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09/04/2009 21:48
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| The members of RICS Americas, particularly those in the Houston, Texas, and whole South Central region of the United States, were saddened to learn of the passing of Ken Busby FRICS, Monday, August 31, 2009. Ken was among RICS USA’s first chairmen (1999-2001) after spending the previous two decades fostering the little-known profession of "Quantity Surveying" in the Houston, Texas, area. He influenced and mentored many quantity surveying practitioners in RICS and at his own firm, Busby and Associates, which was acquired by Turner & Townsend earlier this year. Ken got his start at Turner & Townsend in England more than 40 years ago. According to Bunmi Osazuwa MRICS, Ken was more than a boss and a mentor but was a father figure, as well. “I was first introduced to Ken at an RICS function in New York. He assured me I would have a place at Busby and Associates if I was ready to move back to Texas,” she recalled. “Six months after that meeting I joined Busby and Associates. “He schooled people gently in what had to be done. This was how he managed his Quantity Surveying business, from 1982 till 2008 and the acquisition by Turner and Townsend,” Osazuwa said. “Ken endeared loyalty from all his employees and almost everyone associated with Busby & Associates.” (For Bunmi Osazuwa’s full statement on Ken, please click here.) Steve Williams, past president of RICS (2005-06), recalled Ken as a close friend and colleague. “Ken and I were close friends when we lived near each other in the Dairy-Ashford area of west Houston,” he recalled. “Together we had tried without much success in the 1980s to rally RICS interest in Texas and the South Central United States. But it didn’t really amount to much until the RICS decided to hold a members’ meeting in New York in 1998.” “Not mincing his words that day in New York - for Ken was a plain-talking Yorkshireman - Ken expressed definite ideas on our behalf about being careful to adapt to American practices and not let RICS founder because it was perceived as too British," Williams said. "So forceful was his message that it was no surprise when we elected him one of our early RICS Americas Chairmen.” Simon Taylor FRICS, former chairman of RICS Americas (2005-07) and current chairman of the RICS Americas Construction Council, recalled Ken’s efforts for the profession. “Ken was a true stalwart of the USA QS scene, a great advocate for RICS and a gentle giant of a human being,” Taylor said. “He will be remembered with fondness by all those of us active when we were first getting this going.” Ken’s funeral service will be held Thursday, September 10, 2009 in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England. Friends who want to attend or would like to send flowers may contact RICS Americas at ricsamericas@rics.org for details. Ken’s family is encouraging people, as well, to make donations in support of prostate cancer research to a fund of personal choice. Friends who want to send words of condolence and remembrance of Ken to be read after the funeral may send them to RICS Americas Managing Director Matt Bruck at mbruck@rics.org, who will convey the messages to the Busby family. There will also be a memorial service in Houston within the next month. Details are not yet available. |