Thomas A. Russell, pioneered the Canadian automobile industry. President of CCM and Massey-Harris.

Born on a farm near Exeter, Ontario in 1887, Russell graduated from the University of Toronto as an honour student in political economy. While teaching at the university, the business world captured his imagination.

At 24, he was persuaded to manage the troubled Canada Cycle and Motor Company Limited (CCM). His vision soon moved from bicycles to a dream of building a Canadian car. It was 1905 when his first car emerged from the Russell Motor Car Company and by 1910 it was producing everything from buses to delivery and fire trucks. “Build up to a standard, not down to a price” was Russell’s motto.

During World War I, Russell retooled his company to produce supplies for the Allies. Ever mindful of his passion for cars, he entered a joint venture partnership with car maker Willys-Overland Limited and in 1915 became its President.

Amid the full force of the Depression, the Bank of Commerce persuaded Russell to assume the presidency of the financially crippled Massey-Harris Company. For 10 years Russell led the company. Through aggressive rebuilding, it regained strength and developed the revolutionary self propelled combine.

Russell believed every good citizen must have a “public soul.” He had an enormous tenacity and once he set his hand on something, he never gave up.

Antoine Turmel foresaw difficult times for independent grocers with the rise of the chain stores.

He and two associates purchased a small distributor, Denault Ltd., and soon thereafter offered to handle bulk purchases and develop private brands for the independents and thereby permit them to compete with the chains. Denault was destined to become the forerunner of one of the largest grocery wholesalers in Canada, Provigo Inc.

Antoine’s business credo included unhurried research, planning, testing and re-checking. He placed a high value on education and on hiring the best people. The thousands of Provigo employees would attest to his success on his goal to build a company of which people can be proud.

Charles Woodward founded Woodward’s Department Stores.

Charles began working as a farm hand at age 14, but was unhappy toiling for others, so he saved up his money and purchased a parcel of land and a cabin on Manitoulin Island in Ontario. When the land proved unsuitable for farming, Charles opened a trading post in the cabin. Before long, unscrupulous suppliers and bad cheques from customers forced him into bankruptcy. Three years later, suffering from many business set-backs, a less impulsive Charles headed to Vancouver looking for a fresh start.

In 1890, when he was 38 years of age, Charles opened Woodward’s, a dry goods store, but within months financial troubles caused him to close that location. He worked hard to repay his debts, and then borrowed to open a new Woodward’s, this time utilizing his own innovative method of merchandising – small specialized departments within one store, and offering discounts. His “department store” concept was a huge success.

By the turn of the century, Woodward’s Department Store was offering mail order and delivery services. In 1926, the now-millionaire Charles opened his second location. Sixty years later, the chain bearing his name included twenty-five stores.

Despite his earlier set-backs, his determination over a forty-year period had brought him the wealth he desired.

Throughout his life, Charles held fast to his belief: “Give the best value and you will win, however bad times become.”

Charles Bentall headed Dominion Construction, one of Canada’s foremost construction companies. Born in England in 1881, Charles was apprenticing as a draughtsman by the age of 14 and eventually became a practicing engineer. He immigrated to Canada in 1908, with only 60 cents in his pocket.

First employed by J. Coughlan & Sons in Vancouver, he designed the dome of the Vancouver Court House (now the Vancouver Art Gallery) as well as the seventeen-story World Building, once the tallest building in the British Empire. In 1912 he moved to the newly-formed Dominion Construction, where he was hired as an assistant general manager and first engineer. In less than ten years, Bentall became the president and majority shareholder.

During Bentall’s time at Dominion he expanded the company significantly, diversifying into property management and developing commercial real estate that defined Vancouver’s skyline. Its success propelled the company forward, allowing Dominion to expand eastward.

Aided by government contracts and Bentall’s strong leadership, Dominion survived the difficult war years. During the Depression, Charles founded the New Building Finance Company for the purpose of offering low interest loans to local tradesmen.

Bentall was also known as a steadfast supporter of the Baptist Church and aided in the building of several churches. He served for fifty years as a trustee for the Convention of Baptist Churches, and was president for three of these years. Charles and his wife had three sons, two of whom became engineers and went to work for Dominion Construction. After Bentall’s death in 1972 his sons continued at the company, and his son Clark eventually became CEO.

Dominion continues to be a major player in its industry, and its practices are both enduring and innovative. In the post-war years it was the first to offer the concept of the “Package Plan,” providing design, site development, and financial assistance. As of 2008 Dominion is still going strong, handling over $200 million annually.

