EDWARD KENNY

CLASS OF 1952

Retired Vice-President, Canadian Pacific

I graduated from Belfast High School (Glenravel Street) as a 16-year-old in 1952. Dr Harte was the Principal.

For a few years, I worked for the Belfast City Council in several departments until 1957 when I immigrated to Toronto, Canada, and began my business career in financial accounting and corporate administration. In 1965 I was elected a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario and became a Life Member of the organisation in 2005. In 1968 I was elected a member of the Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administrators, earning a number of scholarships and academic awards during this period.

In the early years I accepted increasing responsibilities in various organisations in Ontario and Quebec, and in 1971 I was appointed Assistant to the Vice-President, Transport and Communications of Canadian Pacific Limited in Montreal, Quebec. In 1972 I was appointed Comptroller of Canadian Pacific’s worldwide shipping operations, based in London, England. In 1974, I returned to Toronto as Chief Financial Officer of Canadian Pacific’s trucking enterprises. I retired from Canadian Pacific in 1991 as Vice-President, Finance and Accounting and Corporate Secretary of CP Trucks.

Over the next several years I was engaged in providing consulting services for the Federal Government and CP Consulting Services. These activities included major projects in North and South America, Indonesia, Malaysia and the People’s Republic of China. During my working years, I was a strong advocate for business leaders to provide volunteer operating, financial and administrative services to needy service organisations. That has continued to be a major activity in my retirement years.

On reflection, the foundations I received at Belfast High School have served me well personally and professionally throughout my lifetime. For that, and so much else, I remain a grateful alumnus. My advice to current and future pupils is exactly the same advice that was given to me over seven decades ago by the teaching staff of Belfast High School:

• Trust in your own ability and judgment.

• Never accept the premise that a project is impossible – the “difficult” takes a little time; the “impossible” may take a little longer.

• Share your talents and energy voluntarily with individuals and organisations that need and will benefit from your support.