Bob Hamrick

I am now the past-president of the Old Town Association and part of a committee that's writing a book on the entire history of Old Town (with writer Bob Hamrick, photographer Jim Siebert, graphic designer Jim Kandt, her father and Ann Keefer of the Wichita Downtown Development Corp.). I'm vice president of Botanica and a member of Chamber of Commerce's Leadership in Training committee.

Thirty years after being diagnosed with diabetes, Bob Hamrick has decided to devote his time to helping others with the disease.

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Hamrick, 52, left his job as vice president of account planning at Sullivan Higdon & Sink, where he worked as a copy writer for 17 years.His last day was June 30.

Although his departure is being called a retirement, Hamrick says he plans to do just as much work as before.

Hamrick will continue to do some part-time consultation for SHS, but his full-time job will be writing books to help people learn how to control their own diabetes.

Hamrick is a three-time Emmy Award winner for his copy writing projects at SHS.His work includes the "Take a Second, Make a Difference," "Take It Outside," and "Grow Up With Me" campaigns for the Kansas Health Foundation.

Despite feeling strongly about his decision to leave, Hamrick says that financially it is "the dumbest thing" he's ever done.

"If a client was telling me this, I'd say, 'Back up here.' I don't know if there's a market or money to be made.With that solid foundation, I don't know how I can go wrong," he says sarcastically.

Becoming the target

Hamrick, who was the creative director for the launch of Lantus insulin and is on the national marketing committee for the American Diabetes Association, says he has ideas for four or five books, with a proposal written for one.He is trying to get a publisher.

Joe Norris, managing partner at SHS, says he would have tried to convince Hamrick to stay if Hamrick didn't feel so strongly about his new job.

"I was the guy who hired Bob," Norris says.

The agency also announced the retirement of Bob Hamrick, VP account planning, to pursue a lifelong passion to write for people with diabetes.