Michael “Mick” Verne Parrott, 86, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, died Sunday, March 29, 2026.
“Mick” Parrott began his business career in the 1960s with Inland Steel in Chicago and later moved to Fort Wayne with ESSEX International. He served as President of Dunbar Furniture in Berne, IN, in 1974, and returned to Fort Wayne in 1980 to acquire Customcraft, Inc. and establish ICON International which consisted of 3 companies – Icon Exhibits, Plasticworks and Displaysource. Mick infused ICON with his passion for architecture, design, quality, and efficiency, growing it into a market leader in the events industry and pioneering the development of the United States’ first modular aluminum exhibit systems for trade shows, museums, and science centers.
The demand for these specialized products prompted Mick to launch Highmark TechSystems in 1996 to serve a wider range of indoor and outdoor events. Additionally, he merged ICON with Delphi Productions to create Group Delphi, where he served as Chairman until 2020. During this period, Mick also served on the Board of Directors of Grange Insurance Companies in Columbus, OH, and served as Board Chairman from 2007 to 2013. Mick was honored as Indiana Entrepreneur of the Year in 1997 and received the exhibit industry’s highest accolade, the Hazel Hays Award, in 2016.
