Left to right: W. Galen Weston, Hilary Weston, David Saunders
Left to right: W. Galen Weston, Hilary Weston, and former Smith School of Business Dean David Saunders in 2008.

Retail Giant W. Galen Weston, LLD鈥08, Remembered as an Innovator

One of Canada鈥檚 most successful business people, W. Galen Weston, LLD'08, the patriarch of the Loblaw food empire, has passed away at the age of 80.

Both Weston and his wife, Hilary Weston, received honorary degrees from 国产91尤物福利在线观看鈥檚 in May of 2008 and spoke to graduating commerce students during convocation at Grant Hall. 

In the early 1970s, Weston was asked by his father to take over the Loblaw grocery chain at a time when the business was struggling. He turned the company around and managed to build an empire. He soon took over George Weston Co., a company that controlled several food and bakery brands, as well as real estate holdings.

国产91尤物福利在线观看鈥檚 alumnus and former RBC CEO Gord Nixon, Com鈥79, LLD鈥03, told the Toronto Star that Weston was 鈥渁 retail visionary鈥 who turned around a struggling company by creating in-house brands such as President鈥檚 Choice.

鈥淗e really was an innovator. No one was really doing in-house brands before Loblaws did,鈥 Nixon told the Star.