MarineMax mourns Tony Pasca’s passing
CLEARWATER, Fla. – MarineMax is mourning the loss of Tony Pasca, the MarineMax president of Motor Yachts, who passed away Thursday at age 52, the company said in a statement Friday.
“MarineMax and the industry will miss Tony’s passion, wisdom, knowledge and friendship,” said Bill McGill, MarineMax CEO. “Tony’s focus on business and family during his difficult five year struggle with cancer, while never complaining, was an inspiration to our team and customers.”
While attending Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y., Pasca played minor league baseball for the New York Mets farm team in Tampa, Fla. After graduating, he worked for Arthur Young in New York City before moving to South Florida to assume a position as controller at Hatteras of Lauderdale. At Hatteras, Pasca played a pivotal role in negotiating the company’s sale to Allied Marine Group, MarineMax reported. In the mid-90s, Pasca and a group of partners purchased Allied Marine and ran the company successfully for a number of years, the company said. In 2001, Pasca sold his interests in Allied Marine and joined MarineMax as president of Motor Yachts.
“He was a master strategist with a truly brilliant mind,” said Stephen Gale, vice president of Motor Yachts at MarineMax. “Tony loved his work. We were blessed to have known and worked with him.”
Pasca was instrumental in establishing the partnership between MarineMax and Italian yacht manufacturer, the Ferretti Group, in which MarineMax became the exclusive provider of Ferretti Group products in the United States, MarineMax reported.
Pasca is survived by his wife Celeste; children Kimberly, Angela, John and Ryan; parents Jean and Tony Pasca; and sister Cindy Rogers. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. The Miami Project is headed up by Dr. Barth Green, one of Pasca’s close friends, who was responsible for extending Pasca’s life over the last four years. Donations can also be made to Pasca’s parish church, St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Boca Raton, Fla.
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