Founders
Sean C. Kelley – In Memoriam (1971-2022)
It is with a heavy heart that I must share the unexpected passing of Sean Kelley on March 9th. Sean passed peacefully in the hospital with his loving family by his side.
I am sure all of you are as shocked as I am since it was only in December 2021 that he was at the CATA conference enjoying the holidays with all of you. He recently celebrated his 51st birthday February 21st. This is a loss of a great man, husband, father, friend, and colleague.
Many of you knew Sean. He was a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he also met his wife, Maria. Together, they began a life in Newport Beach, California, where they would raise their two children, Aidan, and Megan. He concurrently started his career at Marvin Poer & Company in 1993, where we first met. We formed what would become a life-long friendship that would ultimately become the foundation of a successful partnership as DePasquale, Kelley & Company formed in 1995. For nearly 30 years, we shared friendship, endless conversations about ad valorem taxation (which we managed to sound interesting), and a quality of life mixed with adventure. It was the friendship, trust and respect we both felt for each other that I will miss the most.
Sean was also integral to the formation of CATA. The many positions he held over the years—Board Member, Past President, and Committee Member—demonstrate his unwavering commitment to CATA and his deep passion for the betterment of this industry. In 2019, Sean was honored with CATA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. It is with great honor that the CATA Board has decided to create the Sean C. Kelley Lifetime Achievement Award.
James R. DePasquale, Principal