Jim Shepard used his experiential knowledge of business to help grow British Columbia’s economy during his 50-year career with some of BC’s largest firms.

His career included serving as chair and CEO of Finning, president and CEO of Canfor, chair of the board of MacDonald Dettwiler, chair of OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals and chair of the Business Council of BC, Vice-Chair of the Conference Board of Canada, and Director of BC Rail Ltd.

Jim was founding chair of the 1998 Business Summit which drew 1,000 business leaders from throughout BC to rekindle the ‘can do’ spirit of free enterprise. Jim is also founding chair of the BC Business Laureates Hall of Fame Gala which has raised over $4.6 million over 10 years for the BC Junior Achievement.

He served as a big brother and a volunteer with the Vancouver Crisis Centre. He was founding president of the Williams Lake Racquet Club, fundraiser for the Sam Ketcham Memorial swimming pool, a bantam football coach, director of the St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation and director of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. He was chair of the Grantham’s Landing Wharf Association and fully funded construction of a new wharf for swimmers to enjoy.

Jim was awarded a Queen Elizabeth Golden Jubilee medal in 2002 for business and community leadership.