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There’s a giant void in the heart of Regina’s business community.
Regina and District Chamber of Commerce CEO John Hopkins lost his courageous and lengthy battle with prostate cancer Wednesday.
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“I am so honoured to have worked with John for the past several years. His love of Regina and local business has always been obvious to everyone who has met him over the years,” Lori Ireland, chair of the Chamber’s board of directors, said in a statement posted on the organization’s website.
“But it was his respect for all people and his ability to bring light to difficult situations is what really made John the special human being that he was. He will truly be missed by so many and his legacy will live on, at the Chamber and in our hearts.”
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The Chamber’s statement praised Hopkins for his “passion and dedication for all aspects of our community.”
“When dealing with key political issues, John found a way to balance the needs of the business community with the needs of the overall community,” the statement said. “This was due to his unique ability to develop and maintain positive and respectful relationships with all levels of government.
“His distinctive perspective on business provided a solid base for his optimistic attitude about Regina’s limitless potential.”
It also spoke of his commitment to the community as a whole, noting his work on volunteer boards and committees “that focused on the quality of life in Regina.”
Hopkins was the Chamber’s CEO for more than 20 years. It was announced in early January that he would be stepping away from his role to continue his health fight.
Hopkins had been public in his battle with the disease, raising money for cancer research through appearances with his band.
Hopkins will be fondly remembered by his former bandmates, including former Regina mayor Michael Fougere.
Fougere joined the Greg Morgan Morning Show on Thursday to share some memories and how he felt about Hopkins.
“He (was) a larger-than-life guy. He was very passionate about the city, the province (and) music. He’ll be missed by so many people. He’s just an incredibly good friend,” Fougere said. “I really extend condolences to his family for a real tragic situation.”
The Garage Band, featuring both men, raised $1.2 million for the Allan Blair Cancer Centre at the Pasqua Hospital.
“(The band) started out as a small thing we were going to do,” Fougere said. “We started the band just to help John through his journey.
“He loved The Beatles (and) loved to play music. It just grew. We had great band members who were able to help us out as well. We raised a lot of money and John was the centrepiece. He was the guy, the inspiration and all that.”
Fougere looked back on some of their gigs, like when they played the Conexus Arts Centre. One of their most memorable was when they played on the roof of a building on the Scarth Street mall.
“The inspiration was The Beatles did that, as we all know … We just thought (it was) a good way to get exposure … Repeating and replicating that was just so much fun,” Fougere said.
Most of the band members are still friends, but Fougere isn’t sure if they’ll continue on without Hopkins.
“We’re going to talk about that,” Fougere said. “Most of the band members are still available, and we’re going to reflect on this, take us a bit of time to do that, but it’s hard to replace John. He’s a tremendous friend for everyone, and it’s a real sad day to have to speak in terms of him passing.”
— With files from 980 CJME’s Dom Lucyk
