Roy A. Jodrey

Class of 1987

Roy A. Jodrey founded Nova Scotia Power companies, The Minas Basin Pulp & Paper Company, and built a financial empire.

Maritime roots and wit permeated Roy Jodrey’s life. A grade school dropout, tough times instilled thrift and self reliance. Through text books and correspondence courses, he educated himself on the basics of business. At age 12, his first job was apple harvesting, and by the time he was 18, his own company was shipping apples to England.

In 1917, once again guided by a text book, he and a friend built a dam at Stivers Falls. By 1920, they had power production, and one year later, a pulpmill. The Avon River Power Company was formed soon after through a subsequent partnership. Jodrey ran the company, continued to harvest his orchards, and built an impressive investment portfolio.

Jodrey sold Avon River to the Nova Scotia Light and Power Company in 1929. He unfortunately invested his profits in the stock market just prior to the Great Crash, which all but destroyed the fortune he had spent 40 years building. What eventually saved him was The Minas Basin Pulp & Paper Co. he had founded in 1927, to which he later added timber rights, a pulp moulding plant, and a power dam.

Using every resource available to him, Jodrey had by the 1950’s amassed a financial empire and was serving 56 directorships. He is remembered mostly for his outstanding and generous contribution to the economic prosperity of Nova Scotia.