Rod Bryden

Roderick M. Bryden
Born	(1941-03-13) March 13, 1941 Port Elgin, New Brunswick, Canada
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, executive
Years active	1966–present
Known for	Ownership of the Ottawa Senators (1992–2003)

Roderick M. Bryden (born March 13, 1941) is a Canadian entrepreneur and former executive based in Ottawa, recognized primarily for his ownership of the Ottawa Senators NHL team from 1992 until 2003.

Biography

Hailing from Port Elgin, New Brunswick, Bryden holds a B.A. Honours in Economics from Mount Allison University, an LLB degree from University of New Brunswick, and an LLM from the University of Michigan. Between 1966 and 1969, he served as a law instructor at the University of Saskatchewan before transitioning into various positions within the Canadian federal government.

In 1974, Bryden established Systemhouse Ltd., a company specializing in computer systems integration, where he acted as president or chairman through 1991. He also acquired Trent Valley Paperboard Mills in 1979, merging it into Paperboard Industries Corporation (PIC), which he chaired until 1991. Both enterprises reported annual revenues surpassing $700 million at the time of his departure.

Bryden assumed the role of CEO at Terrace Corporation in 1992, the majority owner of the Ottawa Senators NHL franchise. The following year, he was named Chairman and Governor. Under his leadership, the Palladium arena—later known as Corel Centre, then Scotiabank Place, and currently the Canadian Tire Centre—was constructed and inaugurated in 1996.

In collaboration with the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and Drs. Tofy Mussivand and Michael Cowpland, Bryden co-founded WorldHeart Corporation in 1996, serving as its president and CEO until 2004.

Confronted with approximately $100 million in personal liabilities tied to the Ottawa Senators—attributable to elevated player salaries and adverse U.S. exchange rates—Bryden averted bankruptcy in 2004 by consenting to repay creditors $600,000.

He was named chairman of PharmaGap, Inc., a cancer drug development firm, in 2005. Up until 2014, Bryden held the positions of President and CEO at Plasco Energy Group, an Ottawa-based company focused on plasma gasification technology converting waste into energy. Following Plasco’s filing for creditor protection under CCAA in 2015, he reacquired control from secured lenders and directed its reorganization.

Currently, Bryden chairs SC Stormont Inc. and PharmaGap Inc., while also serving on the boards of Clearford Industries and Gallium Software Inc.

Awards

• 2012 - Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame

External links

• University of Saskatchewan alumni profile