John Molloy, of Wantagh, former engineer and CEO at H2M, dies at 79

John Molloy was born to be an engineer. He was meticulous, knew every single bridge in New York City as a child, and packed the car and washed the dishes in a mechanical way, his family said.

"He was a very loving, respectful person and everybody admired him," said his daughter Jennifer Hutzel, a registered nurse from Bethpage. "He always saw the good in people."

The Wantagh resident died from Alzheimer's on Feb. 3, at the age of 79.

Molloy was born on Nov. 4, 1945, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He graduated from Manhattan College (now Manhattan University) with a bachelor's in chemical engineering. According to his family, Molloy was very passionate about where he was from. His three siblings — Michael Molloy, Kathy Molloy and Virginia Molloy — still live in Williamsburg. It's also where he met Janet, his wife of 52 years.

"We met in 1969 and were married on July 1, 1972," Janet Molloy said. "He always put me on a pedestal; we hardly ever fought and enjoyed each other. He always wanted to take me out and we had so much fun. I'm so grateful for all the years we had together."

The couple moved to Wantagh in 1984, where they raised their two daughters, Hutzel, and Noreen Erickson, of Levittown.

"He was very devoted to my mom. They loved to travel, dance and listen to music together," Hutzel said. "He was the best dad and was so good to us. He was always very supportive in whatever my sister and I wanted to do."

Molloy began his engineering career as a process and project engineer, joining the New York City Department of Environmental Protection in 1972. Two years later, he joined H2M architects + engineers and was elected president and CEO in 1995. Molloy spent his tenure continuing to grow the firm, with revenue "exceeding $40 million," according to a H2M company statement.

"He cared very deeply for the company," Hutzel said of her father's fondness for H2M, which lasted long after his retirement in 2013.

Richard Humann, the current president and CEO of H2M, met Molloy in 1987, when he interned at the firm.

"John led our environmental engineering discipline and had his hand in water resources, which was where we started to work together on engineering projects," said Humann, of Nesconset. "John was always very strategic and very deliberate. He often knew the answer to most questions before they were asked, with an intent of gauging the perspective of others."

When Molloy stewarded H2M through the 2008 recession, Humann believed the company would be set up for decades of "growth and prosperity."

"I know John was very proud of H2M. It was an honor to take the reins from John and build on the foundation he helped us establish with his leadership," Humann said. "He has clearly left an enduring legacy here, and he will be remembered." 

Liz Uzzo, executive vice president and chief human resource officer of H2M, credits Molloy as a mentor throughout her career and with "getting her a seat at the table."

"John had a unique perspective on leadership and believed in empowering other leaders to manage their respective teams effectively. He saw value in everyone and welcomed different perspectives," said Uzzo, of Huntington Station. "He was an amazing sounding board and had the ability to see the big picture of running a company while always considering the importance of its people."

Molloy loved to golf, travel, listen to music, go on walks and spend time with his family. Son-in-law Pete Hutzel said his father-in-law was "a very smart, generous and worldly man who treasured family, worked hard and balanced with plenty of fun and a life filled with laughter and love."

To his granddaughter Emma Hutzel, Molloy was an advocate for feminism, encouraging the women in his life to be "strong and independent."

"Grandpa taught me a valuable life lesson: just because I’m a woman, doesn’t mean I’m not as deserving of a leadership role as a man would be," said Hutzel, of Bethpage. "His words pushed me every day to become my most qualified self."

A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Frances de Chantal Roman Catholic Church in Wantagh on Feb. 8, followed by a burial at Calvary Cemetery in Woodside, Queens. Molloy is survived by his wife; daughters, Jennifer Hutzel and her husband, Peter, and Noreen Erickson, and her husband, Shawn; and granddaughters, Emma, Sara and Abigail.