Brian Hanington
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Brian Hanington is a Canadian businessman, broadcaster
, author
and public speaker who is the president of Stiff Sentences, Inc. and the BackDRAFT Corporation.
, England
. As a young man, Hanington was educated at Eaton House in Sloane Square
before the family moved to Canada
where he attended Sedbergh School
in Montebello, Quebec
, and then later Carleton University
, where he earned a B.A. Honours in English.
at 16, and trained as a Watchkeeper and Navigating Officer where he served on various ships including HMCS ALGONQUIN with astronaut Marc Garneau
. In 1976, he left sea to become the Base Information Officer at CFB Halifax
. During this time, Hanington produced and hosted a NATO military strategy
news show called The Last Dogwatch.
house. Trident was the first community newspaper in Canada to be laid out on a computer. He published it for 15 years.
.
, which he revived from near-bankruptcy
. By doubling the number of venues, and almost tripling the number of entries, Hanington, who was created that year by Cinema Canada
magazine that year as being a “creative iconoclast
in a suit” helped turn the Atlantic Film Festival from a local gathering of amateur filmmakers into a cultural event of national stature. With creative partner Derek Sarty, Hanington created The Moon Snail Award, which used a adopted a well-known but little used symbol of Atlantic Canadian geography to boost pride in the unique approach and culture, reflected in the Atlantic cinema of the day.
. He spent the next 10 years traveling extensively through the developing world, creating documentaries that showcased the relief work Canadians were doing abroad. Hanington led the agency to write for Prime Ministers, Presidents, Knights and the Pope. In 2007, Stiff Sentences expanded to Asia
through its sister company, BackDRAFT. Stiff Sentences was the only ever ISO 9000 registered company of writers. Hanington is also a member of the steering committee of PLAIN, the Plain language
Association International.
and online writing training throughout North America
.
, where Hanington wrote and created interactive English as a foreign language online products to help the Chinese to speak and write in English, under the Journey to English banner.
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and public speaker who is the president of Stiff Sentences, Inc. and the BackDRAFT Corporation.
Early life
He was born to Canadian television journalist Margot Rita Wallace, and Naval Officer Daniel Lionel Hanington in PortsmouthPortsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. As a young man, Hanington was educated at Eaton House in Sloane Square
Sloane Square
Sloane Square is a small hard-landscaped square on the boundaries of the fashionable London districts of Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Chelsea, located southwest of Charing Cross, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The square is part of the Hans Town area designed in 1771 by Henry...
before the family moved to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
where he attended Sedbergh School
Sedbergh School, Québec
Sedbergh School was a private English language senior school located in Montebello, Quebec, Canada which offers coeducation programs and boarding facilities for Canadian and international students...
in Montebello, Quebec
Montebello, Quebec
Montebello is a municipality located in the Papineau Regional County Municipality of Western Quebec . As of the 2001 census, there were 1,039 permanent residents. The village has a total area of , and is located at the eastern edge of Canada's National Capital Region.The village is world famous for...
, and then later Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
, where he earned a B.A. Honours in English.
Canadian Navy
Hanington joined the Canadian NavyCanadian Forces Maritime Command
The Royal Canadian Navy , is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the unified Canadian Forces. Operating 33 warships and several auxiliary vessels, the Royal Canadian Navy consists of 8,500 Regular Force and 5,100 Primary Reserve sailors, supported by...
at 16, and trained as a Watchkeeper and Navigating Officer where he served on various ships including HMCS ALGONQUIN with astronaut Marc Garneau
Marc Garneau
Joseph Jean-Pierre Marc Garneau, CC CD FCASI MP is a Canadian retired military officer, former astronaut, engineer and politician.Garneau was the first Canadian in space taking part in three flights aboard NASA Space shuttles...
. In 1976, he left sea to become the Base Information Officer at CFB Halifax
CFB Halifax
Canadian Forces Base Halifax is Canada's east coast navy base and home port to the Atlantic fleet, known as Maritime Forces Atlantic....
