Echo Memoirs Blog - Echo Memoirs

Photo courtesy Foord family

Canadian business lost one of its foremost entrepreneurs when Tom Foord, co-founder of Kal Tire, and president of the company for half a century, died of heart failure at his home in Vernon, B.C. on Thursday, April 12, 2012. He was 89.

Over the past five years, Echo Memoirs has had the pleasure of working with Kal Tire and the Foord family on two books, one about the 50-year history of the company and one about the tight-knit family. Tom and his late wife, Norah, inspired us with their fierce love of family, friendship and life. They offered grit, generosity and affection in spades. Tom’s death follows that of Norah’s by only a few months. We were deeply saddened by Norah’s passing in February. As writer Eve Rockett wrote in A Full House: The Tom & Norah Family Story, “Norah has been the glue that holds the family together. They call her the CEO: The Chief Emotional officer.” We are honoured and grateful that Norah was able to see the proofs of the family book before her passing.

Tom and Norah met when he was posted to a teletype office in Newfoundland. They married in 1944. After the war, Tom moved to his new wife’s hometown where he spent almost a decade at a variety of jobs before buying the service station in 1951 that later became Kal’s first location in 1953. With fearlessness and innovation, the Foords expanded the company into what is now the largest independent tire company in Canada.

John, our Creative Director, came away from his first meeting with Tom with some lasting impressions. “I first met Tom at a dinner meeting more than four years ago. Right away I knew he was a charismatic, generous man, who also packed a great sense of humour and a capacity for keen observation. He was down to earth, interested in everything – especially our process – with an openness that made all of us feel as though we just at home relaxing and sharing the day’s events.”

Tom was the deserving recipient of countless honours in his life, including: Vernon’s Most Valuable People Award, the Order of British Columbia in 2000, and a Doctor of Laws degree from Royal Roads University, his proudest honour of all. In 2003, he became the first Canadian to be inducted into the Tire Industry Hall of Fame, which includes Harvey Firestone, Charles Goodyear and Les Schwab.

The Echo team is truly proud to have been able to tell the Tom and Norah Foord family story, and extend our sincere condolences to their family.

I am delighted to announce that we have been invited by international real estate pioneer Bob Lee and his family to write Bob’s life story and produce his book.

Bob is Founder and Chairman of the Prospero Group, and is well-known on the west coast for his leadership in real estate investment. But it is his philanthropic efforts that Bob considers his greatest legacy, specifically his creation of the UBC Properties Trust. Bob figures that the real-estate engine of the trust will generate $1 billion+ to support the university, and all of the land is leased, which means it remains within its control and ownership.

Stephen Troope, president and vice-chancellor of UBC describes it like this: “We always talk about the big idea, what’s going to change the future, not just for UBC but for the country and for the world. Well, Bob Lee had one of those big ideas when he created UBC Properties Trust.”

What will be your legacy?

Today, one of our recent clients, Ryan and Keith Beedie, announced a $22-million donation to the Simon Fraser University business school, to be re-named the Beedie School of Business.

The money will create bursaries and scholarships, while also attracting the best teachers to the school.

It’s the largest donation ever received by SFU, Ryan’s Alma Mater.

The book we wrote, designed and published for them last year, called Something To Build On: The Keith Beedie Story, traces the company’s roots back to when Keith constructed his first building in 1945 at the age of 19 – a modest structure of 1,200 hand-built square feet.

Today, the company he started right after his service in the RCAF is the largest landlord of industrial space in BC with over seven million square feet in their portfolio.

I got a nice email back from Ryan today after I congratulated him, expressing how excited he is to be in the position to make such a significant gift. My deepest respect to Ryan and Keith for ensuring that their story includes a chapter on generosity.

Since 1999, we have published over 250 books. I have truly loved each of these stories. Some have made me laugh, some have made me think, some have made me want to dream bigger than I ever imagined.

And some have made me cry.

We recently finished a book for a family about their son Pat Dooley, who died suddenly of viral encephalitis at age 16 on February 5, 2008. To say this is a tragic story is an understatement. As a team, we decided to offer to do the book pro bono because we were so moved by Pat’s too-short life, and we wanted to help his family remember him in a special way.

As the project unfolded, yes, it made me cry, but it turned out that this book would also me laugh, think, and dream bigger than I ever imagined. That was the effect that Pat had on all of us. I can only imagine the effect he had on his family and friends while he was alive.

We don’t know how long we’re here for, and Pat Dooley’s legacy is to remind us to spend it following our passions and being generous and kind to all who cross our path along the way. The title of the book is Taking Pat With Us, and that is how I carry Pat’s memory with me: as a vow to live true and be kind.

Pat’s dad, Steve, helped to create an award in Pat’s honour, the Pat Dooley Caddy Award, to be given away each year to a young golf player who is passionate about the game of golf like he was. You can read more about Steve’s gesture here.

Whose life has inspired you recently? Take five minutes and write them a quick email letting them know. You won’t regret it, I promise.