It is with great sadness that we report the passing of John O’Shea, our Chairman Emeritus of the Board. Mr. O’Shea has been a pivotal figure in Marshall+Sterling’s story and success. His influence, wisdom, and dedication indelibly shaped this organization for over 70 years. His tireless service to his community and the company he loved wrote the history we now share together. As Chairman of the Board and CEO, we are grateful for John’s legacy and his astounding contributions to Marshall+Sterling’s story and success.
In 1955, John began his career at Marshall+Sterling fresh out of the Navy at 25 years old. During his decades of service, John held the roles of Sales Executive, Sales Team Leader, Vice President, CEO, and Board Chair while also raising a family with his wife Nancy, maintaining a senior role in the Navy Reserves, and serving on numerous nonprofit Boards of Directors.
John was instrumental in transitioning Marshall+Sterling from a private, family-owned company to an employee-owned organization in 1977. Because of his efforts, the profits from the ongoing success of our company are shared by every employee-owner and we all have the opportunity for a more comfortable and prosperous financial future.
Throughout his tenure, Mr. O’Shea’s generosity touched the lives and careers of countless individuals and colleagues. He sat on the Impact+ Charitable Giving committee, a committee he helped create several years ago. Along with other leaders, he guided Marshall+Sterling through recessions, expansions, hurricanes, acquisitions, and changes in the markets. He embodied our core values and implemented them into our daily business before we ever wrote them into our vision and mission. He led with a sense of purpose, integrity, and a vision for the future built on innovation and collaboration. We are immensely grateful for his 70 years of impact.
As we navigate through this difficult time, we want to encourage our employee-owners to remember the incredible impact he made, not only on the company but on the lives of all who had the privilege of working alongside him. Our thoughts are with his family during this profoundly sad time.
In the coming days, we will share more information regarding services and arrangements to honor his memory and celebrate his life and contributions. In the meantime, please join us in reflecting on his many achievements and the profound mark he left on Marshall+Sterling.
Eric Diamond, President and CEO
Tim Dean, Chairman of the Board of Directors
