Ken Gettleman served Modern Machine Shop, a publication of Gardner Business Media, for more than 40 years, and was its top editor for the last ten of those years. Ken retired in 1991, only to lose a fight with cancer less than a year later. Throughout his career, Ken was keenly interested in world affairs. He insisted that international trade was one of the strongest forces for advancing social freedom, the rule of law and peace among nations.

Ken was an early advocate for Numerical Control and pioneered in reporting in the progress of NC to CNC and the dynamic changes computers would make in manufacturing. He was a visionary.

Ken believed that positive forces could create great positive change, especially when those forces had conscientious advocates to speak for them. Ken believed in progress. He was an optimist. And he believed that editorial values should reflect that spirit of advocacy, leadership and optimism. That was Ken's legacy, and it still abides.