Page 318 - ShowSight, March 2020

IN MEMORY OF JOSEPH NEIL McGINNIS III
Joe was a renaissance man in our sport. He represented the inclusive qualities of AKC, dogs and fun. Throughout our community there is agreement and disagreement within the framework of sportsmanship; few, however, would argue that Joe wasn’t above the fray as a light of compassion and reason.
When I created Meet the Breeds, Joe saw an idea to develop a Best Booth competition and he seized the opportunity, making it his own. He shared the theatrics, enjoyment and awards to the delight of our Parent Clubs.
The gift he gave to me was being a loyal friend, talking often. His last email was a photo in his hospital bed with the medical parapher- nalia and wearing a beanie cap. I responded that it looked like a picture from GQ. That made him laugh and it is the way I will remember this fine gentleman, with a smile and a big heart. Rest in Peace, Joe.
DENNIS SPRUNG
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB
I met Joe through a personal ad. Well, sort of. He was in search of a new writer for ShowSight. I applied, feeling somewhat like the class nerd approach- ing the head of the cool kids and asking to sit at the cool table. I hit Send and prepared to be dismissed. Less than five minutes later he was practically pulling out my chair at the head of the cool table! My job assignment was to write about anything to do with showing or breeding dogs. There was only one rule: Everything had to be upbeat. Of course it had to be; everything Joe was upbeat!
I wrote for ShowSight for at least ten years. Joe always stressed that we were family, not employees. When Joe had his heart problems, we all gladly shared his work load—and I found out just how much work he was doing simply compiling the breed features—but he was back at it in no time. When I left ShowSight it was only because Joe had stepped back; he still greeted me as fam- ily, albeit perhaps the wayward child.
He was like a Fourth of July fireworks display—dazzling, exciting, and burning bright—but gone too soon.
CAROLINE COILE
316 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, MARCH 2020
Joe with Broadway icon and dear friend Chita Rivera. Joe produced Chita’s Broadway show “The Dancer’s Life” for which she was nominated for a Tony Award. Joe was involved with a string of other hit plays and musicals, including “Spring Awakening” for which he won a Tony Award for Best Musical in 2007.