On Jan. 9, we got the sad news that Theodore "Ted" Zeigler had passed away. Many of you may not know or remember him, but Ted was the man behind a product that truly revolutionized trade shows and exhibitions.

Ted began his career many years ago as a graphic designer, but he was fascinated by the concept of collapsible structures and was heavily inspired by R. Buckminster "Bucky" Fuller's work on geodesic domes. (One day he fortunately got to meet his idol.) After years of experimentation, Ted launched the first self-locking pop-up display frame in 1975. He named it Instand and was awarded multiple patents for his invention. Nomadic Display was then founded to begin manufacturing in the Washington metropolitan area and establish an international network of distribution partners.

Before Instand, trade show marketers had few choices for their exhibits. They could use the backdrop and generic signage provided by show management, or they could contract with a company to design, fabricate, crate, ship, and install a custom exhibit. For many marketers, this was too cost prohibitive. Instand freed small exhibitors to effectively participate in, and compete at, trade shows.

Instand displays delivered a professional back-wall presentation that combined an ultra-lightweight aluminum frame with custom-printed graphics. The system traveled in a single cylindrical case that could be stowed in the trunk of the car, checked as airline baggage, or shipped by common carrier. Drayage became unnecessary, since Instand could be carried onto the show floor. The displays could be set up by booth staffers in minutes – and without tools – so there was no need for union labor. By significantly reducing show expenses, Ted made it possible for companies to exhibit in more shows and grow their business.

Instand was truly an extraordinary solution for exhibitors. And as testimony to its quality, the system was sold with the industry's first "No Questions Asked" Lifetime Warranty. Even if the owner damaged it, Nomadic provided repairs or replacement free of charge for the life of ownership. Ted was awarded a Busse Gold Medal for Longlife Design, and Instand was placed on exhibit at the Stuttgart Museum in Germany. In 1998, Ted received industrywide recognition when the Exhibit Designers & Producers Association gave him its highest honor, the Hazel Hayes Award. It was a well-deserved tribute to the significant contribution he made as a leader in portable displays.

Over the years, Instand evolved and grew into a robust system whose frames could be used alone or connected to create modular exhibit designs for multiple footprints and island spaces. Meanwhile, Nomadic Display was proud to receive multiple design, show, and service awards.

Ted's ingenuity didn't stop with Instand, He founded a second company to exploit his geometric technology. World Shelters was established to develop rapidly deployable shelters for temporary humanitarian use, such as disaster recovery and emergency medical relief operations.

Today, Ted's invention is a legacy that lives on, and is often imitated. Pop-up displays are ubiquitous, but Ted was the real deal and one of a kind – an industry superhero. It was an honor to know him, and I will always cherish his memory.