John Henderson McConnell (May 10, 1923 – April 25, 2008) was the founder of

Worthington Industries Worthington Industries, Inc. is a global diversified metals manufacturing company based in Columbus, Ohio. It is a steel processor and manufacturer of pressure vessels, such as propane, oxygen and helium tanks, hand torches, refrigerant and indu ...

, which manufactures processed steel products, pressure cylinders, and metal framing. He was the founder, majority owner, chairman, and governor of the

Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ...

NHL team. In addition, McConnell was a part of the ownership group of the AFL's

Columbus Destroyers The Columbus Destroyers were an Arena Football League (AFL) team based in Columbus, Ohio, with home games in Nationwide Arena. The team was founded in as the Buffalo Destroyers, based in Buffalo, New York, and relocated to Columbus in . They fol ...

, an early investor in the

MLS Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...

Columbus Crew The Columbus Crew, formerly known as Columbus Crew SC, is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The Crew competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference and began play in 1996 as one ...

, and minority owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates.Columbus Blue Jackets - Team - John H. McConnell - 1923-2008
Accessed 2008-10-17. A native of

Pughtown Pughtown is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The community located in South Coventry Township on Pennsylvania Route 100 Pennsylvania Route 100 (PA 100) is a long state highway in the U.S. ...

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...

, McConnell served in the navy aboard the aircraft carrier during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. He went on to receive a degree in Business Administration from Michigan State University in 1949. As a young steel salesman, he founded

in 1955, using his car as collateral to purchase his first load of steel for custom processing. He remained chairman until 1996, and retired from the board of directors in 2002. McConnell's son, John P. McConnell, succeeded McConnell as CEO of Worthington Industries in 1993, chairman of the board in 1996 and majority owner and governor of the Blue Jackets in 2008. Among his philanthropic contributions was a donation of over $15 million to develop the McConnell Heart Health Center at Riverside Methodist Hospital. He also donated to promote the development of the Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center, a community gathering/arts center named after his late wife. After bringing the NHL expansion franchise to Columbus, he helped establish the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation in March 2000 with the stated goal of helping improve the quality of life throughout central Ohio. McConnell was named the

Chief Executive Officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especial ...

of the Year by Financial World and Industry Week magazines. He also received the Horatio Alger Award, the

National Football Foundation The National Football Foundation (NFF) is a non-profit organization to promote and develop amateur American football on all levels throughout the United States and "developing the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, competitive zeal and the dr ...

Gold Medal Award, the Ohio Governor's Award, and the Golden Plate Award of the

American Academy of Achievement The American Academy of Achievement, colloquially known as the Academy of Achievement, is a non-profit educational organization that recognizes some of the highest achieving individuals in diverse fields and gives them the opportunity to meet ...

. He was inducted into the Central Ohio Business Hall of Fame, the Columbus Hall of Fame, and the Junior Achievement National Business Hall of Fame. McConnell was raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason in East Lansing Lodge #480, Free and Accepted Masons in East Lansing, MI on October 4, 1948, where he was made a Life Member in 1988 and presented with his 50-year award in 1998. A tribute to "Mr. Mac" was held at

Nationwide Arena Nationwide Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Columbus, Ohio, United States. Since completion in 2000, the arena has served as the home of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). It is one of two facilities in Columbus, alon ...

for the home opener of the

2008–09 Columbus Blue Jackets season The 2008–09 Columbus Blue Jackets season was the ninth National Hockey League (NHL) season in Columbus, Ohio. On April 8, 2009, the Blue Jackets clinched a playoff berth after a shootout victory against the Chicago Blackhawks, the first berth ...

. The Blue Jackets defeated the

Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...

5–3.Columbus Blue Jackets - Recap: Nashville @ Columbus - 17 October 2008
2008-10-17. Accessed 2008-10-17.

References

External links

Worthington Industries Bio

TSN.ca - John McConnell, majority owner of the Columbus Blue Jackets, dies

{{DEFAULTSORT:McConnell, John H. 1923 births 2008 deaths American manufacturing businesspeople Arena Football League executives Columbus Blue Jackets executives Michigan State University alumni National Hockey League executives National Hockey League owners People from New Manchester, West Virginia 2000 United States presidential electors United States Navy personnel of World War II