Portfolio Category: 2008-2013

Gordon Manstan Gordon Manstan is a hardworking man who pursued the entrepreneurial spirit and is the model of generosity. Gordon went to work at the Iron Ore Company of Canada in 1960 and after fourteen years, left the IOC to work full time on the growth of his own business interests in Labrador West. His entrepreneurial pursuits have focused on rental…

Jerry White Jerry White is one of Gander’s most successful entrepreneurs and businessmen. He started his career – and first business – as a welder in 1963 and kept a hands-on approach ever since. A risktaker and sound decision-maker, Mr. White saw tremendous opportunity in Gander and in the early 1970’s, he founded a small construction firm that would eventually become the…

Karl Kenny A true entrepreneur with business acumen are words that describe Karl Kenny, President & CEO of Marport Deep Sea Technologies Inc. Karl was the visionary thought leader behind the development of Software Defined Sonar technology, technology that is revolutionizing the underwater acoustics industry. This technology is used for a wide variety of underwater sensing and communications applications in defence, commercial fisheries,…

Paul Johnson Born in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Mr. Paul Johnson was educated at Mount Allison Academy and Mount Allison University in New Brunswick. In 1949, he entered the family business, Johnson Insurance Offices Limited. In 1953, he became Managing Director, and in 1955, President and Chief Executive Officer, buying all company shares. Under his leadership, by 1995 the Johnson-Unifund Group operated in every…

Hubert Harnett Hubert Harnett was born in 1932 in the small community of High Beach on the Burin Peninsula. His keen interest in the accounting profession earned him a CPA designation at the young age of 24. Hubert and his family relocated to Corner Brook where he worked with Hann Brother’s Limited as an accountant. It was this experience that further…

Frank M. O’Leary F.M. O’Leary O.B.E., K.S.G. was a passionate, patriotic social entrepreneur whose success in business was matched by his many achievements in community development and philanthropy. As a businessman, Mr. O’Leary was founder and president of a business group that employed approximately 100 people for several decades in St. John’s, Grand Falls and…

Captain Sid Hynes Sid Hynes went to sea as an assistant steward with Marine Atlantic when he first graduated from high school. At 21, he was captain of his first ship. Later, he started Canship Limited, a company that partnered to form Canship Ugland, which operates the largest Canadian based fleet of deadweight tonnage. He has overseen construction, maintenance and operations of large tankers,…

Patrick O’Callaghan Building business and community are actions synonymous with Pat O’Callaghan. In possession of a diploma in Hotel Management, a penniless 23-year old, Pat O’Callaghan emigrated from Ireland to North America in the mid 1960’s. Drawing on the experience gained from small business ventures in his youth, such as buying and selling horses and…

Noel Hutton Following graduation from St. Bon’s, Noel worked as a salesman. He started his first business venture in 1952 which was incorporated in 1956 as N. C. Hutton Ltd. The company was originally formed to distribute food products. Packaging for the fishing industry soon became the focus of the company. To service his packaging customers, he established warehouses strategically throughout…

Lloyd Hillier Lloyd Hillier’s tenacity has resulted in great entrepreneurial success in the most remote parts of Newfoundland and Labrador. Lloyd moved to Labrador from Quirpon on the Northern Peninsula at the age of 6. He left his first job, earning $2.25 per hour, to become an electrical apprentice at $1.35 per hour. Even at a young age, he set his…

Great Big Sea Great Big Sea is Newfoundland and Labrador’s most successful cultural export and a generous contributor to our community. Great Big Sea was formed in 1993 when the band started out in St. John’s Irish bars. They quickly became a national sensation with the release of their major-label debut, Up. Selling over a half-million copies, it is…

Darryl Fry The visionary behind the development and growth of Cytec Industries Inc., a global specialty chemicals and materials technology company, was Darryl Fry. He began his career with American Cyanamid Company and rose rapidly to senior positions and led the spin-off of Cyanamid’s chemical business to found Cytec in 1993 serving as Chairman and CEO from its formation until his retirement…

Susan and Kevin Sexton Susan and Kevin Sexton operate Sexton Lumber Company Limited in Bloomfield. The origin of Sexton Lumber dates back to the 1940’s when George Sexton, Kevin’s father, entered into the sawmilling industry. In 1992, George passed the sawmill operation on to Kevin. Since that time, Kevin and his wife Susan, the company’s…

Andrew Crosbie Andrew Crosbie built one of the largest business empires this province has ever seen. After taking over the presidency of the Crosbie Group from his late father in 1965, Mr. Crosbie led the business through a period of tremendous prosperity and expansion in the late 1960’s and 1970’s. He successfully managed the family business and diversified into manufacturing in Montreal, foreign…

Fred Cahill Fred Cahill is a graduate of the Engineering Faculty of Memorial University of Newfoundland and a tireless volunteer. In 1985, Fred joined his father's company, G.J. Cahill & Company Limited, where he is now the owner and president. Under Fred’s direction, the company has evolved from a small electrical contracting company into one of the largest multi-disciplinary construction and…

George & Mary Warr Mr. and Mrs. George and Mary Warr were both born in Twillingate. The couple met and married, and in 1908 opened a small general store on Pilley’s Island where George Warr Ltd. was established. The store was relocated to Springdale where the family became involved in the lumber industry. They cut…

Bill Barry Bill Barry is the Chairman and CEO of Barry Group Inc. based in Corner Brook. A significant player in the fishing industry, Bill Barry’s companies impact economies locally, nationally and internationally. While the Barry family has been involved in fish harvesting since the 1830’s, Bill’s vision for new business opportunities has resulted in company diversification domestically and internationally. Today, the…

Dr. Angus A. Bruneau Dr. Bruneau founded Fortis Inc. in 1987 and served as its President & CEO from 1987-1996 and Chairman of the Board of Directors from 1998-2006. Fortis Inc. is the largest investorowned distribution utility in Canada. Dr. Bruneau is the former President & CEO of Newfoundland Power and is the Founding Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied…

Rex C. Anthony Rex C. Anthony of St. John's has been a business leader and innovator for 40 years and his business success has always been accompanied by active community involvement and volunteerism. Mr. Anthony graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland & Labrador (MUN) with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1968. After spending a year working in the insurance industry…