It is with great sadness that we say farewell to Stu Auerbach, the founder of Kellyco Metal Detectors. He is regarded as a true pioneer in the recreational metal detecting industry. All of us at Minelab who knew Stu over many years were always appreciative of his collaborative support and his willingness to share his knowledge about detecting. Indeed we worked closely together to promote our products to detecting enthusiasts across America, and beyond.
After using mine detectors in the army, in the mid 1950’s, Stu built the Kellyco business in Florida ‘from the ground up’, starting with surplus army detectors sold from the back of his car. With the advances of solid-state electronics and the rise in detector manufacturers across the decades, Kellyco was always at the forefront of promoting the excitement of treasure hunting to new generations of adventure seekers and a trusted source of product and information for the detecting community.
Stu visited Minelab, in Australia, when we were just a small start-up company. When Minelab expanded our operations into USA in the late 1990’s, we looked to Stu to help guide and light the way. Kellyco went on to become one of our major worldwide dealer partners.
In 2010 Minelab awarded Stu our inaugural Eagle Award for leadership and lifetime achievement, followed by a Pioneer award in 2011 and numerous sales excellence awards.
Minelab passes on our condolences to David, the Auerbach family and Kellyco staff, knowing that Stu will be fondly remembered by all. He leaves us with a legacy and vision that will endure, as treasure hunters around the world seek their next great find.
See the full history of Kellyco here.
