Funeral services will be Saturday for Kenneth Risk of Kimball…President of George Risk Industries. Risk passed away Wednesday at age 64.
The youngest and sole surviving son of company founder George Risk, Ken Risk served in the U-S Navy during the Vietnam war, then worked at a variety of jobs…including some with his father’s firm…before starting his own company in Hastings, Platte Valley Sales and Service, in 1981.
After his father’s death in 1989, Ken Risk became the head of George Risk Industries as well and ran both companies until 1996 when he sold Platte Valley Sales.
Under his leadership, George Risk Industries expanded its product line…which now includes security products for the security industry, data entry peripherals, proximity sensors, and a wide variety of pushbutton switches.
The company also added a facility in Gering to its main operations in Kimball and employed about 300 people before the recession. It still has more than 150.
George Risk was one of the founders of St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, and Ken Risk followed his father’s example of supporting programs to help young people…especially the Teammates mentoring program created by Tom and Nancy Osborne.
He served on the Teammates’ Kimball area board, on the state Teammates program board from 2003-2009, and on its Foundation Board from 2008, but was active with many other boards and committees.
An avid pilot, Risk was named to the Nebraska Aeronautics Board in 1999 and the Kimball County Aeronautics Board in 2000…serving on each until his death. He also served on the Greater Nebraska Work Task Force board in 1998, and last summer accompanied Nebraska Governor Heineman on a trade mission to China.
Memorial services for Ken Risk will be Saturday afternoon at 3:00 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Kimball with Reverend Christine Plantz officiating.
Memorials have been established to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Kimball Teammates Program, or Prairie Haven Hospice. Online condolences may be made at the Cantrell Funeral Home website www.cantrellfh.com