Dates
Kenneth (Ken) Lee Means, age 69 passed away unexpectantly in San Angelo, TX, May 7, 2025. He was a seasoned professional who made significant contributions to the telecommunications and messaging industry for over 42 years. Most recently, he served as the President of Means Inc, a multifaceted automotive company specializing in car sales, collision repair, and car and truck rentals.
With a background deeply rooted in telephony and messaging applications, Ken was recognized as one of the industry's true pioneers in business communications. Throughout his career, he garnered a wealth of knowledge and solutions that have proven indispensable in the ever-evolving business landscape. Ken's expertise spanned a wide spectrum, from PBX installation to message and network server design, earning him numerous awards and certifications for maintaining a vast array of equipment.
In addition to his remarkable telecommunications career, Ken's recent five-year tenure as President of Means Inc demonstrated his adaptability and leadership in a different industry. Under his guidance, Means Inc has thrived as a reputable car sales and collision repair facility, along with offering car and truck rental services.
Ken's unique blend of experience in both the messaging and automotive sectors positioned him as a versatile and forward-thinking professional. His keen understanding of past, present, and future business communication needs allowed him to grasp paradigm shifts better than most in the country.
Born on August 31, 1955, in DuBois, PA to George Jr. and Carol (Ashenfelter) Means, he was the eldest son of five children in the Means family. A 1974 graduate of Warren Area High School followed by some college coursework started his career journey. Early employment included The Warren Times-Observer, Loranger Manufacturing, and then a small start-up communications firm, Choice Communications, Inc., all located in Warren, PA. He mastered the nuances of large NEC PBX phone systems and networking interfaces, mostly for large VA-hospitals located in Ohio, Louisiana, and then Texas taking him to employment as a field engineer for Siemens Corp. It was here that he began his path in voicemail technology. In the late 1999, he partnered with Les Oldam, financial and sales expert, Robert St Clair, operations titan, and Ken as product development and field engineer and in 2001 established Telephony Information Solutions, known as TEL-IS, Inc. based in Abilene, TX. Tel-IS had offices in the DFW Metroplex and specialized in voicemail and business networking platforms. This company serviced major corporate clientele which afforded Ken the ability to travel extensively through 5 continents, fostering his wanderlust to experience new places and things. Ken was recognized as one of the industry's true pioneers in business communications.
In 2018 family circumstances had Ken return to Warren, PA and assume the operations of Means, Inc. In late 2022, he assumed the role as President for Means, Inc.
While at Loranger Manufacturing, Ken met his wife of 44 years, Frances (Fran Neely) Jespersen and married her as a “package” becoming not only husband but stepfather to three beautiful little boys. He is survived by his wife, Fran and his sons, Timothy, wife Gin of San Angelo, TX, Dana and partner Miranda of Sevierville, TN, and Andrew, and wife Sharon of Pearland, TX as well as grandsons, Wyatt and Gibson of Pea Ridge, AR and Shaydon, Mason and granddaughter, Sydney in Sevierville, TN. Pop-Pop will be sadly missed. Also surviving are his siblings, Cindy Garrison, husband Bob, and Robyn Edwards and husband Tim, all of Warren, PA and Len Means and partner Deb, of Russell, PA as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Ken is proceeded in death by his parents, George Jr and Carol Means and a sister, Cheryl Nuhfer Means. A memorial will be held at 3:00 PM Saturday, May 24, 2025, at the First Lutheran Church, 109 W, 3rd Avenue, Warren, PA 16365. All are welcome to come and share his life with our family. Memorials may be directed to The American Heart Association or charity of your choice. Many thanks to the Harper Funeral Home, San Angelo, TX www.harper-funeralhome.com and Peterson-Blick Funeral Home, Warren, PA www.petersonblickfuneralhome.com for their assistance.