The Paterson family of Thunder Bay never looked upon themselves as anything special.
It was a grounded value Norman McLeod Paterson instilled in his two sons, John and Don, and was passed down to his 23 grandchildren who grew and continue to run one of the most successful family businesses in Canadian history.
“What he gave us was a sense of our responsibility based on how blessed we were,” said Don Paterson, his grandson and president of the Paterson Foundation. “That we all connected, that we’re all equal.”
Norman Paterson’s strong sense of philanthropy and community service are legendary. In 1970, he established the private foundation with half his fortune and upon hid death gifted the other half to the foundation. It has made an indelible mark for non-profit groups in northwestern Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Don, 55, the former chairman of Paterson Global Foods, preserves the charitable legacy and memory of his grandfather, who was appointed to the Canadian Senate in 1940.
Born in Portage La Prairie, Man. in 1883, Norman entered the grain business with his father Hugh and would go on to establish N.M. Paterson and Company at Fort William in 1908. It grew during the 1920s and '30s into a vast grain elevator operation and Great Lakes shipping fleet.
Today, Paterson GlobalFoods is an international agri-food conglomerate headquartered in Winnipeg.
Norman was a man of great faith whose principles were guided by the Presbyterian Church. Don got to know him not only as a grandfather but as a businessperson when he took over management of the Paterson Foundation in 1979. As well, he managed his grandfather’s personal business affairs for the last four years of his life until his death in 1983 at age 100.
Through the years, the Paterson generosity and name has been preserved forever on the facades and walls at the Norman Paterson School for International Affairs at Ottawa’s Carleton University, and Confederation College’s Paterson Library Commons and John N. Paterson Wing at the Aviation Centre of Excellence.
He also initiated the Norman M. Paterson Fund for Ministerial Assistance, a stipend given to financing struggling ministers in the Presbyterian Church.
In the early years, many of his donations were made anonymously and it was only after his death that the fund was given a name.
The family has never played up its status as one of society’s elite, said Don.
“I’m not different than the guy I run into on the street. We’re all the same, trying to raise our families and because we’re so blessed and successful it’s important for us to give something back.”
Giving half his accumulated wealth to forming a foundation was the act of a Canadian patriot.
“He felt Canada had given him so much, he was going to give everything he had back to Canada.”
Over a 40-year history, the Paterson Foundation has distributed more than $25 million in donations. Grants have gone to non-profit endeavors such as post-secondary institutions, medical centres, health advocacy groups, women’s shelters, food banks, fundraising campaigns and community outreach programs.
With an annual budget of $600,000, the board – which includes family representatives – meets twice a year at the family’s former marine division headquarters to where they receive as many as 300 appeals a year but only review less than 10 per cent. Some are one-time grants, others are multi-year commitments. Often, this money is leveraged by the recipients to obtain government funding. Though the foundation's area of interest is central Canada, it often go nationwide depending on the cause, with donations to the National Theatre School in Montreal or the Lester P. Pearson United World College of the Pacific.
“We’re focused on building communities and helping them help themselves,” said Don.
Though the pioneering and entrepreneurial family made its fortune on the Prairies in the grain handling business, Thunder Bay – the former Fort William – has always been something of its spiritual home.
Don is a respected and dedicated volunteer, leader, advisor and role model on the boards of an extensive list of community and charity groups in the Lakehead city.
He splits his time between the northwestern community and Toronto, where he works as a consultant with Tait & Associates, specializing in succession planning for high-powered family-owned businesses. The Paterson name lends credibility.
“The value I bring to a family-owned enterprise is I have lived it and breathed it and successfully transitioned to a new owner.”
