IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1280 

Honoring and recognizing the life, achievements, and contributions of John 

Henderson McConnell. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 17, 2008 

Mr. TIBERI (for himself, Mr. REGULA, Mr. BOEHNER, Mr. HOBSON, Ms. 

PRYCE of Ohio, Mr. LATOURETTE, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. 

TURNER, Mrs. SCHMIDT, Mr. JORDAN of Ohio, Mr. WILSON of Ohio, Mr. 

LATTA, and Mr. RYAN of Ohio) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring and recognizing the life, achievements, and 

contributions of John Henderson McConnell. 

Whereas John Henderson McConnell was born on May 10, 

1923, in Pughtown, West Virginia, and grew up during 

the Great Depression; 

Whereas he served his country honorably in the United 

States Navy aboard the U.S.S. Saratoga during World 

War II; 

Whereas he founded Worthington Industries in 1955 and 

grew it into one of Central Ohio’s 10 largest public companies; 


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Whereas Worthington Industries is now traded on the New 

York Stock Exchange, has made a profit in every year 

since it was founded, and now employs 8,000 people in 

69 facilities in 11 countries; 

Whereas Mr. McConnell was named Chief Executive Officer 

of the Year by Financial World magazine and Industry 

Week magazine recognized him for Excellence in Management; 

Whereas Mr. McConnell’s leadership style, which has been included in the business curriculum at Harvard University, 

embodies the company’s philosophy of ‘‘We treat our customers, employees, investors and suppliers as we would 

like to be treated.’’; 

Whereas the leadership of ‘‘Mr. Mac’’ earned the loyalty of 

his employees, who raised $50,000 to construct a fountain bearing his name on the banks of the Scioto River 

in 1986; 

Whereas through his philanthropic pursuits, Mr. McConnell 

became widely recognized as one of Columbus, Ohio’s 

most generous citizens; 

Whereas, last year, McConnell donated $1,000,000 to Worthington, Ohio’s Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center, named 

after his late wife; 

Whereas Mr. McConnell donated $15,000,000 to establish the 

McConnell Heart Hospital and Health Center in Columbus, Ohio; 

Whereas he endowed one of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame’s National Scholar-Athlete 

Awards in 1999 with a $300,000 gift to the organization; 


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Whereas he was the recipient of the Horatio Alger Award 

and the National Football Foundation Gold Medal 

Award; 

Whereas Mr. McConnell was the majority owner of the Columbus Blue Jackets and the leader of the effort to bring 

the National Hockey League franchise to Columbus in 

1997; 

Whereas Mr. McConnell also was one of the early investors 

in the Columbus Crew franchise and previously was a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Columbus 

Destroyers; 

Whereas he received the 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason, 

the Ohio Governor’s Award, and the Michigan State University Outstanding Alumni Award; 

Whereas Mr. McConnell was inducted into the Junior 

Achievement National Business Hall of Fame, the Central Ohio Business Hall of Fame, and the Columbus Hall 

of Fame; and 

Whereas Mr. McConnell is survived by his son, John, of Galena, Ohio, his daughter, Margaret, of New Orleans, Louisiana, and 7 grandchildren, K.C. and Jennifer Kollis; 

John H. II, Jessica, Porter, and Colin McConnell; and 

Luke Edmunds: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors 

2 and recognizes the life, achievements, and contributions 

3 of the late John Henderson McConnell. 

Æ 


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