Richard Currie
Encyclopedia
Richard James Currie, OC
was born in 1937 in Saint John, New Brunswick
, and is a notable Canadian businessman.
in 1955, after receiving a Beaverbrook Scholarship to attend the institution, where he was elected president of the first-year class. He later received a Bachelor of Engineering
in Chemistry degree from the Technical University of Nova Scotia
in 1960 and, after working as an engineer until 1968, he decided to continue his education and get a Masters of Business Administration degree from Harvard University
in 1970.
, a management consultant firm based in New York
.
In 1972, he joined Loblaws
as a Vice-President, becoming Executive Vice-President in 1974, and President in 1976. Loblaws increased its market share over 350 times in 25 years while under his control, reaching $14 billion before he stepped down on December 31, 2000. Through this, it became the largest private sector employer in Canada.
In 1996, he was appointed President of Loblaws parent company, George Weston Ltd., where he increased the share price from $16 to $123. In 2002 he stepped down Weston and was appointed Chairman of BCE Inc. on April 24 of that year.
He, along with Lynton Wilson, Anthony S. Fell
, James Fleck
, Henry N.R. Jackman and John McArthur, helped establish a chair in Canadian business history at the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management
, which is the first chair of its kind in Canada. Worth $3 million, it will help fund courses and research related to the progress of the commerce industry in Canada, along with the legal, economic and political events that impacted its history.
He currently sits on the board of directors
of Bell Canada Enterprises, CAE
, and Staples, Inc.
and is also a Trustee of The Art Gallery of Ontario and a Director of Historical Foundation of Canada. Along with these titles, he is also Chairman of the Board of Telesat and was a Director of Imperial Oil Limited, and a member of the International Advisory Boards of RJR Nabisco and Jacobs Suchard.
In 2004, he established the Blake-Kirkpatrick Scholarship
s in memory of his two grandmothers: Ida Mae Blake and Jannet Kirkpatrick.
On October 20, 2005, the University of New Brunswick established a Chair in Nanotechnology in his honour. This is the first Chair in Nanotechnology in Canada.
In Fall 2011 work was completed on the Richard J. Currie Center, a five-storey, 139,000-square-foot athletics and gymnasium complex, named in honor of Currie, who was also the primary donor. Currie donated over $20 million toward the construction of the building, the largest single donation a Canadian university has ever received.
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...
was born in 1937 in Saint John, New Brunswick
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
, and is a notable Canadian businessman.
Education
He began his post-secondary education at the University of New BrunswickUniversity of New Brunswick
The University of New Brunswick is a Canadian university located in the province of New Brunswick. UNB is the oldest English language university in Canada and among the first public universities in North America. The university has two main campuses: the original campus founded in 1785 in...
in 1955, after receiving a Beaverbrook Scholarship to attend the institution, where he was elected president of the first-year class. He later received a Bachelor of Engineering
Bachelor of Engineering
The Bachelor of Engineering is an undergraduate academic degree awarded to a student after three to five years of studying engineering at universities in Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, Finland , Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Korea,...
in Chemistry degree from the Technical University of Nova Scotia
Technical University of Nova Scotia
The Technical University of Nova Scotia was a university in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada until it became part of Dalhousie University in 1997. It was formerly the Nova Scotia Technical College and is today the Sexton Campus of Dalhousie University.In the early 1900s, at the request of the province...
in 1960 and, after working as an engineer until 1968, he decided to continue his education and get a Masters of Business Administration degree from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1970.
Career
In 1960, he joined Atlantic Sugar Refineries as a Process Engineer and was a Refining Superintendent from 1963 to 1968. After graduating from Harvard in 1970, he became a Senior Associate at McKinsey & Co.McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company, Inc. is a global management consulting firm that focuses on solving issues of concern to senior management. McKinsey serves as an adviser to many businesses, governments, and institutions...
, a management consultant firm based in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
In 1972, he joined Loblaws
Loblaws
Loblaws is a supermarket chain with over 70 stores in Canada, headquartered in Brampton, with stores across Ontario and Quebec. Loblaws is a division of Loblaw Companies Limited, Canada's largest food distributor...
as a Vice-President, becoming Executive Vice-President in 1974, and President in 1976. Loblaws increased its market share over 350 times in 25 years while under his control, reaching $14 billion before he stepped down on December 31, 2000. Through this, it became the largest private sector employer in Canada.
