Tom Wright (CFL)
Encyclopedia
Thomas E.S. Wright is the Director of Operations, UFC Canada and the former Commissioner
of the Canadian Football League
(CFL). He was appointed the 11th commissioner of the CFL on November 2, 2002. Prior to his role with the CFL, Wright was the President
of Adidas
Canada
and President and CEO of Salomon Group
North America
. He is involved in several charitable organizations, and is the Chairman of Special Olympics
Canada.
Wright attended Upper Canada College
, the University of Toronto
and York University
earning a Bachelor of Physical Education
and a Master of Business Administration
. His wife Ginnie Grand Wright's family were the founders and former owners of office supply chain Grand & Toy
. He was born in Toronto
, Ontario
and lives there with his wife and three daughters, Jodi, Heather and Emily. Tom's first grandchild Blair Irene Wright Ritchie was born on August the 12th, 2011.
Wright's tenure with the CFL was largely successful, however several members of the board were said to be dissatisfied and wanted him replaced. It was announced on July 5, 2006 that Wright had informed the CFL that he would not be seeking a contract extension as league commissioner, thus ending his tenure as the 11th CFL commissioner. On March 28, 2007, Mark Cohon
was officially announced as Wright's successor as league commissioner.
In 2009, Wright authored Jim Balsillie
's relocation application to move the Phoenix Coyotes
NHL team from Phoenix, Arizona
to Hamilton, Ontario
when the Coyotes went bankrupt
.
On May 25, 2010, the Ultimate Fighting Championship
announced Wright as the Director of Operations for UFC Canada.
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
(CFL). He was appointed the 11th commissioner of the CFL on November 2, 2002. Prior to his role with the CFL, Wright was the President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
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...
and President and CEO of Salomon Group
Salomon Group
The Salomon Group is a sports equipment manufacturing company that originated in Annecy, France. The company was started in 1947 by François Salomon and his wife and son. In 1997 it became part of the Adidas group. On 2 May 2005, Adidas-Salomon announced that it had agreed to sell the Salomon...
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...
. He is involved in several charitable organizations, and is the Chairman of Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
Canada.
Wright attended Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College , located in midtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is an independent elementary and secondary school for boys between Senior Kindergarten and Grade Twelve, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The secondary school segment is divided into ten houses; eight are...
, 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 York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
earning a Bachelor of Physical Education
Bachelor of Physical Education
A Bachelor of Physical Education is a bachelor degree granted by some universities. In many Canadian universities it has been replaced by a Bachelor of Kinesiology. The degree can include topics such as sport science, coaching, and outdoor education..In India, Bachelor of Physical Education...
and a Master of Business Administration
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
. His wife Ginnie Grand Wright's family were the founders and former owners of office supply chain Grand & Toy
Grand & Toy
Grand & Toy is a Canadian office supplies chain, founded in 1882 by James Grand as a home-based stationery printing business. A year later, Grand partnered with his brother-in-law, Samuel Toy, to open their first retail store in Toronto....
. He was born in Toronto
Toronto
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....
and lives there with his wife and three daughters, Jodi, Heather and Emily. Tom's first grandchild Blair Irene Wright Ritchie was born on August the 12th, 2011.
Wright's tenure with the CFL was largely successful, however several members of the board were said to be dissatisfied and wanted him replaced. It was announced on July 5, 2006 that Wright had informed the CFL that he would not be seeking a contract extension as league commissioner, thus ending his tenure as the 11th CFL commissioner. On March 28, 2007, Mark Cohon
Mark Cohon
Mark Steven Cohon is the Canadian Football League's 12th Commissioner. The son of McDonald's of Canada founder George Cohon, he was appointed in 2007 succeeding Tom Wright....
was officially announced as Wright's successor as league commissioner.
In 2009, Wright authored Jim Balsillie
Jim Balsillie
James Laurence "Jim" Balsillie is a Canadian businessman and co-CEO of the Canadian company Research In Motion. He is a member of the Trilateral Commission, a private political organization...
's relocation application to move the Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
NHL team from Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
to Hamilton, Ontario
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...
when the Coyotes went bankrupt
Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy
In addition to the bankruptcy of the Phoenix Coyotes, this article discusses the NHL's efforts to sell the club since purchasing it out of bankruptcy.----...
.
On May 25, 2010, the Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
announced Wright as the Director of Operations for UFC Canada.