Tom Fisher, former COO and a 31-year veteran of JOH, died on March 1 in Estero, Florida, from complications of pneumonia. He was 78 and living in retirement in Florida.
Mr. Fisher was born and raised in Littleton, New Hampshire, where he graduated from Littleton High School. He worked at the local First National Supermarket while in high school and joined the company full-time upon his graduation in 1959. He was an associate for nearly 20 years, rising to the level of buyer of non-foods in the Somerville office. He moved to the sell side of the desk when he joined the Asquith Co. as an account executive and salesman in 1974. He joined Harry O’Hare and the Johnson O’Hare Co. in 1977, where he remained until he retired in 2007.
During his career at JOH, Mr. Fisher was one of the most significant contributors to the survival and growth of the company. He began as the director of non-foods and rose quickly to become the COO upon the retirement of Al Saporito in 1988. He managed field sales and account executives for 20 years, during which time the company grew and expanded throughout the Northeast. He was hard working and no-nonsense in his management style. He was inducted into the JOH Hall of Fame in 2013.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to JOH’s charity, Kids 360, 1 Progress Road, Billerica, Massachusetts in Mr. Fisher’s name. The company will then aggregate the contributions and send to a children’s charity of his wife Maria’s choosing.
