"Strong communities and
families lead to good, strong business ethics.
If we don't channel our energies to the overall
quality of life we enjoy, we'll lose it." Jim
Gray
James Kenneth Gray was born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario in
1933. He moved to Calgary in 1956 to work in the
energy industry. In 1973, he co-founded a natural
gas company, Canadian Hunter Exploration. The
company grew and prospered, but Mr. Gray also
focused on making an employee-friendly work culture,
and encouraging environmental conservation. He served as Chair
of the 16th World Petroleum Congress in 2000 in
Calgary. After twenty-eight years of business Canadian Hunter
Exploration was sold in 2001. However, Mr. Gray
continued to work and remains active in the business
community, serving on a number of corporate boards
including Canadian National Railway, Emera, Hudson's
Bay Company, Brascan Corporation, and a Director
with Temple Exploration.
Jim Gray also places his energies
in many community programs, focusing on education,
the sciences, and social issues. He has given his
time as a volunteer to many organizations such as
the Science Alberta Foundation, the Achievement
Centre for Youth, the Calgary Women's Emergency
Shelter and the Calgary Native Friendship Centre.
One closest to his heart has been YMCA, this began
when he offered free swimming lessons to paper boys.
He went on to help develop summer camp programs and
a successful effort to build a new Calgary YMCA facility.
He has been awarded with the YMCA
Fellowship of Honour, a Honourary Doctor of Laws
degree from the University of Calgary in 199, a
Citation for Citizenship from the Government of
Canada in 1992, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of
Canada. Jim Gray was inducted into the Alberta Order
of Excellence in 2002.
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Heritage Community Foundation Presents
