Jack McGregor
Encyclopedia
Jack Edwin McGregor is a former Pennsylvania State Senator
from Pittsburgh and the founder of the National Hockey League's
Pittsburgh Penguins
. He currently resides in Bridgeport, Connecticut
where he serves as counsel to Cohen and Wolf, P.C. where he serves as an advisor to companies looking to create business opportunities in the Bridgeport region. He also serves as a consultant to existing companies wishing to expand their market share in the area.
, to parents Leah and Russell McGregor. He studied at various universities and received his B.S.
from Yale University
in 1956, where he was a member of Skull and Bones
. He received his J.D.
from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law
, where he was named class valedictorian
and editor-in-chief of the University of Pittsburgh Law Review
. He would later receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Quinnipiac University
in 1995. After college, McGregor served as a captain in the United States Marine Corps
. He is currently allowed to practice law in Connecticut
, Pennsylvania
and the District of Columbia.
In the 1960s, McGregor practiced law in the Pittsburgh and Washington offices of the law firm, Reed Smith, LLP (formerly Reed, Smith, Shaw and McClay). In 1965, McGregor became a founder the Pittsburgh Penguins, by helping bring the NHL back to Pittsburgh. In the early 1970s, he held appointive regulatory positions in the federal government, and then became general counsel of a major electric utility. He later served as general counsel
and then as chief operating officer
of a multinational oil company.
In 1993, he married his second wife, Mary-Jane Foster.
who served in the Pennsylvania State Senate
from 1961 to 1969, representing the Allegheny County
-based 44th District
. In 1970
, he ran an unsuccessful campaign for Governor of Pennsylvania. In 2004, he was appointed as a member of the Advisory Board of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
by President George W. Bush
. Today McGregor continues to support the GOP, by contributing funds to the Connecticut Republican Party
. During the 2008 Presidential Election
, McGregor supported the Republican ticket of John McCain
and Sarah Palin
.
to Harrisburg
with a law school classmate, Peter Block
, who was a huge hockey fan. During the long car ride, McGregor stated that he felt that Pittsburgh had not reached its potential as a sports town. This led both men to examine ways on bring the NHL back to Pittsburgh after a 35-year absence
.
McGregor's plan involved lobbying some of his campaign contributors who were avid sports fans, and community leaders. The group focused on leveraging the NHL as an urban renewal tool for Pittsburgh. The senator formed a group of local investors for the Pittsburgh franchise that included, HJ Heinz III
, Art Rooney
, and Richard Scaife. The 1967 NHL Expansion
depended on securing votes from the then-current NHL owners
. To ensure Pittsburgh would be selected for expansion, McGregor enlisted the help of Pittsburgh Steelers
owner Art Rooney, to petition votes from Jim Norris
, owner of the Chicago Blackhawks
, and Bruce Norris
, owner of the Detroit Red Wings
.
The effort was as success and on February 8, 1966, The National Hockey League granted a franchise to Pittsburgh. The Penguins paid $2.5 million for its entry to the NHL and $750,000 more for start-up costs. The Civic Arena's capacity was boosted from 10,732 to 12,500 to meet the NHL requirements for expansion. The Pens also paid an indemnification bill to settle with the Detroit Red Wings that held a minor league team in Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Hornets. McGregor was named president and chief executive officer by the investor group, and he represented Pittsburgh on the NHL’s Board of Governors. McGregor and Block each owned 12.5 percent of the team.
The team was officially named February 10, 1967, after more than 26,000 entries from a newspaper contest were fielded.
McGregor's wife, Carol, named them the "Penguins" since the team would play in the Pittsburgh Civic Arena, which had been dubbed "The Igloo" by the locals. Meanwhile Jack McGregor obtained Andy Bathgate
for the team's first pick in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft
.
McGregor was also responsible for the Penguins' their first mascot, Penguin Pete
, an Ecuadorian-born
penguin
on loan from the Pittsburgh Aquazoo. The bird was meant as a surprise for McGregor's son, Doug, for his ninth birthday. Pete made a six appearances at various Penguins' home games before sadly dying from pneumonia
. McGregor sent Pete to an area taxidermist, and was he later displayed in the lobby of the Penguins team offices at the arena until several callers objected to the stuffed bird.
