Ron Southern
Encyclopedia
Ronald D. Southern, CC
, CBE
(born July 25, 1930) is a Canadian
businessman. He is chairman of Calgary
-based ATCO
Ltd. and is also the founder of the Spruce Meadows
equestrian
center.
In 1947, Southern and his father each invested $2,000 in the original Alberta Trailer Hire Co., which later became ATCO
. Southern received a bachelor of science degree from the University of Alberta
in 1953 and began to work full time for the company. As of 2007, he remains Chairman and majority shareholder of ATCO. He passed the title of Chief Executive Officer to his daughter, Nancy Southern, in January 2000.
are the founders co-chairs of Spruce Meadows
. Opened in 1976, it was built for their daughters who had long been involved with competitive equestrian riding. The current President and Chief Executive Officer of Spruce Meadows is Linda Southern-Heathcott.
, Southam Inc., Chrysler Corporation of Canada, Imasco
, Canadian Airlines
, Fletcher Challenge
, Royal & SunAlliance
and Canadian Pacific. He is a director of Akita Drilling Ltd. and Chairman of Sentgraf Enterprises Ltd. Southern is also a member of the Trilateral Commission
. In September 2006, Ron Southern was appointed Officer of Orange Nassau by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands.
in 1986. He was inducted as a Member of the Order of the British Empire
in 1990, in recognition for his promotion of Anglo-Canadian relations in the fields of commerce, culture and sport. In June 1995, he was promoted to the level of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). In August 2003, Southern was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
and was promoted to Companion in 2006.
He has received honorary doctoral degrees from the University of Calgary (1976)and the University of Alberta (1991). In 1990, Southern received the International Distinguished Entrepreneur Award, presented by the University of Manitoba
through the Faculty of Management and in 1995 Southern was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame
. In 1996, Southern was named Financial Post
CEO of the Year. He and his wife were inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
in 2006.
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...
, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born July 25, 1930) is 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...
businessman. He is chairman of Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
-based ATCO
ATCO
ATCO Ltd. is an Alberta based corporation with more than 7,000 employees operating across three main business divisions: Power Generation; Utilities and Global Enterprises, with companies active in industrial manufacturing, technology, logistics and energy services.ATCO Ltd...
Ltd. and is also the founder of the Spruce Meadows
Spruce Meadows
Spruce Meadows is an equestrian facility in Calgary, Alberta built by the Southern Family and opened in 1976. The show jumping complex is in the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains just south of the city and comprises...
equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
center.
In 1947, Southern and his father each invested $2,000 in the original Alberta Trailer Hire Co., which later became ATCO
ATCO
ATCO Ltd. is an Alberta based corporation with more than 7,000 employees operating across three main business divisions: Power Generation; Utilities and Global Enterprises, with companies active in industrial manufacturing, technology, logistics and energy services.ATCO Ltd...
. Southern received a bachelor of science degree from the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
in 1953 and began to work full time for the company. As of 2007, he remains Chairman and majority shareholder of ATCO. He passed the title of Chief Executive Officer to his daughter, Nancy Southern, in January 2000.
Spruce Meadows
Southern and his wife Margaret SouthernMargaret Southern
Margaret E. Southern, CC, LVO, AOE is a Canadian businessperson, noted as a co-founder of the Spruce Meadows equestrian park near Calgary....
are the founders co-chairs of Spruce Meadows
Spruce Meadows
Spruce Meadows is an equestrian facility in Calgary, Alberta built by the Southern Family and opened in 1976. The show jumping complex is in the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains just south of the city and comprises...
. Opened in 1976, it was built for their daughters who had long been involved with competitive equestrian riding. The current President and Chief Executive Officer of Spruce Meadows is Linda Southern-Heathcott.
Other affiliations
Southern has served as a director of several corporations including LafargeLafarge
Lafarge is a French industrial company specialising in four major products: cement, construction aggregates, concrete and gypsum wallboard. In 2010 the company was the world's second-largest cement manufacturer by mass shipped behind Holcim.-History:...
, Southam Inc., Chrysler Corporation of Canada, Imasco
Imperial Tobacco
Imperial Tobacco is a global tobacco company headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom. It is the world’s fourth-largest cigarette company measured by market share , and the world's largest producer of cigars, fine-cut tobacco and tobacco papers...
, Canadian Airlines
Canadian Airlines
Canadian Airlines International Ltd. was a Canadian airline that operated from 1987 until 2001. The airline was Canada's second largest airline after Air Canada, and carried more than 11.9 million passengers to over 160 destinations in 17 countries on five continents at its height in 1996...
, Fletcher Challenge
Fletcher Challenge
Fletcher Challenge is a now defunct multinational corporation from New Zealand, formed in 1981 by the merger of Fletcher Holdings, Challenge Corporation and Tasman Pulp and Paper...
, Royal & SunAlliance
Royal & SunAlliance
RSA Insurance Group plc , commonly known as RSA, is a global general insurance company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has over 20 million customers in 36 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and South America....
and Canadian Pacific. He is a director of Akita Drilling Ltd. and Chairman of Sentgraf Enterprises Ltd. Southern is also a member of the Trilateral Commission
Trilateral Commission
The Trilateral Commission is a non-governmental, non-partisan discussion group founded by David Rockefeller in July 1973 to foster closer cooperation among the United States, Europe and Japan.-History:...
. In September 2006, Ron Southern was appointed Officer of Orange Nassau by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands.
Honours and awards
Southern received Canada's highest civilian honor when he was inducted as a Member of the Order of CanadaOrder 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 1986. He was inducted as a Member of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1990, in recognition for his promotion of Anglo-Canadian relations in the fields of commerce, culture and sport. In June 1995, he was promoted to the level of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). In August 2003, Southern was made an Officer 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...
and was promoted to Companion in 2006.
He has received honorary doctoral degrees from the University of Calgary (1976)and the University of Alberta (1991). In 1990, Southern received the International Distinguished Entrepreneur Award, presented by the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
through the Faculty of Management and in 1995 Southern was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame
Canadian Business Hall of Fame
The Canadian Business Hall of Fame honours "Canada's most distinguished business leaders", selected by an independent panel representing Canadian business, academic and media institutions....
. In 1996, Southern was named 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...
CEO of the Year. He and his wife were inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame established in 1955 to "preserve the record of Canadian sports achievements and to promote a greater awareness of Canada's heritage of sport." It is located at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alberta...
in 2006.