ATLANTA — John Riddle Sr., whose trade show management and consulting firm organized and ran The Clean Show for nearly three decades, died peacefully in his home here on Friday, Feb. 13. He was 85.
While his personal connection to the premier U.S. textile care trade show dated back to 1981, Riddle & Associates first produced the every-other-year event under contract with textile care industry trade associations in 1992. The 2019 Clean Show was his last, after the show had been sold to Messe Frankfurt.
In a profile released just prior to that event in New Orleans, Riddle said he would miss the relationships that he had built along the way.
“There are so many of you out there I enjoyed friendships with, enjoyed cutting up and kidding with,” he said. “I’m a big jokester. Love to have fun. I love to work hard but I love to have fun, too. I’m going to miss it. There’s no doubt about me being emotional.”
Riddle was born to William Homer Riddle and Fannie Johnson Riddle in Kannapolis, N.C. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Buck and Bill Riddle, and sister Betty Riddle Daniels.
He attended Mars Hill (N.C.) College, where he was inducted in its Hall of Fame for his baseball accomplishments. Riddle played professional baseball in the Baltimore Orioles organization, advancing to the AAA level before an injury ended his career. He stayed in baseball for a while, directing operations and ticket sales for the Atlanta Braves. He served as general manager of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau in the mid-1970s.
Riddle was an entrepreneur whose business ventures included bull breeding, independent retail and ticket sales, rodeo promotion, mesquite wood wholesaling, event bleacher services, and boat-to-door shrimp sales.
In addition to his work on behalf of The Clean Show, he also served as floor manager for some of the largest U.S. trade shows, including the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), Interwire, and The Swimming Pool and Spa shows.
Greg Jira, group show director for Messe Frankfurt Inc. - The Clean Show, says he and his staff were saddened to learn of Riddle’s death.
“John’s leadership, professionalism, and dedication helped shape the event into the industry cornerstone it is today,” Jira says. “We are grateful for his lasting contributions and for the many relationships he nurtured throughout the industry. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of working with him.”
Riddle’s legacy will continue to be felt throughout the Clean Show community, adds Jira.
“He — and all his stories — will be greatly missed. I will always fondly remember the humorous way he told the story about the time the steam boiler wasn’t working in New Orleans. After many people tried to fix it, a local boiler operator finally stepped in and said, ‘You need water in the boiler.’ John loved sharing a laugh at his own expense, and that warmth and humor are part of what made him so special.”
A Celebration of Life followed by a reception has been scheduled for March 8 at H.M. Patterson & Son-Oglethorpe Hill, 4550 Peachtree Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30319.
RELATED: “The Man Behind the Clean Show,” April 2019
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