ZF Marine’s Halavacs Dies at 59

AJ Halavacs, Pleasure Craft Product Line Manager, North and Central America at ZF Marine Propulsion Systems Miramar LLC, the North American arm of ZF Friedrichshafen AG Marine Propulsion Systems, has died after fighting illness for a number of years. He was 59.

“It’s a devastating loss to our team and to the industry” said Wolfgang Schmid, Director, Industrial Technology, Head of Marine Propulsion Systems Region North and Central America. “The consummate salesman, AJ had a gregarious personality not soon forgotten. It seemed that there wasn’t a person in this business that didn’t know AJ.  AJ loved this industry, and it loved him back.”

Halavacs’ passion for the water and boating was evident in the fact that he was a 34 year veteran of the marine industry. Starting his career in 1980 in Mentor, Ohio, opportunities took him on to Michigan, Illinois and finally to South Florida.  Halavacs first started with – then - ZF Industries in 1989.  Halavacs was intensely proud to represent ZF and its products. He worked tirelessly to grow the organization from a relatively unknown newcomer in the North American marine industry to a market leader in marine propulsion technology. Halavacs is survived by his wife of 38 years, Jane and their three sons – Brett, Jeffrey and Chris.

No Memorial is planned. Individuals or organizations wishing to pass along thoughts and memories can email them to: martin.meissner@zf.com where they will be collected and included in a memoir for the family.

The Halavacs family has requested that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made in AJ’s name to the Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute.  More information on donating can be found here: https://eforms.moffitt.org/Donation/