Paul Godfrey
Encyclopedia
Paul Victor Godfrey, CM
, OOnt
is a businessman and former Canadian
politician. During his career, Godfrey was a North York alderman, Chairman of Metro Toronto, President of the Toronto Sun and head of the Toronto Blue Jays. He was instrumental in bringing the Toronto Blue Jays to Toronto and has campaigned to bring the National Football League
to Toronto. Recently he has been named president and CEO of The National Post, starting in 2009. On November 27, 2009, Godfrey was announced as the new chair of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
. He is now the President and CEO of Postmedia Network
, as of July 13, 2010.
, Ontario
, Godfrey grew up in a working class Jewish family near the Kensington Market
neighbourhood of Toronto) and later moved to the Bathurst and Lawrence
area of North York. After graduating from C.W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute, he attended the University of Toronto
and graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science
in chemical engineering
. In 1999, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada
. In 2010, he was appointed to the Order of Ontario
.
in the borough
of North York
in 1964, serving until 1973. That year, he was appointed Chairman
of Metropolitan Toronto
, serving until 1984.
In 1985 it was reported that Godfrey had joined the new Ontario Premier Frank Miller
's informal 'kitchen cabinet', a group that got together Thursday mornings at the Sutton Place Hotel
to discuss issues of the day during breakfast. This was similar to a 'breakfast club' setup by the previous premier Bill Davis
but with a more right-wing bent.
as publisher and CEO. In 1991 he succeeded founder Doug Creighton as president and chief operating officer of Toronto Sun Publishing. In 1992 he became CEO of the Toronto Sun Publishing replacing founder Doug Creighton. Creighton was forced to resign by the board of directors and the parent company, Maclean Hunter. In 1998, Godfrey organized a deal with Conrad Black
to swap the Financial Post
with four daily newspapers in southwestern Ontario. These included the Hamilton Spectator, Kitchener-Waterloo Record, Guelph Mercury
, and Cambridge Reporter
. In October 1998, Sun Media was approached by Torstar Corporation in an unsolicited takeover bid for $748 million. Godfrey said he was surprised by the move. Two months later Quebecor Media Inc.
made a higher and eventually more successful bid for a reported $983 million. Godfrey was a key figure in seeking out Quebecor as an alternative buyer. After the sale, Quebecor, initially heralded as a 'white knight' buyer, forced Godfrey to cut 180 jobs from his newspaper. In November 2000, Godfrey announced that he was stepping down as CEO of Sun Media. There was some speculation that he was uncomfortable while under the control of Quebecor. He remained on the board of Sun Media.
and Hugh Macaulay. Its mandate was to choose the location and design for a new domed stadium that would eventually become the SkyDome
. Godfrey stayed on the board until February 1989 when he resigned. He had been accused of being in a conflict of interest because of his involvement with a group lobbying for a NFL franchise in Toronto. Godfrey denied that there was any conflict and also denied that this had anything to do with his resignation. However, Godfrey remained on the board of directors of the Stadium Corporation, a separate entity, until 1998 when he resigned shortly before the SkyDome filed for bankruptcy. He claimed that his resignation would have no effect on the process. Godfrey said "...It didn't make much sense to me to have separate directors and shareholder meetings when the shareholders should be making all the decisions...My resignation just streamlines the process."
baseball club. He stepped down as president on September 22, 2008 after eight years. During his tenure, the Jays' payroll increased from $46 million US to $98 million US. While the Jays posted four out of eight seasons better than .500, they achieved no better than 2nd place in the tough American League East division. In 2004, the Blue Jays purchased SkyDome for a paltry $25 million, far below its original construction cost of $600 million. The purchase gave Godfrey more latitude in controlling the total game experience.
of CanWest Global Communications
, RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust, CargoJet Income Fund and Astral Media
.
ategory:1939 births]
Category:Living people
Category:Astral Media
Category:Major League Baseball executives
Category:Major League Baseball team presidents
Category:Canadian sports businesspeople
Category:Jewish Canadian politicians
Category:Members of the Order of Canada
Category:Members of the Order of Ontario
Category:Chairmen of Metropolitan Toronto
Category:Toronto Blue Jays executives
Category:University of Toronto alumni
Category:Canadian newspaper publishers (people)
Category:People from North York
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...
, OOnt
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
is a businessman and former 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...
politician. During his career, Godfrey was a North York alderman, Chairman of Metro Toronto, President of the Toronto Sun and head of the Toronto Blue Jays. He was instrumental in bringing the Toronto Blue Jays to Toronto and has campaigned to bring the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
to Toronto. Recently he has been named president and CEO of The National Post, starting in 2009. On November 27, 2009, Godfrey was announced as the new chair of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation , known for corporate branding purposes simply as OLG since 2006, is a Crown Corporation of the Government of Ontario, Canada. It is responsible for the province's lotteries, charity and Aboriginal casinos, commercial casinos, and slot machines at...
