait to spend it outdoors with a man who had become a great friend.