. During this time, Hanington produced and hosted a NATO military strategy
Military strategy
Military strategy is a set of ideas implemented by military organizations to pursue desired strategic goals. Derived from the Greek strategos, strategy when it appeared in use during the 18th century, was seen in its narrow sense as the "art of the general", 'the art of arrangement' of troops...
news show called The Last Dogwatch.
Trident/Hanington Publications
In 1977, Hanington purchased Maritime Command Trident, the naval newspaper, which he published through the newly formed Hanington Publications, a 24-hour photo typesettingTypesetting
Typesetting is the composition of text by means of types.Typesetting requires the prior process of designing a font and storing it in some manner...
house. Trident was the first community newspaper in Canada to be laid out on a computer. He published it for 15 years.
Archdiocese of Halifax
In 1982, Hanington was asked to be the first-ever communications director for the Archdiocese of Halifax, where he again produced and hosted a TV interview show called A Question of Faith. During this time, Hanington wrote Every Popish Person: the story of Roman Catholicism in Nova Scotia and the Church of Halifax, 1604–1984, which was published by the Archdiocese. He presented the first copy personally to Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
.
Atlantic Film Festival
In 1984-86, he was asked to serve as the director of the Atlantic Film FestivalAtlantic Film Festival
The Atlantic Film Festival is an international film festival held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.Held annually, the ten-day celebration of film and video from Atlantic Canada and around the world is committed to screening an inspiring and engaging collection of films and videos from Canada and the...
, which he revived from near-bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
. By doubling the number of venues, and almost tripling the number of entries, Hanington, who was created that year by Cinema Canada
Cinema Canada
Cinema Canada is a defunct Canadian film magazine, which served as the trade journal of record for the Canadian film and television sector. The magazine had its origins in the Canadian Society of Cinematographers , which began publishing a bi-monthly newsletter under the name Canadian...
magazine that year as being a “creative iconoclast
Iconoclast
An iconoclast is someone who engages in iconoclasm—destruction of religious symbols or, by extension, established dogma or conventions.Iconoclast may also refer to:...
in a suit” helped turn the Atlantic Film Festival from a local gathering of amateur filmmakers into a cultural event of national stature. With creative partner Derek Sarty, Hanington created The Moon Snail Award, which used a adopted a well-known but little used symbol of Atlantic Canadian geography to boost pride in the unique approach and culture, reflected in the Atlantic cinema of the day.
Stiff Sentences, Inc.
In 1988, Hanington incorporated Stiff Sentences, Inc., a company of writers, and moved the business to OttawaOttawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. He spent the next 10 years traveling extensively through the developing world, creating documentaries that showcased the relief work Canadians were doing abroad. Hanington led the agency to write for Prime Ministers, Presidents, Knights and the Pope. In 2007, Stiff Sentences expanded to Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
through its sister company, BackDRAFT. Stiff Sentences was the only ever ISO 9000 registered company of writers. Hanington is also a member of the steering committee of PLAIN, the Plain language
Plain language
Plain language is clear, succinct writing designed to ensure the reader understands as quickly and completely as possible.Plain language strives to be easy to read, understand, and use. It avoids verbose, convoluted language and jargon...
Association International.
BackDRAFT
Hanington created the BackDRAFT System, a system of writing-quality assurance. Through this internal management system, BackDRAFT helped organizations set a writing standard, and ensured all employees could meet it. This training tool was further developed into the BackDRAFT Online Training System. The training wing of Stiff Sentences, Inc. then split off to form BackDRAFT Corporation, which sold seminarSeminar
Seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is...
and online writing training throughout North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
BackDRAFT China
In 2007, BackDRAFT Corporation moved to ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, where Hanington wrote and created interactive English as a foreign language online products to help the Chinese to speak and write in English, under the Journey to English banner.