Member Biography

Biography

Jack Edwin McGregor (R44) Allegheny (Part) County 1963-1970

Early Life: 

Jack Edwin McGregor born September 22, 1934, Kittanning, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania; son of Russell A. and Leah Hampton McGregor; Wilkinsburg High School, Pittsburgh; Yale University (B.S.), 1956; University of Pittsburgh (J.D.) class valedictorian, editor-in-chief of the University of Pittsburgh Law Review, 1962; Quinnipiac University, (LL.B., honorary Doctor of Laws degree), 1995; admitted to bar, 1963, attorney; captain, United States Marine Corps; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1963-1970; sports executive, founder, Pittsburgh Penguins, 1965-1970; appointed, general counsel, United States Pay Board, President Richard M. Nixon; president; chief executive officer, Connecticut-based water utility Aquarion Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut, 1985-1995; appointed, chairman, Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, President George Herbert Walker Bush; sports executive, founder, Atlantic League Baseball team Bridgeport Bluefish, Bridgeport, Connecticut, 1998-2008; married, Carol Dangerfield, 1955, (d), children: Nancy, Douglas, Betsey, and Heather, married, Mary-Jane Foster (d); married, Joannah Purnell McGregor, 2018; died, January 6, 2026, Mifflinburg, Union County, Pennsylvania; private memorial will be held later this year. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial donations to the charity of your choice or your enthusiastic attendance at a Pittsburgh Penguins hockey game. 

Early Career: 

Attorney, Pittsburgh and Washington offices, Reed Smith, LLP (formerly Reed, Smith, Shaw and McClay) Counsel, Cohen and Wolf, P.C., Bridgeport, Connecticut.  
Founder, Pittsburgh Penguins, 1966-1970.

Appointed, general counsel, United States Pay Board, President Richard M. Nixon. 

Vice president and general counsel of PEPCO, Washington, D.C.

Executive vice president, Carey Energy Corporation, New York. 

Founded Hampton Douglas Corp., an international venture capital firm whose investments took him around the world.

Appointed, chairman, Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, President George Herbert Walker Bush.

President, chief executive officer, Connecticut-based water utility Aquarion Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut, 1985-1995. 

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association; member, boards, Point Park College; Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf; Pittsburgh Playhouse; Mendelssohn Choir and Pennsylvania Council of the Arts.   

Connecticut, President, National Association of Water Companies, chairman, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection's Pollution Prevention Committee, chairman, Bridgeport Regional Business Council. Served on the boards, Fairfield University; University of Bridgeport; Barnum Museum; Governor's Greenway Committee; Bridgeport Regional Economic Development Committee; Governor's Team Bridgeport. 

Awards: 

Recipient Pittsburgh’s “Men of the Year in Business, 1966.

Authored: 

McGregor, Jack E.; Conversations with Jack McGregor An Anecdotal Journey Pennsylvania, Politics, Penguins, Petroleum, Pitchers, The FBI and a Few Wise Guys, Too with Lennie Grimaldi, 2008.

Pennsylvania Politics: 

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 44th district, Allegheny (Part) County 1963-1970, committee assignments, Banking, Constitutional Changes and Federal Regulations Committee (Chairman), Corporations (Vice Chairman), Education, Mines and Mineral Industries. 

Legacy: 

February 8, 1966, the National Hockey League granted a franchise to Pittsburgh. Along with law school classmate Peter Block formed a group of local investors for the Pittsburgh franchise that included H. J. Heinz Company, Chief Executive Officer, H. J. Heinz II, Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney, and Mellon family heir Richard Mellon Scaife. Named president and chief executive officer by the investor group. Represented Pittsburgh on the NHL’s Board of Governors. McGregor and Block each owned 12.5 percent of the team. 

The franchised, officially named on 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. Andy Bathgate was the team's first pick in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft. 

October 11, 1967, Clarence Campbell and McGregor jointly dropped the ceremonial first puck of the Penguins opening home game against the Montreal Canadiens, 2-1 loss. First goal was scored by Andy Bathgate, assisted by Noel Price, Ab McDonald at 07:06 of the 3rd period. The Penguins would finish their first season, 27-34-13. 

Cofounder along with his wife, Mary-Jane Foster, Bridgeport Bluefish, a minor league baseball franchise Atlantic League, Bridgeport, Connecticut, 1998-2008. Prior to the 2006 season, the franchise was purchased by Get Hooked, LLC, a group of investors from Fairfield County, Connecticut that includes McGregor and Foster as co-owners. However, Get Hooked dropped the Bluefish prior to the 2008 season in favor of seeking a new ballpark for the city of Yonkers, New York. The Bluefish were purchased by Frank Boulton, who is also the owner of the Long Island Ducks and the founder of the Atlantic League.  

The Jack McGregor Scholarship, an endowment at his alma mater, University of Pittsburgh: purpose of providing scholarship support to financially needy students who have demonstrated strong academic performance in prior studies, who have made a commitment to utilize their law degree working in the public sector. 

Brother, Judge James R. McGregor, Allegheny County. 

Cited: 

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members M". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

The Pennsylvania Manual, Brittingham, Jr; G. R., (Editor). (1969). (Volume 99). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, page 130 and 143-144.

Jack McGregor, state senator who founded Penguins, dies at 91

A Forrest Gump Life – Jack McGregor, Community Icon And Developer, Passes Away at 91 – Only In Bridgeport®

Jack McGregor Obituary (1934 - 2026) - Legacy Remembers