In memoriam: Dick McGlinchey

Richard “Dick” McGlinchey, a marketing professional for the past three decades who specialized in working with venture firms and their startups, died of a heart attack at his home in Lexington, Mass., last week at the age of 60.

In addition to recent heart disease, McGlinchey had been battling a progressive neurological disease, called Multiple System Atrophy, for the past four years.

McGlinchey worked with many of Boston’s top technology companies and founded three Boston-area marketing and public relations firms, including BluePoint Venture Marketing.

From 1999 to 2004, McGlinchey was a venture partner at Battery Ventures, where he directed marketing and strategic initiatives for the firm’ portfolio. Most recently, he served as business advisor and board member of Isis Biopolymer, a medical device company developing a revolutionary non-invasive drug delivery system.

Alison Moore, co-founder and managing director of BluePoint, wrote on the firm’s website that McGlinchey was “well-known in Boston-area technology circles for his dry wit and his penchant for auto racing and ice hockey. As his children grew, his free time centered on them—coaching youth hockey and serving on the board of the Boston Youth Symphony. All who knew Dick knew his love for Prince Edward Island, where he shared a second home with his beloved family and two pet Corgis.”

At the time of his death, McGlinchey was retired from BluePoint, although Moore wrote that his “guidance and friendship have stayed with the BluePoint team.”

He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Sara; daughter Elizabeth; and son Andrew.

A service will be held later this month in Prince Edward Island, with a Boston area memorial service being planned in the spring. The family asks that donations may be made to the National Ataxia Foundation (www.ataxia.org); the Northeast Animal Shelter (northeastanimalshelter.org); or the Friends of Brackley and Covehead Bays (stanhopecovehead.pe.ca/friends).