A man of integrity, Bentall always believed that “honesty, truth, justice, unselfish love, and a willingness to work hard are real virtues, without which life is immeasurably impoverished.”

Maxwell Bell was born in 1912, graduating with a McGill University Commerce degree in 1932. He would eventually become accomplished as not only a businessman and entrepreneur, but also as an oilman, newspaper publisher, sportsman and philanthropist.

Max was known for his keen business sense, and frequently supported innovative, unproven, and risky ventures. Obtaining a contract to provide railway ties to the Canadian Pacific Railway, Bell invested the profits in a dormant Turner Valley oil company. This investment and others paid off during the 1947 Alberta oil boom.

He inherited his father’s newspaper, the Calgary Albertan, as well as its half-million-dollar debt, when he was only 23 years of age. Within two years he was able to pay off his father’s debts, and within three he was turning a profit once more.

By the mid-1950s, Max had acquired controlling interest in several western newspapers.  He formed a partnership with Victor Sifton and Richard S. Malone of the Winnipeg Free Press, which resulted in one of Canada’s largest newspaper chain, Federated Paper Publications. In 1961, Bell was made Chairman of this organization, which included Toronto’s Globe & Mail, the Vancouver Sun, and the Ottawa Journal, among others.

In addition to newspapers and oil, Max served as a Director of the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Bank of Nova Scotia, Northern Electric, and many other major Canadian corporations. Though a successful man, Max remained largely indifferent to the trappings of wealth, often quoted as saying: “The only time money is really important is when a person hasn’t any.”

Bell was also recognized internationally as a sportsman, playing both football and hockey. His passion for race horses prompted his investments in the breeding of thoroughbreds, and his stables, Golden West Farms, won the coveted Queen’s Plate as well as The Irish Derby. Many of his friends shared his interest in racing, including Bing Crosby and legendary jockey, Johnny Longden. Bell was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1977.

A kind supporter of public and private causes, Max served on the Fitness and Amateur Sport Council, and was Hockey Canada’s first Chairman. Establishing the Max Bell Foundation in 1972, the year of his death, the fields of health, fitness, and veterinary medicine continue to benefit from his generosity.

Upon his death, former Prime Minister of Canada, the Rt. Honourable Lester Pearson, had this to say about Max Bell: “He was above all things a builder, and an imaginative and successful one, with a vision that went far beyond his own private interest and encompassed many good causes which he felt would help Canada. He will be greatly missed.”

J. Allyn Taylor joined Canada Trust in 1935 and became its President in 1958. Superior customer service, product innovations and astute analysis of the competition were personal ingredients he used to build Canada Trust into of the largest financial institutions in Canada.

Allyn Taylor maintained a personal and human approach to the business with obvious joy in working with people. He has given unselfish direction to a broad spectrum of voluntary undertakings in Canada in business, health care, education and the arts.

His career is witness to his conviction that leadership demands integrity, and calls for willingness to delegate authority as well as responsibility and courage to make decisions once the facts are known.

Samuel Moore founded the successful business forms company, Moore Corporation.

Samuel began working at various jobs in the printing industry at the young age of 12, and ten years later he opened his own printing shop in Toronto.  In 1882, a mechanically produced sales book that gave both customer and storekeeper a record of transactions caught his eye, and along with a partner he formed the Paragon Black Leaf Counter Check Book Company, where he began producing books containing sales slips with flip-over carbon paper.

Using the slogan “One writing for many purposes”, it took just two years before Samuel’s company was producing the sales books from plants in the United States.  By the time Paragon was renamed Moore Corp., his acquisitions had expanded product lines to include business forms, supplies, and related services.  Moore Corp. went on to become a billion dollar company exporting to more than 45 countries.

Samuel also founded the Metropolitan Bank of Toronto, and when it was later absorbed by the Bank of Nova Scotia, he became President and Chairman of Scotiabank, as well as holding directorships with many other companies.

He played an important role in the development of the YMCA in Canada, and was a major supporter of the Canadian Baptist Church.

On success, Samuel said: “Success is to have done that which has benefited the largest number of people, and which has left the world better because you have lived.”

Allen T. Lambert was born in 1911, and is remembered primarily for his outstanding contributions to the Toronto-Dominion Bank and his immense influence on the Canadian financial services sector.

