The former president and CEO and current chair of the board of Friesens Corporation, he is a business leader and enthusiastic supporter of higher education and community life in Manitoba. Operating in Altona since 1907, Friesens is the largest independent book manufacturer in Canada. Named Altona’s “Citizen of the Year” in 2002, he served on the Rhineland School Division board and was active in the chamber of commerce and other local Altona organizations. As chair of the University of Manitoba’s most recent Capital Campaign “Building on Strengths”, he led the most successful fundraising campaign in the university’s history raising $250 million. His extensive service on boards includes The National Arts Centre in Ottawa, the Fort Whyte Centre for Environmental Education and the Business Council of Manitoba. Among his many honours, in 2006 he was named Printer of the Year and was also named to the Manitoba Manufacturer’s Hall of Fame by the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
