John "Jack" Pelech, OC

Order of Canada

The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...

 (1934-2008) was a Canadian

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...

 litigation and business lawyer.

Acclaimed amateur sports volunteer organizer and the guiding force behind the Canada Games

Canada Games

The Canada Games is a high-level multi-sport event with a National Artists Program held every two years in Canada, alternating between the Canada Winter Games and the Canada Summer Games. Athletes are strictly amateur only, and represent their province or territory.The Games were first held in 1967...

 since 1969. Helped launch the Participaction

ParticipACTION

ParticipACTION is a national non-profit organization, originally launched as a Canadian government program in the 1970s, to promote healthy living and physical fitness...

 fitness campaign. Chaired Hamilton

Hamilton, Ontario

Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...

's past bids for the Pan-American Games and Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....

 and helped organize the Road World Cycling Championships and World Judo Championships

World Judo Championships

The World Judo Championships are the highest level of international judo competition, along with the Olympic judo competition. The championships are held once every year by the International Judo Federation, and qualified judoka compete in their respective categories as representatives of their...

.

Honours

• Hamilton Citizen of the Year, 1987
• McMaster Sports Hall of Fame Inductee, 1987
• Hamilton Gallery of Distinction Inductee, 2005
• Order of Canada, 2006

• The Jack Pelech Award named after him by Interprovincial Sport and Recreation Council to present to a provincial team best exemplifying performance and sportsmanship.

External links

• McMaster University Alumni Bio: John C. (Jack) Pelech