2022 -- H 7965

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LC005478

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

EXPRESSING DEEPEST CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF CARROLL J. HUGHES,

SR.

     Introduced By: Representatives Filippi, Blazejewski, McGaw, Shallcross Smith, Fellela,
Ajello, Slater, O'Brien, and Solomon

     Date Introduced: March 10, 2022

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, It is with deep sadness that this House has learned of the passing of Carroll

Hughes, Sr., of Old Saybrook, Connecticut, Block Island and Newport. He was the beloved

husband of Jean Cronin for thirty years; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Hughes was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of the late John

and Elizabeth Hughes and grew up on Booth Street in Stratford. He attended the University of

Bridgeport where he attained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees; and

     WHEREAS, After graduation, Mr. Hughes began his distinguished public service career

as an assistant to the Mayor of Milford. He later moved to Hartford and worked in the office of

the Manager and Mayor; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Hughes later moved on from Municipal service and in 1972, became the

Assistant Commissioner in the newly-created Department of Environmental Protection. He

remained in this position until 1974, when he left to open his own business; and

     WHEREAS, In 1974, Mr. Hughes opened the first independent lobbying firm in

Connecticut, and for 47 years, served as the President of what came to be known as Hughes &

Cronin Public Affairs Strategies, a very successful and influential lobbying association

management firm. In 1986, his wife and business partner, Jean Cronin joined the firm, as well as

his youngest son, Sean in 2017. Throughout the past four decades, Mr. Hughes and his firm have

represented several hundred local and national clients before the Connecticut state legislature, and

state and municipal agencies; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Hughes was a highly respected pioneer within the lobbying industry. He

served as a mentor, role model and trusted advisor who was widely respected for his integrity,

professionalism and ability to connect with people from all backgrounds. He had an uncanny

ability to remember everyone’s name even years after meeting them, and took great pride in

meeting every elected Connecticut State Legislator during his 47 year career as a lobbyist; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Hughes loved spending his summer days with his wife on the beaches

of Block Island, having afternoon cocktails at the Spring House, and dancing and dinners at

Aldo’s. He was an avid and passionate sailor and “clammer”. Most of all, he enjoyed entertaining

his family and friends at his Block Island home; and

     WHEREAS, In addition to his wife, Jean, Mr. Hughes leaves behind his children, Carroll

Hughes Jr., and his wife, Misty, Christopher and his partner, Valerie DeLuca, Josh and his wife,

Susanna, Jessica Karnes and her husband, Michael, and Sean and his fiancée, Alyssa Pereira, and

his grandchildren, Astrid, Sander, Oliver, and Benjamin Hughes, and Harrison Karnes. He also

leaves behind his in-laws, James and Virginia Cronin, his sister Donna Schreiber and her

husband, Charlie, his sisters-in-law, Anne Cronin and her husband, Mark Bussell, Pat Cronin, and

Margaret Hayes and her husband, Stephen, and his brothers-in-law, Richard Myers, Michael

Cronin, Stephen Cronin, Reverend Joseph Cronin, and James Cronin and his wife, Noreen, and

many nieces and nephews. Mr. Hughes was also predeceased by his brother, Jack, and his

brother-in-law, Fishel Liberman; and be it further

     WHEREAS, Mr. Hughes loved old Irish sayings and the wisdom they imparted. One of

his favorites was “May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been, the foresight to know

where you are going, and the insight to know when you’ve gone too far”; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

expresses its deepest condolences on the passing of Carroll J. Hughes, Sr.; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized to transmit a duly

certified copy of this resolution to Jean Cronin and Family.

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LC005478

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