Jim Pattison facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jim Pattison
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Pattison in 2015
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James Allen Pattison
October 1, 1928 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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| Alma mater | Sauder School of Business (dropped out) |
| Occupation | Businessman, investor, philanthropist |
| Known for | Founder of the Jim Pattison Group |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Hudson |
| Children | 3 |
James Allen Pattison (born October 1, 1928) is a very successful Canadian businessman and investor. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. He is the boss and owner of the Jim Pattison Group. This company is one of Canada's biggest private businesses.
The Jim Pattison Group has over 45,000 employees around the world. It makes about $10.1 billion in sales each year. The company works in many different areas, like packaging, food, and wood products.
In 2015, Jim Pattison was one of Canada's richest people. By late 2018, his wealth was estimated at $5.7 billion. He has received many important awards for his work and his giving back to the community.
Contents
Early Life and School Days
Jim Pattison was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. His family lived in a small town called Luseland, Saskatchewan. When he was six years old, his family moved to East Vancouver, British Columbia. But Jim still spent his summers back in Saskatchewan.
First Jobs and Learning to Sell
Jim had many different jobs when he was young. His first summer job was playing the trumpet at a church camp for kids. He also picked fruit like raspberries and peaches. In high school, he sold doughnuts, delivered newspapers, and worked as a page boy at the Georgia Hotel. He finished high school in 1947.
After high school, he worked in a cannery and a packing house. He also built bridges and worked on a dining car for the Canadian Pacific Railway. Then, he got a job washing cars at a gas station that also sold used cars. One day, he sold a car when the regular salesman was away. This made him realize he was good at selling!
He used his success in selling to get a job at a big used-car lot in Vancouver. He earned money to pay for his studies at the University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business. He didn't finish his degree, but he learned a lot about business.
Building a Business Empire
In 1961, Jim Pattison convinced a bank manager to lend him $40,000. This was a lot of money back then! He used it to open a Pontiac car dealership. He also sold his house and got other loans to make it happen. About 25 years later, he was selling more cars than anyone else in Western Canada.
Growing the Jim Pattison Group
By March 2018, his company owned 25 car dealerships. It also owned truck dealerships, grocery stores like Overwaitea Foods and Save-On-Foods, and popular attractions like Ripley's Believe It or Not! and Guinness World Records.
Jim Pattison also got into the media business. He bought a radio station in Vancouver with some partners. By 2018, his Broadcast Group was the biggest radio and TV company in Western Canada. It had 43 radio stations and three TV stations. His company also owns Pattison Agriculture, which is the second-largest John Deere dealer in Canada. They have 19 locations in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Leading Big Events
Jim Pattison was the main leader for Expo 86 in Vancouver. This was a huge world's fair. He worked almost full-time for five years without pay to make it a success. People say he was the one who truly made Expo '86 happen.
He was also involved with the committee for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. He has received many awards, including being an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Order of British Columbia.
Still Working Hard
In late 2018, Jim Pattison was still very active in his business. He drove thousands of kilometers in a pickup truck to visit his farm equipment dealerships. When asked if he ever took a vacation, he said, "Well, I get 365 days. If you like your work, it’s not work." This shows how much he loves what he does.
In September 2020, when he was 91 years old, Jim Pattison was still looking for new business opportunities. His company, Jim Pattison Group Inc., had $10.9 billion in revenue and employed 48,000 people.
Giving Back: Philanthropy
Jim Pattison is well-known for his generosity. He has always given away about 10% of his income to charity. His foundation, the Jim Pattison Foundation, is one of the largest private givers of charitable grants in Canada.
Major Donations
In 2009, Jim Pattison's company, Save-On Foods, donated $100,000 to CBC Television. This money helped them rent special equipment to broadcast Vancouver Canucks hockey games in high-definition.
In July 2013, he donated up to $5 million to the Victoria Hospitals Foundation. This money helped buy new equipment for the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, British Columbia. The hospital named its ground floor lobby "The Jim Pattison Atrium and Concourse" to thank him.
In 2011, he gave $5 million to help build the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre in Surrey, British Columbia. Other past donations include $20 million to Vancouver General Hospital in 1999 and $5 million to the Lions Gate Hospital in 2008.
On March 28, 2017, Jim Pattison made a record-breaking private donation of $75 million for the new St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver. On May 30, 2017, he and his foundation donated $50 million to the new Children's Hospital of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. This was the largest private donation in Saskatchewan's history. The new hospital was named Jim Pattison Children's Hospital in his honor.
Jim Pattison said in a March 2018 interview that his company is now big enough to "give serious money away." He believes that the bigger his company gets, the more money they can make, and the more they can give away.
Personal Life
Jim Pattison is married to Mary Hudson. They met when they were both 13 years old at a church camp. Mary was from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. In 2018, Jim joked that the secret to a happy marriage is to "marry somebody from Saskatchewan." They have three children.
In 2016, Jim Pattison bought a famous dress at an auction for $4.8 million. It was the dress worn by Marilyn Monroe when she sang "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" to President John F. Kennedy.
Even at 90 years old, Jim Pattison still enjoys playing music. He plays the piano, organ, and trumpet. He also loves sailing and owns a large yacht called the Nova Spirit.
See also
- Lists of billionaires