Lambert joined the Bank of Toronto in 1927 at just fifteen years of age, working as an $8-per-week junior clerk at a branch in Victoria, British Columbia. His talent and progressive leadership allowed Lambert to rise steadily in the ranks, and in 1940 he was moved east to become the accountant at the Brockville, Ontario branch. Three years later his career was interrupted by a two year stint in the armed forces, at the end of which he retired as a Navy Lieutenant.

Lambert was made superintendent of the Toronto head office in 1953. As superintendent, he was an integral figure in the merger of The Dominion Bank and the Bank of Toronto in 1955. His performance was rewarded by his appointment to general manager; at the age of 47, Lambert was the youngest general manager of any Canadian bank at that time.

In 1960, Lambert became President of the Toronto-Dominion Bank. He led the bank into international expansion, opening foreign branches in Singapore, Tokyo and South America. Lambert also viewed the construction of the Toronto Dominion Centre as a great source of personal pride – designed by world-renowned architect Mies van der Rohe, the TD Centre revolutionized the Toronto landscape.

Lambert devoted over fifty years of his life to the Bank. Retiring as CEO in 1977 and as Chairman in 1978, he continued to act as an advisor for many years and was also active outside of the Bank. He was a contributing member to the Board of Directors of several high-standing Canadian companies, and served as President of the International Monetary Conference.

Allen Lambert was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1976, and received numerous honorary degrees from several Canadian institutions. He passed away in 2002, at the age of 90.

Ian David Sinclair, a man whose authority was based on personal toughness and an unsurpassed ability for negotiations. After taking a job with Canadian Pacific Railway legal department in 1942 he soon became known as a first rate litigation lawyer and an extremely able labour negotiator. Newspapers called him the Perry Mason of Railway law. At the age of forty he became Canadian Pacific’s General Counsel.

Ian scored some impressive victories for the company. He helped CP Air win the right to compete against Air Canada on transcontinental routes. When the MacPherson Royal Commission on freight rates was launched – resulting in the 1967 National Transportation Act – Ian Sinclair participated in 26 months of exhaustive, cross-country hearings. It’s not surprising he was appointed to the CPR Board’s executive committee and in 1996 he became president and in 1997 chairman of the company. He fought for changes to the Crows Nest Freight rates and a break from money losing passenger lines.

Ian Sinclair described his own career this way: “You look back and realize that you sure gave up a lot of things that people today seem to have fun doing. But, you also get fun out of accomplishment.”

Jean-Baptiste Rolland – merchant, industrialist, risk-taker, politician – a self made man who illustrates well the type of social ascent characteristic of the 19^th century.

At the age of 25 he became a master printer and tasted his first experience as entrepreneur. With his long time friend John Thompson he purchased an old printing house for 300 dollars. But, the Rolland and Thompson firm was short lived. His partner decided to retire from the business, and Jean-Baptiste pressed on. He soon expanded his enterprise by opening a new business – the Librairie Catholique de Jean-Baptiste Rolland. Then he opened a bookstore, added stationery lines, engravings and imported merchandise from Europe. This business evolved into publishing school and religious texts and later Canadian authors. After bringing his son, Damian into business the operation’s name changed to J.B. Rolland & Fils.

To ensure his own supplies of high quality paper, only available through import, Jean-Baptiste started a mill in the Laurentians. Eighteen months after the construction start, the first sheet of fine quality all-rag paper produced in Canada rolled off the line.

Jean-Baptiste became increasingly involved in the affairs of his community. He won a seat on the municipal council of Montreal. He also became president of the Saint Jean-Baptiste Association of Montreal. He was also appointed to the Montreal Harbour Commission.

Noah Anthony Timmins became one of Canada’s most celebrated mining entrepreneurs. Following his father’s death, Noah and his younger brother Henry tended the family’s general store in Mattawa. But each summer they left the relative comfort of being main street merchants to go prospecting. In 1903 they met Fred LaRose who discovered what appeared to be a promising silver strike. Henry Timmins bought LaRose’s share of the claim. The foundations of a mining empire had been laid. The LaRose silver mine was later sold for one million dollars.

In 1909 Noah bought the rights to the claim that was one of the richest gold finds in North America. The Hollinger mine was ready to begin operations in 1911. The next year, the small town that sprung up around the mine site was incorporated as Timmins, Ontario. Over the next twenty years, the mine paid out more than seventy five million dollars in dividends.

Noah Timmins played the role of financier with the same boundless enthusiasm as he had the role of prospector and grubstaker. The Timmins brothers and their partners formed the Canadian Mining and Finance Company. This in turn became Hollinger Consolidated Mines Limited with Noah as president.