Published at 1:01 am. Updated at 11:00 a.m.
Pierre Lesperance (February 27, 84 years old)
PHOTO RÉMI LEMÉE, LA PRESS ARCHIVE
Pierre Lesperance in 2008
Pierre Lspérance, a pioneer of Quebec publishing, bought his first bookstore at the age of 22. He later oversaw the creation of the Sogides Group, a merger of Éditions de l'Homme and his family's other companies. He remained director of the Éditions de l'Homme for 50 years.
Gordon Reid (July 8, 89 years old)
The Canadian businessman, founder of Giant Tiger Stores, spent most of his youth in Montreal. He founded his first business in Ottawa in 1961. When he died, the chain had 265 stores and 10,000 employees.
Ghislain Dufour (July 16, 88 years old)
Former President of the Conseil du Patronat du Québec (CPQ), the largest employers' group in the province. He joined the CPQ from its inception in 1969 and rose through the ranks. He was its president from 1986 to 1997 and president of the board of directors from 1997 to 1998.
Mohamed Al-Fayed (August 30, 94 years old)
As a businessman of Egyptian origin and multi-billionaire, he was, among other things, the owner of the Harrods store in London and the Ritz Hotel in Paris. Father of Dodi Al-Fayed, who died along with Lady Di in a car accident in Paris on August 31, 1997.
David Frank Sobey (September 18, 92 years old)
Mr. Sobey, a Canadian entrepreneur originally from Nova Scotia, was CEO and president of the Sobeys grocery chain founded by his father. He was vice president from 1982 to 1986 and president and CEO from 1986 to 1995. He was chairman of the board from 1995 to 2001, the year of his retirement.
Léon Courville (September 26, 78 years old)
PHOTO ANDRÉ PICHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVE
Léon Courville in his vineyard in 2017
An economist by training and university professor, Léon Courville began a management career by becoming vice president and chief economist of the National Bank, where he became president and chief operating officer in the 1990s. At the age of 53 he retired and became a winemaker in Lac-Brom.
Bernard Lemaire (November 8, 87 years old)
An engineer by training, Mr. Lemaire became a businessman and co-founder, along with his brothers Alain and Laurent, of the Quebec company Cascades, which specializes in the circular economy. Mr. Lemaire, one of the founders of Québec Inc., was president of Cascades for nearly 30 years. He was also a co-founder of Boralex.
George Cohon (November 24, 86 years old)
Mr. Cohon, an American-born businessman from Toronto, played a key role in establishing the McDonald's fast-food chain in Canada and Russia.
Charlie Munger (November 28, 99 years old)
PHOTO NATI HARNIK, RELATED PRESS ARCHIVE
Charlie Munger in 2018 in Omaha, Nebraska
Businessman, CEO and philanthropist Charlie Munger was Warren Buffett's business partner and vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. Without having studied finance, the “Oracle of Pasadena” had an estimated fortune of $2.5 billion and exceptional business acumen.
Patrick Morin (December 2, 96 years old)
Founder of the hardware store of the same name, whose chain currently operates 22 stores in Quebec. He and his wife Denise Benny founded their first store in Sainte-Marcelline-de-Kildare (Lanaudière) in 1960. In February 2021, the Turcotte Group became the chain's majority shareholder.