By Hannah Carver
NKyTribune reporter
In 1958 – the year that the first successful American satellite launched into orbit, and that Congress formally created NASA – Wilbert Ziegler returned home to Northern Kentucky to begin a 60-year legacy at the law firm that now bears his name.
Will Ziegler greets his guests at a celebration in his honor at Ziegler & Schneider, P.S.C. Dozens of friends, family members, and coworkers attended (photos by Hannah Carver).
“Usually they say, ‘Oh, time went so fast,’ and that’s somewhat true,” Ziegler said. “But if you begin to think what went on and what happened and all, it seems like a very long time.”
Ziegler not only serves as president of Ziegler & Schneider, P.S.C., but he’s also been instrumental to Northern Kentucky’s growth, consulting on a number of community projects and organizations.
Perhaps one of his most recognizable contributions is the 50 years he’s spent working as the general counsel for the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). It did not have any representation of its own until 1962 when the senior partner at Ziegler’s firm became its attorney.
“My partner Andy Clark was the designated lawyer,” Ziegler said. “Then suddenly, five years later, he was killed, and my phone rang. I was sitting at home. I had three kids all under eight, had just bought a big house, and our senior partner was dead.”
Clark and his wife died just over a mile away from the airport in a plane crash that killed more than 60 of its 78 passengers just a few days prior to Thanksgiving.
This framed picture has a message to Ziegler signed by astronaut Neil Armstrong, who also served on the Kenton County Airport Board. Armstrong is fourth from the right, and Ziegler is sixth from the right (click to enlarge).
At that point, at the age of 34, Ziegler took over both as senior partner of the firm and as general counsel for the airport. Since, he has watched CVG grow into one of the nation’s top-ranking airports.
“It was an opportunity. It was an honor. It was great to be a part of it,” Ziegler said. “Had I found out that I was going to spend the rest of my career being a litigate, fighting with people and arguing with people… I don’t know that I’d still be a lawyer. It was more fun to be a part of building something than trying to tear it down.”
Of course, CVG is just one of many aspects of Northern Kentucky that Ziegler has helped build over the years:
- He still serves as President of the R.C. Durr Foundation, Inc., which aims to improve the quality of life in Northern Kentucky.
- He was an officer and director of the Northern Kentucky Industrial Foundation and helped build the industrial park of Boone and Kenton counties.
- He was elected President of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and then served two terms as a board member of the Kentucky State Chamber of Commerce.
- For 25 years, he served as general counsel for The Bank of Kentucky, Inc. until its merger with BB&T in 2015.
- He helped construct the Northern Kentucky Convention Center and served as the center’s legal counsel.
- He was also instrumental in the formation of North Key and served as that board’s first president.
Ziegler credits his first wife of 56 years, Helen, for his long career. She worked at the University of Cincinnati’s Central Clinic for 40 years up until her death a little more than four years ago.
That list does not even encompass all of the functions he has played over his 60-year career. Just in the last few days, Ziegler attended his last meeting as a member of the Northern Kentucky Independent District Board of Health.
He filled that role for about 14 years, and for eight of those, he’s worked alongside District Director of Health Dr. Lynne Saddler.
“When I was thinking about if I had to pick a couple of words to describe him, three really come to mind: Kind, generous, and wise,” Saddler said. “I don’t know where we’d be in Northern Kentucky if it weren’t for him and the Durr Foundation.”
Ziegler has run the foundation for 11 years now, and he describes it as a joy.
“As the work of the foundation has grown and grown, my law practice then faded back, which is fine,” Ziegler said. “It’s a lot more fun giving away money than it is sitting at a law office desk.”
Ziegler credits his first wife with the length of his career. For 40 years, and up until her death, Helen Ziegler worked at the University of Cincinnati’s Central Clinic as their Human Resources Director and Assistant to the Executive Director.
“I used to tease her, you know. I’d say, well you’re married to your job, and I’d get a couple of nasty comments,” Ziegler said. “But when she left, I either sat at home or wandered over here and got to work, so that was one of the big things that probably kept me active.”
Plus, Ziegler said, he enjoyed what he was doing and the people with whom he worked.
A proclamation declaring June 14, 2018, Wilbert L. Ziegler Day in Crescent Springs (click to enlarge).
Among his colleagues is Kathy Collins, who has served on the Airport Board for the last eight years. She described Ziegler as someone who stays calm through everything and always rises to the occasion.
“When I think of Will, I think of him as a professional that I respect highly, and above all, a gentleman,” Collins said. “He’s always been top of the mark with any advice that he provides.”
To celebrate 60 years, friends and family gathered Thursday at Ziegler’s law firm. As a part of the festivities, Crescent Springs Mayor Lou Hartfiel presented Ziegler with a proclamation, acknowledging his “guidance, great knowledge, acumen and legal acuity.”
David Schneider, for whom the firm is also named, gave credit to how Ziegler was able to do so much for the firm, having taken it over at such a young age. He described Ziegler as a mentor and good friend and said he hopes to see the firm continue in the same tradition.
Ziegler expressed similar aspirations:
“I hope that this law firm continues indefinitely and that they are able to maintain the reputation, not just for the quality of work but integrity that I, and Schneider, try to maintain and safeguard. That’s the legacy that I hope continues on.”
Contact the Northern Kentucky Tribune at news@nkytrib.com
Will Zeigler was also the City Attorney for the City of Fort Mitchell for over 20 years. He was a great asset to the city. A somewhat laid back person Will would normally give an opinion when asked or when he felt the discussion was headed in a direction that could put the city in a dangerous position. But, he was extremely successful in preventing the city from losing and cases that went to litigation. Will is an extremely level-headed and intelligent and is highly regarded as the “dean” or one of a few “deans” of municipal and planning and Zoning law in Northern Kentucky if not the entire state.