Kenneth (KC) Irving Biography | Canadian Business Leader and Industrialist

Kenneth Colin (K.C.)Irving

Born: March 14, 1899
Died: December 13, 1992
Place of Birth: Buctouche, New Brunswick

Major Notes:

Kenneth (KC) Irving dropped out of university to serve in England as a member of the Royal Flying Corps during World War I.
After the war, he began a car dealership and gasoline bar that was the start of a large business empire.
In 1924, he decided to sell his own gasoline under the name Irving Oil Ltd.
Doing so meant he had to compete with the much larger Imperial Oil.
He used profits to buy companies that would benefit the other companies he owned.
Amongst Irving holdings were paper mills, ship building yards, transport trucks, ships and a railroad.
Irving also owned most of the newspapers in New Brunswick.
He was a shrewd business man and would resort to court actions to protect his companies.
Irving moved his head office to Bermuda to avoid the heavy tax structure of Canada.
He gradually introduced his three sons to the business world and they each became responsible for major Irving divisions.
New Brunswick and other provinces have gained much from the generous donations of Irving and his companies.
At the time of his death in 1992, Irving's wealth was an estimated six billion dollars making him one of the wealthiest men in the world.

For detailed research and more information, check out any of the following:

Library References: "The Canadian 100" by H.G. Rawlinson & J.L. Granatstein; published by Little, Brown & Company "K.C.- The Biography of K.C. Irving" by Douglas How & Ralph Costello; published by Key Porter Books Wikipedia Irving Oil Online! Book Rags Book Rags Irving Summary Answers.com

BACK HOME PAGE

Major Notes:

Kenneth (KC) Irving dropped out of university to serve in England as a member of the Royal Flying Corps during World War I.

After the war, he began a car dealership and gasoline bar that was the start of a large business empire.

In 1924, he decided to sell his own gasoline under the name Irving Oil Ltd.

Doing so meant he had to compete with the much larger Imperial Oil.

He used profits to buy companies that would benefit the other companies he owned.

Amongst Irving holdings were paper mills, ship building yards, transport trucks, ships and a railroad.

Irving also owned most of the newspapers in New Brunswick.

He was a shrewd business man and would resort to court actions to protect his companies.

Irving moved his head office to Bermuda to avoid the heavy tax structure of Canada.

He gradually introduced his three sons to the business world and they each became responsible for major Irving divisions.

New Brunswick and other provinces have gained much from the generous donations of Irving and his companies.

At the time of his death in 1992, Irving's wealth was an estimated six billion dollars making him one of the wealthiest men in the world.