Community mourns passing of Paul J. Holloway Jr., NH business and civic leader
RYE — Paul J. Holloway Jr., of Rye, a prominent New Hampshire business and civic leader, died on March 14 following a period of declining health.
His family released the following obituary which touches upon his many accomplishments:
Paul grew up in Philadelphia, the only child of Paul Jackson Holloway and Elizabeth Melhouse/Fricke Holloway. Paul’s academic and athletic achievements earned him scholarships to attend college. He was a 1961 graduate of Temple University School of Business where he met his wife of 62 years, Anna Grace Baer. They have two children, Debra Linn Holloway (married to Scott F Marion) and Paul Scott Holloway (married to Robin GB Holloway), three grandchildren Paul A Holloway, Elizabeth G Holloway, Anna Rose Marion and their extended grandchildren, Emma Marion and Noah Marion.
Paul began his career working his way through the ranks of Buick Motor Division of General Motors, before purchasing an auto dealership in Exeter, New Hampshire in 1967. His seven-day-a-week effort built a single point Buick-Pontiac business into Holloway Automotive Group of 13 locations representing BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Fiat, Mazda, Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, Chevrolet and GMC Truck. Like many other entrepreneurs, Paul didn’t limit himself to just one business venture, he was a partner in a chain of Nursing and Retirement Homes, an Air Cargo business and the Wentworth by the Sea Marina.
As Holloway Automotive Group bought and sold dealerships throughout New Hampshire, Paul was recognized by multiple manufacturers and won numerous industry awards for the quality and performance of his businesses, including the prestigious Time Magazine’s Quality Dealer of the Year. He held leadership positions on numerous automotive councils and was elected to serve as chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association in 1998. Through the years, his employees became his extended family, he particularly enjoyed mentoring the younger generation, and many of these long-term associates remain with the business today.
Early in his career, Paul applied his business skills to his philanthropic endeavors, demonstrating an enduring commitment to always “leaving it better than he found it.” He believed New Hampshire’s higher education institutions are among the state’s most precious resource and supported this belief with consistency and determination. Paul served on the Board of the University System of New Hampshire for 18 years, the Community College System of NH since 2003 and has been recognized numerous times for his work on behalf of higher education in the state. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of New Hampshire. Holloway Commons at UNH was named in recognition of his significant contributions, along with Holloway Hall at Keene State College, Holloway Auditorium at Plymouth State University, and the Paul J Holloway Student Success Center at Great Bay Community College.
For his 50th birthday, the family honored Paul for his achievements and contributions to both the education and business communities by establishing the annual Paul J Holloway Prize Competition, cultivating future entrepreneurs by challenging UNH students to develop and bring to market products and services. More than 300 of these business plans are in operation today. In 2003, Paul and Anna Grace established the Little Harbor Charitable Foundation, which has raised more than $3 million in support of programs for children in the New Hampshire Seacoast.
Paul set the bar high for himself and challenged others to do the same. He had a dynamic personality that attracted a wide circle of friends, many of whom he considered family.
Family was central to Paul’s life. He deeply loved his children and grandchildren. One of his greatest joys was being an active part in his grandchildren’s lives as they grew up. Ultimately, Paul was happiest working at his desk or on the telephone talking about business, a public-spirited effort, or a simple visit with friends or family.
We thank everyone who took the time to call, receive his calls, or stop by to visit as Paul’s physical health declined in the last few years. Those uplifting connections and conversations reinforced his positive attitude and optimism about the future. Paul remained engaged in his business, charity work, New Hampshire's universities and community colleges until the very end; offering advice, support and his personal resources.
In his later years, he shared his philosophy of life with all that would listen, “I developed ethics and values from my family. Sports taught me determination. My education gave me a firm foundation. Persistence became my path to success and giving back has been my reward.”
Paul left our world in a “better place,” we will miss his wisdom, passion, strength and generosity.
May you rest in peace.
The Holloway family asks for privacy during this time and is grateful for the love and concern shown by Paul’s friends and colleagues. No flowers please. Contributions can be made to Little Harbor Charitable Foundation, PO Box 2093, New Castle NH 03854.
Commentary: Honoring and thanking Paul Holloway, a long-time public servant and leader
Members of the New Hampshire Automobile Dealers Association also weighed in with glowing tributes to Holloway.
“For those of us lucky enough to have worked closely with him for years, Paul was more than a role model, he was a beacon lighting the way for all of us to follow. He was never afraid to be the tip of the spear fighting for issues that were important to industry and him and his family.” says Dan Bennett, president of the New Hampshire Automobile Dealers Association. “It probably would have been enough for all of us to simply follow his example of success in our industry; Paul had a Midas Touch of sorts in his business dealings. But he didn’t stop there. He dedicated time and energy to causes beyond his own interests and set a high standard of community service, especially in educating young people. He will be deeply missed.”
John Sawyer Jr., chair of the Board of Directors for the NHADA, stated: “Our entire association is built on the grit and generosity and the spirit of Paul Holloway. Over countless years, he guided us through challenges, spurred creative solutions and would roll up his sleeves to do the heavy lifts necessary to bring projects to completion. I can’t ever remember a time when he sat off to the side or waited for others to finish a task. He was a dreamer and a doer and there will never be another like him.”
“This marks the end of what all of us can consider a life well lived,” said Mark Tulley, president of the NHADA Education Foundation, which provides support and financial aid to students interested in pursuing careers in the auto tech field, which was co-founded by Holloway. “We are all saddened by the loss of our dear friend and colleague, but we will do what he would expect us to do; soldier on with meeting the needs of those around us and leaving our world better than we found it.”
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Community mourns Paul J. Holloway Jr., NH business and civic leader
