Ronald V. Joyce

Born: 1930
Place of Birth: Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia

• In 1956, after serving a term in the Royal Canadian Navy, Ronald Joyce moved to Hamilton where he worked with the local police force.

• The first Tim Horton coffee and doughnut shop opened in Hamilton in 1964 and Joyce entered into the business in 1965.

• He did so by borrowing ten thousand dollars from a local credit union to cover initial costs.

• Joyce became manager of the first shop and made a goal to set up another ten coffee shops.

• After setting up two shops, he became a full partner in the business with Tim Horton.

• His partner, the famous Toronto Maple Leafs hockey player, died in a car accident in 1974.

• After Horton's death, Joyce offered to buy out Mrs. Horton's part of the business and he became sole owner of Tim Hortons.

• At that time the business had expanded to 40 shops.

• Much in memory of Tim Horton, a Tim Hortens Childrens Foundation was set up to help less fortunate children.

• Joyce himself would pilot an airplane across Canada picking out potential sites for new Tim Hortons restaurants.

• Tim Hortons and the United States food business known as Wendy's merged in 1995 through stock exchange with each still a separate entity.

• In 1999, he was named Entrepreneur of the Year for both Ontario and Canada and was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.

• He wanted to have 2000 Tim Hortons shops by the year 2000 and, in fact, opened his 2000th store in December of that year.

• Joyce announced in 2002 that he would be selling his 5.7 million shares of Wendy's.

Last Updated: April 23, 2008
© Canada-Heros/Don Jones 2003