Seafood New Zealand is sad to hear of the passing of John Connelly, who was the third President of the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) in America.
John achieved much in his illustrious career, he was instrumental in unifying the US seafood industry and building NFI into a globally respected institution that had an impact well beyond the US.
“John was a true global leader, and we were fortunate to have him in New Zealand for our annual conference in 2016,” says Seafood New Zealand Chief Executive Dr Jeremy Helson.
“He will be remembered for his wit, passion, and charm. The absence of his wisdom and calm approach truly is a great loss for both our industry and his loved ones.
“Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family, friends, and all who were fortunate enough to know and work with such a remarkable man.”
In a statement issued by the NFI, he is fondly remembered for having the professional mantra of “no job too big, no job too small”, and whose naval officer pedigree taught him to lead from the front.
In recognition of Connelly’s love of education, the NFI has established “The John Connelly Intern Scholarship” at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. John mentored Holy Cross interns for over 10 years at NFI and took great pride in demystifying advocacy as a career.
