Following a brief illness George Sinclair, founder and executive director of Universal Images Group, Ltd. died from cardiac arrest on Thursday November 20, 2014, at 9:30pm in London.?
For nearly 40 years, George had a tremendous impact on the stock photography industry, holding leadership positions in a number of companies, including Getty Images, Corbis, Atex, Sinclair Communications / Imaging / Services and Muirhead Group before starting the Virtual Picture Desk consultancy and the Universal Images Group business.
George was involved in many pioneering industry development including: the Encyclopedia Britannica’s Image Quest service, trans-global color imaging transmission in the 70’s, digital imaging technology such as the virtual picture desk (an interface between satellite weather systems and the news print industry), the early implementation of the first digital cameras in the 1980’s and a number of projects with the goal to bring photography to the 21st Century.
George affected and influenced many careers and mediated and negotiated many key relationships in the stock photo industry. He was always willing to volunteer his time and chaired and organized many industry events for ASPP and BAPLA, including the wonderful reception at the British Embassy during the CEPIC Congress in Berlin this past June.??
He was always a friend to the arts giving up his free time to support several projects within his work and private life as the former Director of Symphony Orchestra in New Jersey, Trustee and Secretary of College Men’s Club, Westfield, NJ and as the Co-Founder of Bromley Children’s Diabetic Society.??
George will be terribly missed and is survived by his wife Ruth Hytry, his children Olivia, Cameron and Alexander, and his many grandchildren.
A service will be held in Putney Vale Crematorium (Stag Ln, London SW15 3DZ, United Kingdom) on November 29th, 10:45am. A reception will follow. All are welcome.
Instead of flowers, a fund to the Macmillan Foundation has been set up to receive charitable donations in his name. See
this link for details.