Ken White Passes

[RickUK]

So sorry to hear the passing of Ken White,interesting read about his contribution to detecting and have always been a Whites detector owner.....R.I.P Ken.

[Bill (S. CA)]

I recall several years ago that Ken White kept one of every model detector that White's ever made.  That would be a great collection to see.

[Hard Prospector]

I happened by the Whites factory some years ago and they did indeed have what appeared to be some kind museum of all Whites  detectors made going back several plus decades.

Suppose I'll keep my Sierra Gold Trac (have all coils for it) as it was fun to use and found plenty of gold with it.  Although in its last days  I was somewhat unhappy with the customer service I received at White's,  no hard feelings remain and I wish the family well.

[mn90403]

Ah, I didn't see this until after I was informed through an unusual source.

Today I had reason to talk to my T Mobile customer service rep about international calling.  I was informed that text and data were 'free' outside of the United States but calls would be $.25 per minute.  At the end of the call I always ask where someone if from so that I get an idea of where the rep is sitting.

When I guessed the rep's accent to be from Texas or New Mexico she told me she was actually from Oregon.  Then she said Sweet Home!  I said I do metal detecting and she said White's was part of the family!!!  She then asked which detector I have and I said the 6000 DI Pro and she said she knew it and the other detectors.  She told me how she was related to the White's family and that her 'uncle' was the man who took over from the founders.  

She told me that this man had passed away on January 3rd.  I had not read the post.

It is a small world if we just ask the right questions.  RIP

Mitchel

[SeabeeRon]

25 minutes ago, mn90403 said:

Ah, I didn't see this until after I was informed through an unusual source.

Today I had reason to talk to my T Mobile customer service rep about international calling.  I was informed that text and data were 'free' outside of the United States but calls would be $.25 per minute.  At the end of the call I always ask where someone if from so that I get an idea of where the rep is sitting.

When I guessed the rep's accent to be from Texas or New Mexico she told me she was actually from Oregon.  Then she said Sweet Home!  I said I do metal detecting and she said White's was part of the family!!!  She then asked which detector I have and I said the 6000 DI Pro and she said she knew it and the other detectors.  She told me how she was related to the White's family and that her 'uncle' was the man who took over from the founders.  

She told me that this man had passed away on January 3rd.  I had not read the post.

It is a small world if we just ask the right questions.  RIP

Mitchel

Wow!  Thanks for sharing that experience.  As you sad, it really is a small world! 

[Melbeta]

On 1/18/2024 at 9:12 AM, Jim in Idaho said:

Really sorry to hear that. I appreciate the notice. That was quite a family, and they left a strong legacy.

Jim

 

[Melbeta]

Just now, Melbeta said:

 

Never knew Ken White JR, knew his dad Ken White SENIOR, very gracious and nice man. HE told me, one of his dealers, "My name is on my detectors. Send every one you take in on trade, back to me, and i will update them", and that is what I did. He not only updated them to the next possible higher update, he often put them into newer cases, and NO CHARGE for any work on them. Never charged me any shipping charges either. I will say I was a dealer for many manufacturers, and he was the ONLY MANUFACTURER who ever did that for me! So KUDO's to you KEN WHITE SR, and KUDO's to Ken White JR as well. I even had one customer who wanted his detector updatd into an gold nugget detector. Ken said send it back to me, I will do it. I sent it back, they updated it, again free of charge, and my customer was elated... Now that is REAL SERVICE!!!

MELBETA

[SeabeeRon]

47 minutes ago, Melbeta said:

Never knew Ken White JR, knew his dad Ken White SENIOR, very gracious and nice man. HE told me, one of his dealers, "My name is on my detectors. Send every one you take in on trade, back to me, and i will update them", and that is what I did. He not only updated them to the next possible higher update, he often put them into newer cases, and NO CHARGE for any work on them. Never charged me any shipping charges either. I will say I was a dealer for many manufacturers, and he was the ONLY MANUFACTURER who ever did that for me! So KUDO's to you KEN WHITE SR, and KUDO's to Ken White JR as well. I even had one customer who wanted his detector updatd into an gold nugget detector. Ken said send it back to me, I will do it. I sent it back, they updated it, again free of charge, and my customer was elated... Now that is REAL SERVICE!!!

MELBETA

He knew his business that is for sure!  Thanks for that story!

[Melbeta]

1 minute ago, SeabeeRon said:

He knew his business that is for sure!  Thanks for that story!

Your welcome SeabeeRon, yes Ken White Sr knew very well how to run a business. I did what he did myself in real estate. What happened? I took over the real estate listings in the area. Now the board and the older larger companies, did not like it, so they met, and began to go after me. But I not only studied Geology, I studied law at the Univ of Nebr. So I gathered up the material, sent it the US Dept of Justice, by way of the US Federal Trade Commission, and next thing I knew, I was being interviewed by the Colo attorney generals people. It went all the way to the Colo Supreme Court, and brought into existence, just before the Supreme Court gave their final verdict, the state passed the Colo Anti-Trust Act, which is now STATE LAW, and a very viable state law it is...

One must remember, that people, not money, is out business. And Ken White Sr, who before he ran Whites Electronics, ran a hardware store and knew he had to deal with people in order to operate, and I learned that same lesson... Treat people fairly and well, and one will climb the ladder to success. Unfortunately too many think gathering money is there business... Dealing with people is my main business!

Melbeta