Colleges Ontario 2009 Conference

George Fierheller is the president of Four Halls Inc.

Feirheller 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.

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, 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. 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, 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 of Rogers Communications Inc. until 1996 and now heads a private investment and consulting firm.

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, 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. He was also on the campaign cabinet of the Canadian Opera House Corporation.

Fierheller currently serves as the chairman of the Honorary Board of the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance. He is currently chair emeritus of the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Capital Campaign, a director of The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, past chair, Toronto Adventurers Club and is on the Board of Business for the Arts and SOS Children’s Villages in Ottawa.

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

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 a Member of the Order of Constantine. 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 André 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, 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 and in 2007 was made a member of the Order of Constantine.

In 2008, he received the Family Service Community Award and the inaugural Sunnybrook Award for Volunteer Service.

Fierheller is the author of several books including Finnie’s Family, Let Me Say This About That, Do Not Fold Spindle Or Mutilate and I Gave At The Office.

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