On October 11, 1967, Clarence Campbell
and McGregor jointly dropped the ceremonial first puck of the Penguins opening home game against the Montreal Canadiens
. The Penguins would go 27-34-13 that year. However during the 1969-70 NHL season
, financial issues caught up with the team. The investors were "tapped out" after having invested in a pro soccer team, the Pittsburgh Phantoms. The Penguins were sold to the Donald Parsons Group from Michigan
. The Penguins would be sold by Parsons in another short three years.
second farm team, the Amarillo Wranglers
and served as team president. The Wranglers were in the Central Hockey League
for two years, but the years were not back to back. The Wranglers suspended operations after the 1968-69 season. They then returned to the league for the 1970-71 season but again they ceased operations after that season. The McGregor and the Penguins tried twice to establish a team in Amarillo
however the plan failed due to poor attendance.
, founded the Bridgeport Bluefish
a minor league baseball
franchise in the Atlantic League
. Prior to the 2006 season, the franchise was purchased by Get Hooked, LLC, a group of investors from Fairfield County, Connecticut
that still includes McGregor and Foster as co-owners.
of Connecticut-based water utility Aquarion Company. Prior to that, he operated his own venture capital company for six years. McGregor also served as president of the National Association of Water Companies, chairman of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection's Pollution Prevention Committee, and chairman of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council. In addition, he served on the boards of Fairfield University
; the University of Bridgeport
; and the Barnum Museum
; and on the Governor's Greenway Committee; the Bridgeport Regional Economic Development Committee; and the Governor's Team Bridgeport.
, the University of Pittsburgh
, with the purpose of providing scholarship support to financially needy student who have demonstrated strong academic performance in prior studies and who have made a commitment to utilize their law degree working in the public sector.
Pennsylvania State Senate
The Pennsylvania State Senate has been meeting since 1791. It is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such...
from Pittsburgh and the founder of the National Hockey League's
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
. He currently resides in Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
where he serves as counsel to Cohen and Wolf, P.C. where he serves as an advisor to companies looking to create business opportunities in the Bridgeport region. He also serves as a consultant to existing companies wishing to expand their market share in the area.
Early life and career
McGregor was born in Kittanning, PennsylvaniaKittanning, Pennsylvania
Kittanning is a borough and the county seat of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is situated northeast of Pittsburgh, along the east bank of the Allegheny River. The name means "at the great stream" in the Delaware language...
, to parents Leah and Russell McGregor. He studied at various universities and received his B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1956, where he was a member of Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....
. He received his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law
University of Pittsburgh School of Law
The University of Pittsburgh School of Law was founded in 1895, and became a charter member of the Association of American Law Schools in 1900...
, where he was named class valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
and editor-in-chief of the University of Pittsburgh Law Review
University of Pittsburgh Law Review
The University of Pittsburgh Law Review is a journal of legal scholarship published by an independent student group at University of Pittsburgh School of Law. The Review is published quarterly, with recent issues available online. It is one of the 40 most-cited law reviews in the country.The...
. He would later receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Quinnipiac University
Quinnipiac University
Quinnipiac University is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in Hamden, Connecticut, United States at the foot of Sleeping Giant State Park...
in 1995. After college, McGregor served as a captain in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. He is currently allowed to practice law in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and the District of Columbia.
In the 1960s, McGregor practiced law in the Pittsburgh and Washington offices of the law firm, Reed Smith, LLP (formerly Reed, Smith, Shaw and McClay). In 1965, McGregor became a founder the Pittsburgh Penguins, by helping bring the NHL back to Pittsburgh. In the early 1970s, he held appointive regulatory positions in the federal government, and then became general counsel of a major electric utility. He later served as general counsel
General Counsel
A general counsel is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States...
and then as chief operating officer
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
of a multinational oil company.
In 1993, he married his second wife, Mary-Jane Foster.
Politics
McGregor is a RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
who served in the Pennsylvania State Senate
Pennsylvania State Senate
The Pennsylvania State Senate has been meeting since 1791. It is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such...
from 1961 to 1969, representing the Allegheny County
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
-based 44th District
Pennsylvania Senate, District 44
Pennsylvania's 44th Senatorial district includes parts of Berks, Chester, and Montgomery CountiesBerks County* Amity Township* Douglass Township* Robeson TownshipChester County* Caln Township* Coatesville* East Brandywine Township* East Nantmeal Township...
. In 1970
Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 1970
The Pennsylvania gubernatorial election of 1970 was held on November 3. Democrat Milton Shapp challenged incumbent Republican Lieutenant Governor Raymond Broderick....
