Harrison McCain
Encyclopedia
Harrison McCain, CC
, ONB
(November 3, 1927 – March 18, 2004) was a Canadian
businessman, co-founder of McCain Foods Limited
.
Born in Florenceville, New Brunswick
, he was the co-founder, along with his brothers Andrew, Robert and Wallace
, of McCain Foods. Harrison was the 4th son and Wallace the 5th son of the family. Their father was a well-respected seed potato farmer. Since 1900, the family sold seed potatoes throughout New Brunswick
and exported to Cuba
and Latin America
.
After graduating college, Harrison and Wallace worked for Irving Oil
. Upon their brothers' suggestions, Harrison and Wallace founded one of the first factories to process potatoes, turning them into prefried frozen french fries
. With the benefit of ensured quality and the ability to export long distances with a value added product, the business started growing. With Harrison's personal and business skills backed by Wallace's financial savvy, the business eventually grew to over 55 factories worldwide and the number one french fry company in the world.
Harrison McCain was a member of the Board of Directors
of the Bank of Nova Scotia and a close personal friend of the bank's chairman Cedric Ritchie
who grew up in the neighboring community of Upper Kent
.
In 1992 he was named a Companion of the Order of Canada
. He died of kidney failure in Boston
, Massachusetts
.
He is father to Gillian McCain co-author (with Legs McNeil) of Please Kill Me: The Oral History Of Punk (Grove Press, 1996) as well as two volumes of poetry, Tilt (Hard Press, 1997) and Religion (The Figures, 1999). Married to Marion "Billie" McCain, daughter of the former premier of New Brunswick John McNair. His other children are Mark McCain, Ann Evans, Peter McCain (deceased 1997), and Laura McCain Jensen.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, ONB
Order of New Brunswick
The Order of New Brunswick is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Instituted in 2000 by Lieutenant Governor Marilyn Trenholme Counsell, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Bernard Lord, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended...
(November 3, 1927 – March 18, 2004) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
businessman, co-founder of McCain Foods Limited
McCain Foods Limited
McCain Foods Limited is a privately owned company established in 1957 by four brothers—Harrison McCain, Wallace McCain, Robert McCain, and Andrew McCain—in Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada...
.
Born in Florenceville, New Brunswick
Florenceville, New Brunswick
Florenceville-Bristol is a Canadian town situated in the Northwest part of New Brunswick in the St. John River Valley. The town is located on the banks of the Saint John River, in Carleton County in the Canadian province of New Brunswick.The Town of Florenceville-Bristol is New Brunswick's newest...
, he was the co-founder, along with his brothers Andrew, Robert and Wallace
Wallace McCain
G. Wallace F. McCain, was a Canadian businessman, co-founder of McCain Foods Limited. With an estimated net worth of $US 2.3 billion , McCain was ranked by Forbes as the 13th wealthiest Canadian and 512th in the world.- Background :Born in Florenceville, New Brunswick, he received a Bachelor of...
, of McCain Foods. Harrison was the 4th son and Wallace the 5th son of the family. Their father was a well-respected seed potato farmer. Since 1900, the family sold seed potatoes throughout New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
and exported to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
After graduating college, Harrison and Wallace worked for Irving Oil
Irving Oil
Irving Oil is a gasoline, oil, and natural gas producing and exporting company. It is also one of the few energy companies in Canada to publicly support the Kyoto Accord. Irving Oil operates one large oil refinery...
. Upon their brothers' suggestions, Harrison and Wallace founded one of the first factories to process potatoes, turning them into prefried frozen french fries
French fries
French fries , chips, fries, or French-fried potatoes are strips of deep-fried potato. North Americans tend to refer to any pieces of deep-fried potatoes as fries or French fries, while in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, long, thinly cut slices of deep-fried potatoes are...
. With the benefit of ensured quality and the ability to export long distances with a value added product, the business started growing. With Harrison's personal and business skills backed by Wallace's financial savvy, the business eventually grew to over 55 factories worldwide and the number one french fry company in the world.
Harrison McCain was a member of the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of the Bank of Nova Scotia and a close personal friend of the bank's chairman Cedric Ritchie
Cedric Ritchie
Cedric Elmer Ritchie, OC is a Canadian businessman and former Chairman and CEO of The Bank of Nova Scotia. He has been Chairman of the Business Development Bank of Canada since 2001....
who grew up in the neighboring community of Upper Kent
Upper Kent, New Brunswick
Upper Kent is a settlement in Carleton County in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Upper Kent is home to the Upper Kent Loon Sanctuary, and where The Five Mighty Pillars of Irving stretch across the Saint John River...
.
In 1992 he was named a Companion of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. He died of kidney failure in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
He is father to Gillian McCain co-author (with Legs McNeil) of Please Kill Me: The Oral History Of Punk (Grove Press, 1996) as well as two volumes of poetry, Tilt (Hard Press, 1997) and Religion (The Figures, 1999). Married to Marion "Billie" McCain, daughter of the former premier of New Brunswick John McNair. His other children are Mark McCain, Ann Evans, Peter McCain (deceased 1997), and Laura McCain Jensen.