. He is now the President and CEO of Postmedia Network
Postmedia Network
Postmedia Network Canada Corp. is a Canadian media company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, consisting of the publishing properties of the former Canwest, with primary operations in newspaper publishing, news gathering and Internet operations....
, as of July 13, 2010.
Background
Born in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Godfrey grew up in a working class Jewish family near the Kensington Market
Kensington Market
Kensington Market is a distinctive multicultural neighbourhood in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Market is an older neighbourhood and one of the city's most well-known. In November 2006, it was designated a National Historic Site of Canada. Robert Fulford wrote in 1999 that "Kensington...
neighbourhood of Toronto) and later moved to the Bathurst and Lawrence
Lawrence Avenue
Lawrence Avenue is a major east-west thoroughfare in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is divided into east and west portions by Yonge Street, the dividing line of east-west streets in Toronto....
area of North York. After graduating from C.W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute, he attended the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science
Bachelor of Applied Science
The Bachelor of Applied Science, often abbreviated as BAS, BSAS. BASc or BAppSc is an undergraduate degree awarded for a course of study that generally lasts three to four years in the United Kingdom and Australia, and four to six years in Canada, the Netherlands and the United States.-Usage:In...
in chemical engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
. In 1999, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada
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...
. In 2010, he was appointed to the Order of Ontario
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
.
Politics
He entered politics as an aldermanAlderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
in the borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
of North York
North York, Ontario
North York is a dissolved municipality within the current city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the central part of the northern section of Toronto. As of the 2006 Census, it has a population of 635,370. The official 2001 census count was 608,288...
in 1964, serving until 1973. That year, he was appointed Chairman
Chairman of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto
The Chairman of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto or Metro Chairman was the leader of Metropolitan Toronto, Canada, and the most senior political figure in the municipality. The Metro Chairman was elected by the members of Metropolitan Toronto Council.-New Level of Government:The position...
of Metropolitan Toronto
Metropolitan Toronto
The Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto was a senior level of municipal government in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada area from 1954 to 1998. It was created out of York County and was a precursor to the later concept of a regional municipality, being formed of smaller municipalities but having more...
, serving until 1984.
In 1985 it was reported that Godfrey had joined the new Ontario Premier Frank Miller
Frank Miller (politician)
Frank Stuart Miller, was a Canadian politician, who served as the 19th Premier of Ontario for four months in 1985.-Early life and political career:...
's informal 'kitchen cabinet', a group that got together Thursday mornings at the Sutton Place Hotel
Sutton Place Hotel
The Sutton Place Hotels are a collection of sophisticated properties in North America. Each hotel is distinctly different in style, yet all offer timeless elegance, consistent product and dependable service...
to discuss issues of the day during breakfast. This was similar to a 'breakfast club' setup by the previous premier Bill Davis
Bill Davis
William Grenville "Bill" Davis, was the 18th Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1971 to 1985. Davis was first elected as the MPP for Peel in the 1959 provincial election where he was a backbencher in Leslie Frost's government. Under John Robarts, he was a cabinet minister overseeing the education...
but with a more right-wing bent.
Toronto Sun
In 1984, after he left politics he joined the Toronto SunToronto Sun
The Toronto Sun is an English-language daily tabloid newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known for its daily Sunshine Girl feature and for what it sees as a populist conservative editorial stance.-History:...
as publisher and CEO. In 1991 he succeeded founder Doug Creighton as president and chief operating officer of Toronto Sun Publishing. In 1992 he became CEO of the Toronto Sun Publishing replacing founder Doug Creighton. Creighton was forced to resign by the board of directors and the parent company, Maclean Hunter. In 1998, Godfrey organized a deal with Conrad Black
Conrad Black
Conrad Moffat Black, Baron Black of Crossharbour, OC, KCSG, PC is a Canadian-born member of the British House of Lords, and a historian, columnist and publisher, who was for a time the third largest newspaper magnate in the world. Lord Black controlled Hollinger International, Inc...
to swap the Financial Post
Financial Post
The Financial Post was an English Canadian business newspaper, which published from 1907 to 1998. In 1998, the publication was folded into the new National Post, although the name Financial Post has been retained as the banner for that paper's business section and also lives on in the Post’s...
with four daily newspapers in southwestern Ontario. These included the Hamilton Spectator, Kitchener-Waterloo Record, Guelph Mercury
Guelph Mercury
The Guelph Mercury is an English language newspaper published in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It publishes a mix of community, national and international news and is owned by the Torstar Corporation. The newspaper, in many incarnations, has been a part of the community since 1854...
