‘Mass. lost a champion’: Jack Connors, legendary Boston philanthropist, dies at 82

BOSTON — Jack Connors, a Boston advertising giant and legendary philanthropist, has passed away at the age of 82.

“Massachusetts lost a champion today and I have lost a friend,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement. “Jack Connors was a leader in business, but his most lasting legacy will come from his generosity and philanthropy.”

Connors dedicated his life to advocating for better education, health care, and community life in the Greater Boston area.

“Connors spent his life trying to make Massachusetts and this country a fairer, more inclusive place,” Healey added. “Jack’s legacy will live on through the countless lives he transformed. We all owe Jack Connors an enormous debt of gratitude.”

In 1968, Connors was a founding partner of Hill Holliday, a leading advertising agency in Boston, as well as the creator of Camp Harbor View, a program that works with more than 1,000 young Bostonians and their families each year to offer a one-of-a-kind summer camp for students.

“Camp Harbor View is arguably the charity that is closest to Jack’s heart. When the late Mayor Thomas Menino asked for his help in identifying a safe and enjoyable alternative for inner-city boys and girls during summer, Jack proposed that he would raise enough money to build a summer camp on Long Island in Boston Harbor, and Camp Harbor View was born,” Connors’ online bio stated.

Under his leadership, Hill Holliday evolved from a one-room shop to one of the top 20 advertising firms in the United States.

Connors was an advocate for Boston’s hospitals, serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Partners HealthCare System. He was also a member of the Board of Overseers for the Home Base Program for Wounded Warriors at Massachusetts General Hospital, the Board of Fellows at Harvard Medical School, and the Board of Dean’s Advisors for the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Born in Boston, Connors was a graduate of Boston College, later serving on the Boston College Board of Trustees for over 30 years. Additionally, Connors was a major force behind initiatives such as The Campaign for Catholic Schools.

“While his gifts of intelligence and wisdom enhanced the Archdiocese of Boston in multiple ways, it was the education of children which captured his heart and engaged his enormous energy,” Cardinal Sean O’Malley said in a statement. “Jack drew a broad range of talented women and men together in the service of providing quality education for children of all faiths and from all social strata of our civil society.”

Connors passed away Tuesday morning in his Brookline home following a battle with cancer.

He leaves behind his wife, Eileen, four children, and 13 grandchildren.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2024 Cox Media Group