Sir Eric Vanisttart Bowater
Sir Eric Vansittart Bowater was born in England in 1895. Following the death of his father in 1924, he became managing director of W. V. Bowater and Sons and three years later was named chairman. In 1936, Sir Eric arranged to purchase a paper mill on the West Coast of Newfoundland and formed Bowater Newfoundland Pulp and Paper Mill.
Bowater played a major role in the construction of the Queen Elizabeth II Library at Memorial University with a generous contribution and also donated land for the construction of Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in Corner Brook. The City of Corner Brook has honoured the Bowater family in many ways including naming the Lady Margaret Bowater Park for his wife.
During the war years (1939-1945), Bowater entered the British Ministry of Aircraft Production where he acted as Director General, Deputy Controller and Controller between 1940-1945. After the war, expansion in North America continued, and the company began to acquire interests in Europe. He was knighted in 1944.
Sir Eric Vanisttart Bowater died in 1962.