In 1996, he was appointed President of Loblaws parent company, George Weston Ltd., where he increased the share price from $16 to $123. In 2002 he stepped down Weston and was appointed Chairman of BCE Inc. on April 24 of that year.
He, along with Lynton Wilson, Anthony S. Fell
Anthony S. Fell
Anthony S. Fell, OC is a Canadian businessman and chairman of RBC Capital Markets.From 1980 to 1998, he was the Chief Executive Officer of RBC Dominion Securities Limited. He sits on the board of directors of multiple corporations, including Bell Canada Enterprises, CAE, and Loblaw Companies Ltd....
, James Fleck
James Fleck
James Douglas Fleck, is a Canadian businessman, academic, and philanthropist.-Personal:James Douglas Fleck was born in Toronto, Canada on February 10, 1931 to Robert Douglas and Norma Marie Fleck....
, Henry N.R. Jackman and John McArthur, helped establish a chair in Canadian business history at the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management
Rotman School of Management
The Joseph L. Rotman School of Management commonly known as Rotman School of Management is the University of Toronto's business school, located in St. George Street in Downtown Toronto. The school, named after Joseph L...
, which is the first chair of its kind in Canada. Worth $3 million, it will help fund courses and research related to the progress of the commerce industry in Canada, along with the legal, economic and political events that impacted its history.
He currently sits on 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 Bell Canada Enterprises, CAE
CAE (company)
CAE Inc. is a leading provider of simulation technologies, modelling technologies and integrated training services to airlines, aircraft manufacturers, and defense customers worldwide. The company has annual revenues in excess of CAD $1.6 billion, with manufacturing operations and training...
, and Staples, Inc.
Staples, Inc.
Staples Inc. is a large office supply chain store, with over 2,000 stores worldwide in 26 countries. Based in Framingham, Massachusetts, United States, the company has retail stores, serving customers under its original name in Austria, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Norway,...
and is also a Trustee of The Art Gallery of Ontario and a Director of Historical Foundation of Canada. Along with these titles, he is also Chairman of the Board of Telesat and was a Director of Imperial Oil Limited, and a member of the International Advisory Boards of RJR Nabisco and Jacobs Suchard.
University of New Brunswick involvement
On May 24, 2003, he was appointed Chancellor of the University of New Brunswick by the lieutenant-governor in council, at UNB's 174th Encaenia. His duties are to serve as the honorary head of UNB and also as a member of its Board of Governors.In 2004, he established the Blake-Kirkpatrick Scholarship
Blake-Kirkpatrick Scholarship
The Currie Undergraduate Scholarship is Atlantic Canada's largest undergraduate scholarship, and is awarded to four students each year by the University of New Brunswick...
s in memory of his two grandmothers: Ida Mae Blake and Jannet Kirkpatrick.
On October 20, 2005, the University of New Brunswick established a Chair in Nanotechnology in his honour. This is the first Chair in Nanotechnology in Canada.
In Fall 2011 work was completed on the Richard J. Currie Center, a five-storey, 139,000-square-foot athletics and gymnasium complex, named in honor of Currie, who was also the primary donor. Currie donated over $20 million toward the construction of the building, the largest single donation a Canadian university has ever received.
Awards
- 1997, Made a Member of the Order of CanadaOrder of CanadaThe 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...
- 1997, Distinguished Canadian Retailer of the Year Award
- 2001, Awarded Canada’s Outstanding CEO of the Year
- 2004, Promoted to Officer of the Order of Canada
- 2005, Awarded Retail Council of Canada'sRetail Council of CanadaThe Retail Council of Canada was founded in 1963. It is a Canadian not-for-profit association representing more than 40,000 stores of all retail formats, including independent merchants, regional and national mass and specialty chains, and online merchants...
Lifetime Achievement Award - Inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame
- 2010, Awarded Doctor of Letters as an honorary degree from Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia