George Norgan
George William Norgan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 11 July 1885 Palmerston, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | 13 September 1964 (aged 79) |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, alcohol distributor, sports executive |
| Known for | Alcohol distribution, curling leadership, baseball team ownership |
George William Norgan (July 11, 1885 – September 13, 1964) was a Canadian entrepreneur involved in alcohol distribution, curling, and baseball team ownership.
Early life
Born in Palmerston, Ontario on July 11, 1885, Norgan had left his hometown more than 25 years prior to 1947. That year, he funded the construction of a 433-seat cinema in Palmerston, offering reduced admission for children and directing all proceeds toward local community initiatives.
Business
Norgan’s career as an alcohol distributor included legal difficulties; notably, he was indicted in 1927 for conspiracy related to violations of the Volstead Act. He co-established United Distillers of Canada in 1929 and served on its board of directors. In 1952, testimony from a Baltimore liquor merchant revealed that a Cuban enterprise created by Norgan and United Distillers’ directors turned approximately $20 million from an initial $4,000 investment without physically exporting liquor to Latin America. United Distillers was acquired by a subsidiary of Seagram in 1953. The following year, the U.S. government charged Norgan and associates with evading $16.4 million in federal income taxes through offshore corporations; however, Norgan avoided prosecution due to extradition complications. Furthermore, United Distillers and Norgan resolved a lawsuit in 1957 concerning profit-sharing disputes linked to their Latin American ventures.
In 1954, Norgan advanced to the presidency of Coast Breweries—later rebranded as Lucky Lager—after previously holding the role of managing director. By 1958, following the sale of controlling shares to Labatt, he assumed the position of chairman. His business interests extended beyond brewing into ownership stakes in three Vancouver hotels: the Castle, Abbotsford, and Belmont.
Curling
Starting his involvement in curling in 1932, Norgan played as lead for British Columbia’s team at the 1937 Macdonald Brier. He held the presidency of the Vancouver Curling Club and represented British Columbia on the executive committee of the Dominion Curling Association. In 1939, he spearheaded the development of a new rink for the Vancouver Curling Club located in Heather Park. Elected president of the Dominion Curling Association in 1942, he maintained this leadership role until 1946. Posthumously, Norgan was honored with induction into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 1976.
Baseball
In 1942, Norgan purchased E. J. Schefter’s share in the Portland Beavers baseball team of the Pacific Coast League, becoming its president. He increased his ownership by acquiring general manager Bill Klepper’s interest in 1946 and also owned the Salem Senators competing in the Western International League. After facing tax evasion charges, a lien was placed on the Beavers franchise, which was subsequently sold to local Portland investors following the conclusion of the 1954 season. In 1962, Norgan was named president of the PCL’s Vancouver Mounties, though that same year the team was removed from the league after losing its affiliation with the Minnesota Twins. Norgan passed away peacefully during sleep on September 13, 1964.