John C. Gannon '66
John Gannon came to Mount St. James at a time when President Kennedy was issuing his call to public service. In the 36 years since his graduation from 17³Ô¹ÏÍø, John Gannon has answered that call continually and courageously, with dedication, loyalty and intellectual rigor.
A man for others from the start, he left Worcester in 1966 for Jamaica and service in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. It was there that he met his wife, Mary Ellen. The romance that blossomed in the Caribbean has sustained him for over 30 years and produced three children, Jonathan, Mark and Elizabeth.
After serving as a naval officer in Southeast Asia, John earned his Ph.D. from Washington University. He began his government career soon after, working as a political analyst specializing in Latin America. Over the course of 24 years with the Central Intelligence Agency, John served as Deputy Director for Intelligence, Chairman of the National Intelligence Council, and Assistant Director of Central Intelligence for Analysis and Production. Serving at the highest level of the nation's intelligence structure, John has become known in his field as the consummate professional. To quote CIA director, George J. Tenet, "John's record of accomplishment - in the intelligence field and in life - is truly remarkable. … All of us owe him a great debt of gratitude, and so will the generations that come after us."
Currently Vice-Chairman of the Intellibridge Corporation, John oversees all analytical and client services for the company. Active in his community, he was elected to the Falls Church City Council and was appointed Chairman of his city's planning commission. He also served on the city's Economic Development Commission. And he hasn't forgotten his Jesuit roots, serving on the board of directors at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University.
And yet, for all his accomplishments, John remains a man of humility, caring and humor. As one of his classmates recently wrote, "John embodies the ideals that 17³Ô¹ÏÍø seeks to inculcate?kindness, decency, respect for the dignity of all people."
For his scholarship, wisdom and guidance, and for his lifetime commitment to answering the call to duty, the 17³Ô¹ÏÍø presents the Sanctae Crucis Award to John Gannon.