Selden "Brad" Hirni

Selden "Brad" Hirni passed away on September 9, 2019.

Selden B. Hirni, was born on August 15, 1941 in Kansas City, Missouri to parents Clay and Marvel Hirni. Brad was a 1959 graduate of Liberty High School and 1963 graduate of William Jewell College. He married his college sweetheart, Rosie, in 1963 and celebrated 56 wonderful years of marriage. He began his teaching career at North Kansas City High School and later became a popular professor at Park College and Webster University.

After moving to Westfield, Massachusetts Brad received his MBA at AIC and he began his business career as marketing director for Channing L. Bete, then Scotts Ed. Division. While in Massachusetts, he and Rosie enjoyed traveling to Cape Cod, Maine, and Nova Scotia. Brad later returned to Kansas City and began working for Barickman Adv. where he managed 17 divisions of Phillips Chemical Company.

Known as an accomplished speaker, writer, teacher, mentor, seminar leader, and experienced marketing executive, Brad was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award from William Jewell College in 2014 for his tireless hours of mentoring and advising. He authored the popular seminar Networking Your Way to New Business and continued as Principal of Echo Marketing Consultants and Brad Hirni International.

He was a member and director of KC Inventors Club, MBA Executives and President of SME in 1980. He was also a member of KC Swiss Society and the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta.

He had a passion for trout fishing at Bennett Springs and enjoyed hunting, photography, archery, motorcycle touring, and music, especially playing the guitar and singing folk music with Rosie.

He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his loving wife, Rosa Hirni; sister Cynthia (Robert) Raines; sister-in-law, Carol (John) Becker; as well as his niece and nephew, Sally and Matt Swearingen.

It was Brad’s wish to be cremated and a memorial service to celebrate his life and legacy will be held in mid-October. Details on the time and date will be available soon. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Lung Association.

A kind quote from one of Brad’s many clients: “When one reaches out to another as you do, it is truly a blessing and I am touched by the experience.”