Carl Nickle

Carl Nickle, born on July 12, 1914, started out as a journalist with CFCN Radio in Calgary.

His father, Sam Nickle, had invested in Turner Valley while helping develop the Athabasca Tar Sands; so it was no surprise when Carl followed him into the patch through the publication of a Daily Oil Bulletin.

The Bulletin saw light for the first time on October 2, 1937. Nickle had invested $62 in this project, and set out to find subscribers for future issues.

Before the discoveries in Leduc, however, Nickle had a hard time filling even a page of news in the Bulletin. His publication struggled from month to month, with a small subscription list straining to reach above a dozen.

After Leduc #1, however, there was plenty of news to report, and Nickle’s fortunes changed.

He went on to become a Member of Parliament, winning a seat in 1951. While in office, Nickle attempted to establish a national energy policy, before returning to private life six years later as an oil and gas lobbyist.

Nickle contributed to Western Canada’s economic growth with his membership on the Board of Directors for the Alberta Natural Gas Company in 1965. Through a share purchase in 1982, he also ensured the majority ownership of that company would pass into Canadian hands.

He retired from the Board in 1986, a successful philanthropist.