, he ran an unsuccessful campaign for Governor of Pennsylvania. In 2004, he was appointed as a member of the Advisory Board of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation is an agency of the United States Department of Transportation. The SLSDC is responsible for the safe and efficient movement of marine traffic through the U.S.-owned and operated facilities of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, which consists of 2 of the...
by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. Today McGregor continues to support the GOP, by contributing funds to the Connecticut Republican Party
Connecticut Republican Party
The Connecticut Republican Party is the Connecticut affiliate of the U.S. Republican Party. Jerry Labriola Jr., a Wallingford attorney and 2010 candidate for Congress, is the party chairman, elected on June 28, 2011. Prior to his election as chairman, Labriola served as the party's...
. During the 2008 Presidential Election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, McGregor supported the Republican ticket of John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
and Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
.
Pittsburgh Penguins
In the spring of 1965, McGregor travelled along the Pennsylvania TurnpikePennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll highway system operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. The three sections of the turnpike system total . The main section extends from Ohio to New Jersey and is long...
to Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
with a law school classmate, Peter Block
Peter Block
Peter Block is an author, consultant, and speaker in the areas of organization development, community building, and civic engagement for the past 40 years. He was born in 1940 to Jewish parents, Ira and Dorothy Block...
, who was a huge hockey fan. During the long car ride, McGregor stated that he felt that Pittsburgh had not reached its potential as a sports town. This led both men to examine ways on bring the NHL back to Pittsburgh after a 35-year absence
Pittsburgh Pirates (NHL)
The Pittsburgh Pirates were an American professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League , based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1925–26 to 1929–30. The nickname comes from the baseball team also based in the city...
.
McGregor's plan involved lobbying some of his campaign contributors who were avid sports fans, and community leaders. The group focused on leveraging the NHL as an urban renewal tool for Pittsburgh. The senator formed a group of local investors for the Pittsburgh franchise that included, HJ Heinz III
H. John Heinz III
Henry John Heinz III was an American politician from Pennsylvania, a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate .-Early life:...
, Art Rooney
Art Rooney
Arthur Joseph "Art" Rooney, Sr. , often referred to as "The Chief", was the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers American football franchise in the National Football League.-Family history:...
, and Richard Scaife. The 1967 NHL Expansion
1967 NHL expansion
The National Hockey League undertook a major expansion for the 1967–68 season, adding six new franchises to double the size of the league. This marked the first change in the composition of the league since 1942, when the Brooklyn Americans folded. Thus, the expansion ended the era of the Original...
depended on securing votes from the then-current NHL owners
Original Six
The Original Six is a term for the group of six teams that composed the National Hockey League for the 25 seasons between the 1942–43 season and the 1967 NHL Expansion. These six teams are the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and the...
. To ensure Pittsburgh would be selected for expansion, McGregor enlisted the help of Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
owner Art Rooney, to petition votes from Jim Norris
Jim Norris
James Francis Norris is a former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball from 1977 to 1980 for the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers, playing all three outfield positions.-External links:...
, owner of the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
, and Bruce Norris
Bruce Norris
Bruce Arthur Norris was owner of the Detroit Red Wings from 1952 to 1982. He was the son of James E. Norris and half-brother of James D. Norris. Members of the Norris family owned the Red Wings for almost fifty years before selling the franchise to Mike Ilitch in 1982. Bruce and Marguerite Norris...
, owner of the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
.
The effort was as success and on February 8, 1966, The National Hockey League granted a franchise to Pittsburgh. The Penguins paid $2.5 million for its entry to the NHL and $750,000 more for start-up costs. The Civic Arena's capacity was boosted from 10,732 to 12,500 to meet the NHL requirements for expansion. The Pens also paid an indemnification bill to settle with the Detroit Red Wings that held a minor league team in Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Hornets. McGregor was named president and chief executive officer by the investor group, and he represented Pittsburgh on the NHL’s Board of Governors. McGregor and Block each owned 12.5 percent of the team.
The team was officially named February 10, 1967, after more than 26,000 entries from a newspaper contest were fielded.
McGregor's wife, Carol, named them the "Penguins" since the team would play in the Pittsburgh Civic Arena, which had been dubbed "The Igloo" by the locals. Meanwhile Jack McGregor obtained Andy Bathgate
Andy Bathgate
Andrew James Bathgate is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins.-Playing career:...
for the team's first pick in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft
1967 NHL Expansion Draft
The 1967 NHL Expansion Draft was held on June 6, 1967, in the ballroom of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The draft took place to fill the rosters of the league's six expansion teams for the 1967–68 season: the California Seals, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota North Stars,...
