Hall of fame getting 3 more names
The Telegram | Published on December 09, 2014
Randy Bell, Tanny Collins and Stan Marshall made a mark on N.L.’s business community
Three prominent businessmen will join the ranks of the Junior Achievement Newfoundland and Labrador Business Hall of Fame in 2015, it was announced Tuesday night.
In the hall of fame’s 25th year, Charles (Randy) Bell, Bernard (Tanny) Collins and Stan Marshall will have their names added to a list of 73 others who have been named since 1990.
Randy Bell
When Bell joined the Bell Group of Cos. in 1965, its sales were around $2.5 million and there were 37 employees. When he retired, sales had ballooned to $125 million and the company employed 426 people, said Bill Mahoney, honorary chairman for the hall of fame committee in 2015.
Along with expanding the company, Bell spent a lot of time helping community groups such as the Salvation Army Advisory Board, the Rotary Club of St. John’s and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee award winner, upon retirement, transitioned the company’s businesses to his children. His father has also been inducted into the hall of fame.
“There’s an awful lot of very successful businessmen that I’ve now joined the ranks of. It’s a great honour to be considered even half as good as some of those people,” Bell said.
Tanny Collins
Collins was also inducted as a result of his work in a family business.
P.F. Collins was started by his grandfather in 1921, and eventually developed further by his father. In 1971, Collins joined the business, and took the helm in 1981.
“During his tenure, Tanny has transformed P.F. Collins into a trade solutions powerhouse with offices in St. John’s, Halifax and Calgary, employing over 100 staff,” said Mahoney.
Throughout his career, he made time to volunteer with organizations such as Junior Achievement, Legends Swim Club, the Canadian Red Cross and Flight 491 Legacy Fund. He has also provided leadership for groups such as the St. John’s Board of Trade and Noia.
Collins was thrilled to join the 73 past inductees, and said he owed a lot of his success to his father.
“He developed the business and the success I was able to take over,” he said. It was quite a challenge, but I had a good foundation on which to work on, so it really made a huge difference.”
Collins said the rest of his family has also been instrumental in the company’s success.
Stan Marshall
Marshall retired as the president of Fortis Inc. this year, and will step down as the company’s CEO on Dec. 31.
Under his leadership, the company’s total assets grew to almost $25 billion, with almost three million customers in Canada, the U.S. and the Caribbean, and more than 10,000 employees.
“Throughout his career, Stan remained steadfast in his desire to keep Fortis headquartered in
St. John’s, regardless of where other business ventures may have taken the corporation,” committee vice-chairman Ian Cumby said to a round of applause.
“Stan values people and community, and believes in giving back to charitable groups that will enhance the lives of people,” said Cumby. “As president and CEO of Fortis, Stan has always ensured that each and every one of the Fortis companies were actively involved in local community and charitable endeavours.”
Last year alone, he said, the company contributed $6 million to such groups.
Marshall was out of the country Tuesday.
The three men will be officially inducted into the Junior Achievement Newfoundland and Labrador Business Hall of Fame May 20 at the Delta St. John’s Hotel and Conference Centre.