John “Jack” Hagarty
John “Jack” James Hagarty peacefully passed away at Guelph General Hospital on Monday, February 5, 2024 in his 86th year.
A legacy of leadership, service and inspiration
serving others
Among his many contributions to communities, Jack is remembered for his inspiring leadership as director at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for which he served over 30 years, and as founding Executive Director of the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP).
Founding Director of AALP
Established in 1984, AALP is an experiential executive leadership program for those wanting to help shape the future of the agriculture and food industry and make a positive difference in rural communities across Ontario. As the first executive director of the AALP program, Jack’s leadership and guidance marked the beginning of an incredible journey for over 500 AALP alumni today who serve their communities and lead the future of agriculture. His early direction of the AALP program set the stage as a premier agricultural leadership program just as relevant 40 years later as it was in its inception.
“True leaders exhibit commitment, passion, and conviction for their fields of work.”
They also inspire others and are inspired through others. This was Jack to a ‘T’. For me, I think of him when I read the last lines of the poem “I Went on A Search to Become a Leader”. It reads…
“I lead best when I forget about myself as leader and focus on my group, their needs, and their goals. To lead is to serve, to give, to achieve TOGETHER.”
This, in my mind was the essence of Jack Hagarty. Thank you for inspiring me, Jack!
Hon. Rob Black
Senator (Ontario)
I lost a friend recently
“Years ago, Jack Hagarty was my Branch Director, early in my career with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. I remember buying a ‘package’ at a Branch staff conference once, for the opportunity to spend the ‘day with the Director’. We set the day and I arrived in Guelph to see and experience ‘what a director does’. Jack ensured I got a taste of it from a variety of perspectives. We travelled to a couple of outside meetings. I got to use his ‘car phone’! We met with head office staff, and I learned about things that I didn’t know about as a staff member of the Rural Organizations and Services Branch. It was a good day, and I came away with a new and better understanding of who Jack Hagarty was, what he did and how he did it.”
“We knew he was not well. His death should not have come as a shock. But still, his passing caught us off guard and leaves a void in our hearts.”
In the early 1980s Jack was seconded from his position in OMAF to travel across the U.S. learning about the most successful of their agricultural leadership programs. Back home in Guelph he and Doug Pletsch put together a curriculum to meet the needs of leaders in Ontario agriculture. In 1984 the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP) was announced and recruiting for the first class began. Class One of this innovative new program ran from 1985 to 1987 with Jack as Executive Director and Doug as Curriculum Coordinator.
Part way through Class One Jack had an opportunity to return to a new position in OMAF. He would remain as Executive Director until the completion of Class One, but he needed an assistant. That’s where I came in. Then, at the beginning of Class Two, I was appointed Executive Director. Doug remained as Curriculum Coordinator.
Early History of AALP
AALP was modelled on the sucesses of many international rural and agricultural leadership programs funded by the Kellogg Foundation in the United States. In the early 1980’s the Kellogg Foundation expressed interests to expand thier impact to other countries, a move that inspired leading founders of AALP to conceptualize a program at home in Ontario.
Years of AALP
Jack launched the 1st AALP North American Study Tour
A board of directors emerged alongside AALP founding partners Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF), University of Guelph (U of G), Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), and Foundation for Rural Living (FRL), with Jack seconded from OMAF to serve as the first executive director of the program.
…And so began the first AALP North American Study Tour in the Fall of 1984 with Jack visiting agricultural/rural leadership programs across the USA to gather insight, best practices and shared successes. A tradition that continues today with both North American and International Study Tours woven into the leadership journey that is AALP.
Honouring Jack
Colleagues, family and friends share their stories and memories of Jack.
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Jack’s influence spanned the globe serving from Guelph to Ghana, where he and his family lived during a 3-year assignment with the University of Ghana in West Africa. Throughout his life Jack travelled the world, visiting over 40 countries and enjoying time with family.
A memorial service for Jack was held on Monday February 19th, 2024 at the Gilbert MacIntyre & Son Funeral Home – Hart Chapel in Guelph. A funeral mass was held at the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate on Tuesday February 20th, 2024.
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