CANTON, Mass. – William Reagan, the founder of LoJack Corp. and the LoJack Stolen Vehicle Recovery System that has been responsible for the recovery of more than 300,000 stolen vehicles worldwide, passed away on July 1, 2013, at the age of 78.
A former Medfield Police Commissioner and Town Selectman, Reagan founded LoJack (the antithesis of "hi-jack") and developed its Stolen Vehicle Recovery System to keep police officers and investigators safe during the pursuit and recovery of stolen vehicles. In 1979, a U.S. patent was issued to Reagan for his invention. In 1986, he formed LoJack Corp. and served as the company’s first chairman and CEO. Because of the public service focus and impact of Reagan’s innovation, LoJack was granted authority to use an FCC frequency for the purpose of tracking stolen vehicles.
"LoJack Corp. exists because of Bill’s creative thinking, passion and dedication to keeping law enforcement safe during the tracking and recovery of stolen vehicles," said Randy Ortiz, president and CEO of LoJack Corp. "Bill built the foundation that LoJack still stands on today, including our unique and direct integration with law enforcement, as well as the invention of a proven technology platform that has led to the recovery of nearly $4 billion in assets globally."
"Bill’s invention has saved the lives of numerous police officers and helped uncover larger crimes well beyond vehicle theft," added Patrick Clancy, vice president of LoJack’s internal Law Enforcement Department. "I was fortunate to work with Bill at the Medfield (Mass.) Police Department before joining LoJack. The system that Bill created has become an invaluable resource that allows police officers to recover stolen vehicles with limited risk to them, their fellow officers and the public. I am incredibly proud and honored to have worked for decades with the company that Bill founded."
Reagan’s commitment to keep law enforcement officers safe in the pursuit and recovery of stolen vehicles has led to a wireless system that today operates in 28 states and the District of Columbia, and in more than 30 countries throughout North America, South America, Europe and Africa. More than 1,800 law enforcement agencies across the U.S. use LoJack Police Tracking Computers in their fight against auto theft.
Reagan was a four-year varsity hockey star at both the Boston Latin School and St. Sebastian’s School. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1957 and served as a Patrol Plane Commander in the U.S. Navy. An involved member of his community, Reagan was a coach of the Medfield Youth Hockey Program and supporter of the Medfield High School hockey team.
The loving husband of Genevieve Reagan, Reagan is survived by his four children and 11 beloved grandchildren. First visitation is scheduled to take place Sunday, July 7 from 4-8 p.m. at the Roberts-Mitchell Funeral Chapel in Medfield, Mass. More information can be found at www.robertsmitchell.com.
