Richard Currie
Richard James Currie | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1937 Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Business executive, university chancellor |
| Known for | Leadership at Loblaws, George Weston Ltd., BCE Inc.; Chancellor of University of New Brunswick |
Richard James Currie (born 1937 in Saint John, New Brunswick) is a prominent figure in Canadian business.
Education
In 1955, Currie commenced his studies at the University of New Brunswick after receiving a Beaverbrook Scholarship, where he was chosen as president of the first-year student body. He completed a Bachelor of Engineering in Chemistry at the Technical University of Nova Scotia in 1960 and pursued a career as an engineer until 1968. Subsequently, he earned a Master of Business Administration from Harvard University in 1970.
Career
Currie's professional journey started at Atlantic Sugar Refineries, where he held the positions of Process Engineer and Refining Superintendent between 1960 and 1968. Following his MBA, he joined the New York office of McKinsey & Company as a Senior Associate in management consulting.
He became Vice-President of Loblaws in 1972, was promoted to Executive Vice-President by 1974, and assumed the role of President in 1976. Throughout his tenure, Loblaws experienced remarkable growth, expanding its market presence by more than 350 times over a quarter-century and achieving $14 billion in revenue by his retirement in 2000, establishing itself as Canada's largest private employer.
In 1996, Currie was named President of George Weston Ltd., Loblaws' parent company, where he increased the company's share price from $16 to $123 before resigning in 2002. That same year, he took on the role of Chairman at BCE Inc., a position he held until 2009.
Currie contributed to founding a $3 million endowment for a chair in Canadian business history at the Rotman School of Management, aimed at fostering research into commerce and its legal, economic, and political dimensions.
Currently, he holds board memberships with CAE and Staples, Inc., chairs the board of Telesat, and has previously served as a director at Imperial Oil Limited as well as an advisor to RJR Nabisco and Jacobs Suchard.
University of New Brunswick involvement
On May 24, 2003, during UNB's 174th Encaenia ceremony, Currie was appointed Chancellor by the lieutenant-governor in council. His responsibilities include acting as the university’s ceremonial leader and participating on its board of governors.
In 2004, he created the Blake-Kirkpatrick Scholarships—now known as the Currie Scholarship—in tribute to his grandmothers Ida Mae Blake and Jannet Kirkpatrick.
UNB honoured him on October 20, 2005, by establishing Canada’s inaugural Chair in Nanotechnology bearing his name.
The Richard J. Currie Center, a state-of-the-art athletics facility spanning 139,000 square feet and named for him, was completed in Fall 2011. Currie was the lead benefactor with a donation exceeding $20 million—the largest single gift ever received by a university in New Brunswick.
Awards
- 1997: Member of the Order of Canada
- 1997: Distinguished Canadian Retailer of the Year
- 2001: Canada's Outstanding CEO of the Year
- 2004: Elevated to Officer of the Order of Canada
- 2005: Lifetime Achievement Award from the Retail Council of Canada
- Inductee into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame
- 2010: Honorary Doctorate of Letters awarded by Dalhousie University