.
McGregor was also responsible for the Penguins' their first mascot, Penguin Pete
Penguin Pete
Penguin Pete was the Pittsburgh Penguins’ first mascot. He was an Ecuadorian-born penguin on loan from the Pittsburgh Zoo. Penguins officials even had special ice skates made for Pete by CCM in Canada...
, an Ecuadorian-born
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
penguin
Penguin
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
on loan from the Pittsburgh Aquazoo. The bird was meant as a surprise for McGregor's son, Doug, for his ninth birthday. Pete made a six appearances at various Penguins' home games before sadly dying from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. McGregor sent Pete to an area taxidermist, and was he later displayed in the lobby of the Penguins team offices at the arena until several callers objected to the stuffed bird.
On October 11, 1967, Clarence Campbell
Clarence Campbell
Clarence Sutherland Campbell OBE, QC was the third president of the National Hockey League from 1946 to 1977.-Early life and career:...
and McGregor jointly dropped the ceremonial first puck of the Penguins opening home game against the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
. The Penguins would go 27-34-13 that year. However during the 1969-70 NHL season
1969-70 NHL season
The 1969–70 NHL season was the 53rd season of the National Hockey League. For the third straight season, the St. Louis Blues reached the Stanley Cup finals, and for the third straight year, they were swept four games to none...
, financial issues caught up with the team. The investors were "tapped out" after having invested in a pro soccer team, the Pittsburgh Phantoms. The Penguins were sold to the Donald Parsons Group from Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. The Penguins would be sold by Parsons in another short three years.
Amarillo Wranglers
McGregor also founded the Pittsburgh PenguinsPittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
second farm team, the Amarillo Wranglers
Amarillo Wranglers
The Amarillo Wranglers served as a farm team to the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. The franchise was founded by Jack McGregor who was also the founder of Penguins. McGregor would also serve as the Wranglers' team president. The Wranglers were members of the Central Hockey League...
and served as team president. The Wranglers were in the Central Hockey League
Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
for two years, but the years were not back to back. The Wranglers suspended operations after the 1968-69 season. They then returned to the league for the 1970-71 season but again they ceased operations after that season. The McGregor and the Penguins tried twice to establish a team in Amarillo
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
however the plan failed due to poor attendance.
Bridgeport Bluefish
In 1998 McGregor and his wife, Mary-Jane FosterMary-Jane Foster
Mary-Jane Foster is an TV commercial actress, sports team owner and politician. She is the co-founder of the Bridgeport Bluefish, a minor league baseball franchise in the Atlantic League In 2011, Foster ran for mayor of Bridgeport, CT, unsuccessfully challenging incumbent mayor Bill Finch in the...
, founded the Bridgeport Bluefish
Bridgeport Bluefish
The Bridgeport Bluefish is an American professional baseball team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
a minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
franchise in the Atlantic League
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League...
. Prior to the 2006 season, the franchise was purchased by Get Hooked, LLC, a group of investors from Fairfield County, Connecticut
Fairfield County, Connecticut
Fairfield County is a county located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The county population is 916,829 according to the 2010 Census. There are currently 1,465 people per square mile in the county. It is the most populous county in the State of Connecticut and contains...
that still includes McGregor and Foster as co-owners.
Current activities
Prior to joining the firm of Cohen and Wolf, McGregor served as president and chief executive officerChief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Connecticut-based water utility Aquarion Company. Prior to that, he operated his own venture capital company for six years. McGregor also served as president of the National Association of Water Companies, chairman of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection's Pollution Prevention Committee, and chairman of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council. In addition, he served on the boards of Fairfield University
Fairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
; the University of Bridgeport
University of Bridgeport
The University of Bridgeport is a private, independent, non-sectarian, coeducational university located on the Long Island Sound in the South End neighborhood of Bridgeport, Connecticut. The University is fully Accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges...
; and the Barnum Museum
Barnum Museum
The Barnum Museum is a museum in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA with an extensive collection related to P. T. Barnum and the history of Bridgeport, Connecticut housed in an historic building on the National Register of Historic Places.- Construction :...
; and on the Governor's Greenway Committee; the Bridgeport Regional Economic Development Committee; and the Governor's Team Bridgeport.
Jack McGregor Scholarship
The Jack McGregor Scholarship is an endowment at Senator's alma materAlma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, with the purpose of providing scholarship support to financially needy student who have demonstrated strong academic performance in prior studies and who have made a commitment to utilize their law degree working in the public sector.