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George A. Fierheller, C.M., B.A., D.S.Litt., LL.D.


Mr. Fierheller graduated from Trinity College at the University of Toronto with an Honours Degree in Political Science and Economics in 1955. He joined IBM in Toronto that year and subsequently progressed through a number of positions in their sales organization. He was Marketing Manager for IBM's federal government business in Ottawa prior to founding Systems Dimensions Limited (SDL) in 1968.

Mr. Fierheller was President of SDL from the inception of the company until it was acquired by Crown Life of Toronto. SDL was one of the pioneering companies in the computer services industry in Canada.

In April, 1979, Mr. Fierheller moved to Vancouver as President and Chief Executive Officer of Premier Cablesystems Limited. In July, 1980, Premier merged with Rogers Cablesystems Inc. to form one of the world's largest cable TV companies. Mr. Fierheller was a Vice Chairman of Rogers Cablesystems Inc. and Chairman of Canadian Cablesystems Limited, as well as the President and CEO of Rogers Cable TV - British Columbia Limited.

During 1983, Mr. Fierheller led the team that was successful in winning the mobile cellular radio licences for Cantel. He was the founding President and CEO of Cantel Inc. In September 1989, he was promoted to Chairman and CEO of Rogers Cantel Mobile Inc. He was Vice Chairman, Rogers Communications Inc. until 1996 and now heads a private investment and consulting firm.

Mr. Fierheller has been actively involved in community affairs in Ottawa, and Vancouver and Toronto including: Chairman of the Board of Governors of Carleton University, Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Board of Governors of Simon Fraser University, Chairman of United Way Campaigns in Ottawa in 1972, Vancouver in 1981 and in Toronto in 1991, President of the Canadian Information Processing Society, member of the Executive Committee of the National Arts Centre, a Trustee of the Vancouver General Hospital Foundation, a Director of Vancouver Opera and a member of the Vancouver Centennial Commission.

Since returning to Toronto, Mr. Fierheller has served as Chair of the Board of the United Way of Greater Toronto, Chair, Information Technology Association of Canada, Chair, Smart Toronto, Trustee of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, President of The Toronto Board of Trade, Director, Ontario Exports Inc., Chair of The Spirit of Leadership Campaign, Trinity College, University of Toronto, Chair of the Sigma Chi Canadian Foundation and President of the National Club.

Mr. Fierheller currently serves as the Chairman of the Honorary Board of the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance. He is Chair Emeritus of the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Capital Campaign, a Director Emeritus of The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Past Chair, Toronto Adventurers Club, and is also on the Board of SOS Children's Villages and the Advisory Board of the Council for Business & the Arts in Canada.

He continues to volunteer and is on the 1812 Bicentennial Committee, the Toronto Symphony Development Committee as well as being a patron of the Alzheimer Society and the Toronto Public Library Foundation.

He has also served on a number of public company Boards including: Extendicare Inc., Falconbridge Inc., Telesystem International Wireless Inc., Teleglobe Inc., GBC North American Growth Fund and Rogers Wireless Inc.

Mr. Fierheller has received many awards including a Doctor of Laws degree from Concordia University in 1976, a Doctor of Sacred Letters from Trinity College in 1999, the Award of Excellence from the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association; is a Significant Sig from Sigma Chi Fraternity, and in March 1991, he received Toronto's highest honour, The Award of Merit. In 1998 he received the highest award from the United Way of Canada, the Andre Mailhot Award. In the Fall of 1998, he was admitted into the Canadian Information Productivity Hall of Fame, as well as receiving the Arbor Award from the University of Toronto.

In July, 2000 Mr. Fierheller was appointed a Member of The Order of Canada.

In May, 2001, he was honoured by the Association of Fundraising Professionals as the Outstanding Volunteer of the Year during The International Year of the Volunteer. In 2002, he received the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal and the Salute to the City Award for service to the City of Toronto. In 2005 he was made a member of the Sigma Chi Hall of Fame. In 2012, he received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal.


You can read some of his books here in pdf format...


Finnie’s Family:  The Fierhellers – a Canadian story
“most families are better dead than alive”
A lighthearted overview of the Fierheller family history reaching new heights with a description of my somewhat messy career.
108 Pages, 62 Illustrations.


Talk of Toronto – Growing Up in a Growing City
"I was clearly in the right place at the right time"
A look at growing up in Toronto during the Depression of the 1930’s, the Aggression of the 1940’s and the Progression of the 1950’s.
206 Pages, 202 Illustrations.


Wireless in Wonderland – Canadians Cut The Cord 1983-1993
"now I ‘can tell’ the story of the first decade of CANTEL"
We must have been out of our minds. In 1983, a small group started a new company in a new industry with new tech- nology. Then we took on the largest and most profitable companies in Canada. Somehow it worked.
165 Pages, 170 Illustrations.


Let me say this about that – Talks on Topical Topics
"progress is capitalizing on the inevitable"
I have opinions on everything, usually unencumbered by facts. This is a collection of forty-eight talks given to a wide range of very patient audiences over many decades. 276 Pages, 56 Illustrations.

Other books and articles can be read on his web site at:
http://www.gfierheller.ca


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