History & Founders

In 1983, a group of family business owners formed a network of fellow owners/participants to help one another meet the special challenges faced by family enterprises, through the exchange of present knowledge and past experience. The Canadian Association of Family Enterprise was formally constituted on December 12, 1983, as a federally chartered, not-for-profit association with 15 founding directors. Thanks to the dream, wisdom and commitment of our founders, CAFE has grown to consist of thirteen Chapters stretching from the coast of Vancouver Island to the coast of Nova Scotia, and still growing.

These are the 15 founding Directors of the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise whose vision helped propel CAFE to what it is today:

Mr. Gordon R. Sharwood President, Sharwood & Company
Mr. Ernest L. G. Smith, E.D. Smith & Sons Ltd.
Mr. John C. Gray Chairman, ST. Lawrence Starch Co. Ltd.
Mr. Donald M. Green President, Tridon Ltd.
Mr. Peter G. White, Criff Corporation
Mr. Gary E. Lewis, Lewiscraft
Mr. Charles C. Holton President, National Paper Goods Ltd.
Mr. Rein Peterson Professor & Director Entrepreneurial Program, York University
Mr. Murray E. Hogarth President & C.E.O., The Pioneer Group Inc.
Mr. Donald E. O'Born, The Printing House
Mr. Barrie D. Rose Chairman, Androcan Inc.
Mr. Irving Granovsky President, Atlantic Packaging Products Ltd.
Mr. D. Miller Alloway, Cairn Capital Inc.
Mr. Fred J. Francis
Mr. David I. Gallagher President, Gallagher & Associates