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    James K. Irving

    From Wikipedia - Reading time: 7 min

    James K. Irving
    OC ONB
    Born(1928-03-20)March 20, 1928
    Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
    DiedJune 21, 2024 (age 96)
    Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
    NationalityCanadian
    OccupationBusinessman
    TitleOwner, J. D. Irving
    Children4
    ParentK. C. Irving
    RelativesArthur Irving, John E. Irving (brothers)

    James Kenneth Irving, OC ONB (March 20, 1928 – June 21, 2024) was a Canadian billionaire businessman and the first of three sons in the Irving Family born to industrialist K.C. Irving. Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, Irving served as the owner and later chairman of J. D. Irving. By the time of his death, his net worth was estimated between $5.5 billion and $7.2 billion.

    Early life[edit]

    James Kenneth Irving was born in Saint John, New Brunswick, on March 20, 1928, the first of three sons born to K. C. Irving,[1] and his wife, Harriet Lila Irving (née MacNarin), who was from Galloway in Kent County.[2] He was educated at Rothesay Netherwood School, a private school in the nearby town of Rothesay.[3]

    Career[edit]

    Beginning in 1957, Irving's work in forestry had led to the planting of over a billion trees.[4] Following the death of the Irving brothers' father in 1992, ownership and responsibility for the Irving companies were divided amongst Irving along with his brothers Arthur and Jack. Irving assumed ownership and responsibility of the J. D. Irving conglomerate,[5] which included ownership of several companies in multiple different fields, including logging, frozen foods, transportation as well as retail.[6] Additionally, it included ownership of the Brunswick News publishing company[7] until its 2022 sale to Postmedia; the publisher runs the major newspapers in New Brunswick, including the Telegraph-Journal, the Times & Transcript, and The Daily Gleaner.[8] Irving would later serve as a chairman of the company.[9]

    In 2000, Irving established the Partners Assisting Local Schools (PALS) program to work with local schools to "give children unique learning opportunities" with the goal "to break the cycle of poverty for youth living in low-income neighborhoods through academic achievement and the school environment."[10] In 2004, Irving co-chaired a $25 million fundraising campaign for the Université de Moncton along with Denis Losier.[11]

    Awards[edit]

    Irving received a honorary doctorate from the Université de Moncton in 1989, for business administration.[12] In November 2007, Irving was inducted into the 2008 Canadian Business Hall of Fame along with his two brothers.[13] The following year, he was made a recipient of the Order of New Brunswick.[14] in 2015, Irving received the Order of Canada, which described him as a "corporate leader who has advanced economic development in rural and urban New Brunswick."[15] The following year, Irving, along with Shirley Dysart, both received Rotary International's Paul Harris Fellowship for the creation of PALS.[10] In 2017, Irving was the Honourary Leader Award recipient of the Diversity Champion Awards, organized by Pride of Race, Unity and Dignity through Education (PRUDE), an organization based in Saint John.[16]

    Personal life and death[edit]

    Irving was married to philanthropist Jean E. Irving until her death in 2019; they had been married for 69 years.[17] They had four children, Jim Jr., Robert, Mary Jean and Judy.[18]

    Irving died on June 21, 2024, in Saint John;[19] he was 96 years old, as well as the last of K. C. Irving's sons. His younger brother, Arthur, died just a month earlier.[4] By the time of his death, Forbes had estimated his net worth being at $5.5 billion,[5] while the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimated his net worth at $7.2 billion.[20] Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement shortly following his death, where he called Irving "a symbol of Canadian entrepreneurship and philanthropy."[21]

    References[edit]

    1. ^ "Irving family announces the passing of James K. Irving". Financial Post. June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
    2. ^ "About the Irvings". Acadia University. Archived from the original on May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
    3. ^ Adams, James (March 4, 2006). "Historic N.B. mansion faces wrecker's ball". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
    4. ^ a b Mercer, Greg (21 June 2024). "New Brunswick businessman James Kenneth Irving dies at 96". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
    5. ^ a b "James Irving". Forbes. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
    6. ^ "Un Irving beaucoup plus riche et un Irving un peu plus pauvre". L'Acadie Nouvelle (in Canadian French). March 21, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
    7. ^ Glynn, Tracy; Rao, Aditya (2023). "Don't hate the media, be the media". Briarpatch. Vol. 52, no. 1. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
    8. ^ Ibrahim, Hadeel (February 18, 2022). "Irving-owned New Brunswick newspapers to be sold to Postmedia". CBC News. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
    9. ^ "First RCAF airmen to die in Second World War memorialized in N.B." Times & Transcript. September 16, 2019. p. A5. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
    10. ^ a b McPhail, Colin (June 4, 2016). "James K. Irving, Shirley Dysart honoured with top Rotary award". The Daily Gleaner. p. A3. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
    11. ^ Foster, James (April 8, 2004). "UdeM launches 'excellence' fundraiser; James K. Irving, Denis Losier co- chairmen of campaign to raise $25 million". Times & Transcript. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
    12. ^ "L'Université de Moncton". The Globe and Mail. March 24, 2004. p. B8. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
    13. ^ "Irvings among 6 named to Business Hall of Fame". Toronto Star. November 20, 2007. Archived from the original on May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
    14. ^ McHardie, Daniel (August 2, 2008). "Two titans honoured". Telegraph-Journal. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
    15. ^ Farley, Sam (June 21, 2024). "James K. Irving dead at 96". CBC News. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
    16. ^ "Greater Saint John journal: Diversity awards being presented". Telegraph-Journal. November 17, 2017. p. B4. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
    17. ^ Mercer, Greg (6 November 2019). "Jean Irving, New Brunswick's 'Mother Irving,' was a compassionate philanthropist". The Globe And Mail. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
    18. ^ El Akkad, Omar (November 22, 2007). "The Irving family tree". The Globe and Main. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
    19. ^ "Billionaire businessman James K. Irving dead at 96". CityNews. The Canadian Press. 21 June 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
    20. ^ "James K. Irving, Canadian Forestry Billionaire, Dies at 96". Bloomberg News. June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
    21. ^ "Statement by the Prime Minister on the passing of James K. Irving". Prime Minister of Canada. 21 June 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
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