, and Cambridge Reporter
Cambridge Reporter
The Cambridge Reporter was a local daily newspaper in Southern Ontario serving the community of Cambridge, Ontario. Founded in 1846, it was first called the Galt Reporter...
. In October 1998, Sun Media was approached by Torstar Corporation in an unsolicited takeover bid for $748 million. Godfrey said he was surprised by the move. Two months later Quebecor Media Inc.
Quebecor Media Inc.
Quebecor Media Inc. is a Canadian media company. Quebecor Inc. owns the controlling interest with 54.72% while CDP Capital d’Amérique Investissements Inc. owns the remaining 45.28%...
made a higher and eventually more successful bid for a reported $983 million. Godfrey was a key figure in seeking out Quebecor as an alternative buyer. After the sale, Quebecor, initially heralded as a 'white knight' buyer, forced Godfrey to cut 180 jobs from his newspaper. In November 2000, Godfrey announced that he was stepping down as CEO of Sun Media. There was some speculation that he was uncomfortable while under the control of Quebecor. He remained on the board of Sun Media.
SkyDome
In 1984 he was appointed to the board of a new crown agency called the Stadium Corporation of Ontario along with Larry GrossmanLarry Grossman
Lawrence "Larry" Sheldon Grossman was a politician in Ontario, Canada.-Early years:Born in Toronto, Grossman was the son of Allan Grossman, who had represented a downtown Toronto riding in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for twenty years after defeating Ontario's last Communist Member of...
and Hugh Macaulay. Its mandate was to choose the location and design for a new domed stadium that would eventually become the SkyDome
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
. Godfrey stayed on the board until February 1989 when he resigned. He had been accused of being in a conflict of interest because of his involvement with a group lobbying for a NFL franchise in Toronto. Godfrey denied that there was any conflict and also denied that this had anything to do with his resignation. However, Godfrey remained on the board of directors of the Stadium Corporation, a separate entity, until 1998 when he resigned shortly before the SkyDome filed for bankruptcy. He claimed that his resignation would have no effect on the process. Godfrey said "...It didn't make much sense to me to have separate directors and shareholder meetings when the shareholders should be making all the decisions...My resignation just streamlines the process."
Blue Jays
In 2000, Godfrey became president and CEO of the Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
baseball club. He stepped down as president on September 22, 2008 after eight years. During his tenure, the Jays' payroll increased from $46 million US to $98 million US. While the Jays posted four out of eight seasons better than .500, they achieved no better than 2nd place in the tough American League East division. In 2004, the Blue Jays purchased SkyDome for a paltry $25 million, far below its original construction cost of $600 million. The purchase gave Godfrey more latitude in controlling the total game experience.
Other positions
He is also a member of the board of directorsBoard of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of CanWest Global Communications
CanWest Global Communications
Canwest Global Communications Corporation, which operated under the corporate brand Canwest, was a major Canadian media company based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with its head offices at Canwest Place...
, RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust, CargoJet Income Fund and Astral Media
Astral Media
Astral Media Inc. is a Canadian media corporation. It is Canada's largest radio broadcaster with 83 radio stations in eight provinces, and is a major player in premium and specialty television in Canada, including The Movie Network, Super Écran, Family, Teletoon, Canal D, Canal Vie, VRAK.TV,...
.
Personal
Godfrey is married to Toronto pop artist Gina and has three sons:- Rob Godfrey is a Toronto business executive and former Toronto Blue Jays VP of business operations; now head of the Ontario OSPCA
- Jay Godrey is a New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
-based fashion designer and former stockbroker,
- Noah Godfrey - Toronto entrepreneur and founder of Dose magazine
External links
- Herbie Fund A fund Godfrey established with his wife, Gina, at the Hospital for Sick ChildrenHospital for Sick ChildrenThe Hospital for Sick Children – is a major paediatric centre for the Greater Toronto Area, serving patients up to age 18. Located on University Avenue in Downtown Toronto, SickKids is part of the city’s Discovery District, a critical mass of scientists and entrepreneurs who are focused on...
.
ategory:1939 births]
Category:Living people
Category:Astral Media
Category:Major League Baseball executives
Category:Major League Baseball team presidents
Category:Canadian sports businesspeople
Category:Jewish Canadian politicians
Category:Members of the Order of Canada
Category:Members of the Order of Ontario
Category:Chairmen of Metropolitan Toronto
Category:Toronto Blue Jays executives
Category:University of Toronto alumni
Category:Canadian newspaper publishers (people)
Category:People from North York