Kukla's Korner Hockey
Blue Jackets Majority Owner Passes Away
by Alanah McGinley on 04/25/08 at 05:39 PM ET
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From Michael Arace and Ron Carter at The Columbus Dispatch:
John H. McConnell, son of a steelworker, father to a new branch of the steel industry and majority owner of the Columbus Blue Jackets hockey team, died today after a long illness. He was 84.
Despite his business success, he never forgot his hardscrabble beginnings, the iconic industrialist who ran Worthington Industries as if he still wore coveralls. He was known as “Mr. Mac” to one and all, and when he removed the cigar from his mouth, he talked plain.
“It just came natural,” he said in a 1996 interview. “You don’t cheat. You don’t lie. You help your neighbor.”
continued… (*thanks to a KK member for passing on this news)
Update 6:27pm ET: A tribute to McConnell from the CBJ organization…
From the Columbus Blue Jackets:
The Columbus Blue Jackets are deeply saddened to announce the passing of club Majority Owner, Chairman and Governor John H. McConnell. Mr. McConnell, business leader, philanthropist and founder of Worthington Industries passed away on April 25, 2008. The National Hockey League club issued the following statement:
“Words simply cannot express the deep sadness felt by the Columbus Blue Jackets organization today. The National Hockey League would not be in Columbus if it weren’t for Mr. Mac’s love for this community and his deep commitment to it. He has always been, and will continue to be, the foundation on which our organization is built and we will work everyday to practice the values by which he lived his life.
“Mr. Mac was an honorable man who believed in the golden rule, ‘Treat others as you want to be treated.’ An enormously successful businessman, his accomplishments in that arena were surpassed only by his endeavors that improved the lives of others. Every person who knew Mr. Mac is the better for it and everyone in our organization will miss him dearly.”
read more about McConnell’s life
Filed in: NHL Teams, Columbus Blue Jackets | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: John+H.+McConnell,
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