Robert Angus BANDEEN

ROBERT ANGUS BANDEEN OC, KSTJ, PHD, LLD, DCL 1930-2010 Bob died in Toronto on August 16th from complications following heart surgery. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Mona Blair Bandeen C.M., and by their sons and their families: Ian Blair Bandeen and his wife Elizabeth Armitage and their children Ridge, Grace, Spencer and Darcy; his late son Mark Everett Bandeen's children, Bradford and Blair; Robert Derek Bandeen and his wife Bonnie Miao and their children Kelsey, Jesse, Jeffrey and Luke; and Adam Drummond Bandeen and his wife Elizabeth O'Connor and their children Kismet, Cassius and Duvessa. He is also survived by his sister, Catherine; his late brother John and his wife Virginia Shortt's children Barbara Toomer, Brad Bandeen, and Janice Eales and their families; and his late brother-in-law S. Robert Blair C.C.'s children Megan Roughly, Jamie Blair, Bob Blair, Martin Blair and Charlotte Hurd and their families. Bob was born on October 29, 1930 in Aldborough Township, Ontario, the third child of John Robert Bandeen and Jessie Marie Thomson. He had two older sisters, Jessie Catherine Bandeen, M.D. (Western Ontario) and Betty Isobel Bandeen B.A. (Western Ontario), M.A., PhD (Harvard), and a younger brother John Drummond Bandeen, BSc (Guelph), PhD (Wisconsin). Growing up on the family farm, Bob learned the importance of hard work and community involvement at an early age. By the time he was 12 years old he and his sister Catherine were responsible for managing a substantial tobacco planting and harvesting operation, including the hiring and managing of the work crews as well as the negotiation of the bank credit facilities. His summer employment and academic scholarships from the Ridgetown District High School allowed him to finance his undergraduate education. Bob obtained a B.A. (Hons.) in Economics and Political Science from the University of Western Ontario, graduating as a gold medalist in 1952. As an undergraduate he greatly enjoyed being a member of Delta Upsilon Fraternity. He was accepted directly into the PhD program in Economics at Duke University and truly cherished his time in Durham, North Carolina. He put this degree to immediate use by joining the Canadian National Railway in Montreal as an economist. From 1955 to 1974 he worked his way through various management positions at the CNR. It was also in Montreal, in the spring on 1957, that he met his life-long companion. They were engaged that fall and married in May of 1958 at Cedar Mains Farm in Bolton, Ontario. In 1971, Bob and Mona moved to Toronto for his new position as VicePresident of the Great Lakes Region and President of the Grand Trunk Western, Central Vermont and Duluth Winnipeg and Pacific Railways. Among his many accomplishments during his time in Toronto was his role in the realization of the landmark CN Tower. Within a year he was called back to Montreal as Executive Vice-President, Administration and Finance of the Canadian National Railway and in 1974 was named President and C.E.O., a position he held until his retirement in 1982. Under his leadership the corporation was re-organized along profit centre lines and revitalized. Revenues increased rapidly and profits appeared for the first time in many years. The company became competitive, market-oriented and entrepreneurial, while remaining a crown corporation. In 1982, Bob returned to Toronto to take the position of Chairman and President of Crown Life Insurance Company, becoming the President of Crownx Inc. in 1984. Through these years the company became market driven, with a new image, new products and renewed dedication. In 1986, Bob formed the Cluny Corporation, which he ran as Chairman and C.E.O. He spent two years as Business Ambassador for the City of Toronto traveling the industrialized world to interest international companies in bringing their head offices to Toronto. The initiative met with considerable success. He sat on many Boards and Committees, including Talisman Energy Inc., Consolidated-Bathurst Inc., Canadian Industries Limited, Clarke Inc., Counsel Corporation, Counsel Life Insurance Company (Chairman), Diversicare Inc., Greater Toronto Regional Airports Authority, Greyvest Financial Services Inc., Greyvest Inc., Olympic Trust of Canada, National Challenge Systems Inc., Hope Brook Gold Inc., Canadian Ski Council, Arctic Institute of North America, Howe Institute Policy Analysis Committee, and Newfoundland Capital Corporation Inc. Bob was awarded LLD degrees by the University of Western Ontario (1975), Dalhousie University (1978) and Queen's University (1982). He was also awarded a DCL by Bishop's University in 1978 and the prestigious Salzberg Medal by Syracuse University in 1982. He was honoured to become an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1980 and a Knight of the Order of St. John in 1982. He was also a member of the Toronto Club, the York Club, and the Cambridge Club in Toronto, the St. James Club, the Mount Royal Club and the MAAA in Montreal, and The Knowlton Golf Club in the Eastern Townships. Over the years Bob was extremely interested in education and the performing arts. He contributed many happy hours to Bishop's University in Lennoxville, Quebec, culminating in his appointment as Chancellor for six years starting in 1981. He was a Trustee of the Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific, Vice Chairman of the Institute for Research in Public Policy and a founding member of the Isle Maligne Society at Duke University. Bob was a Vice-President of the Art Gallery of Ontario, was a director of both the Montreal and Toronto Symphony Orchestras and chaired the Festival Hong Kong in 1992. He was a Senator of the Stratford Shakespearean Festival and chaired the 1989 International Choral Festival and the Bach 300 Festival. He was very active in promoting the Aboriginal Achievement Awards. He was a Governor of the Canadian Olympic Foundation and of Sport Participation Canada. For many years he was a member of the British North-American Committee and thoroughly enjoyed the exchange of ideas among the members from the three founding countries. Despite his many business, education and community endeavours, Bob never failed to demonstrate that he deeply valued the importance of family life. Accordingly, weekends were reserved for the family. In 1972, he and Mona bought Highland Farm in Sutton Junction, Quebec, and that became the refuge for family and friends alike. Forty years later it remains the meeting place of the now-expanded family. A family graveside funeral has been held at the cemetery of the Bandeen ancestors in Duart, Ontario. There will be a memorial service at the Rosedale Presbyterian Church in Toronto on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at 3 pm, and a gathering of friends at Highland Farm on October 9, 2010. He was a man of great compassion. He understood the need for personal dignity and respected each person's perspective. He possessed a brilliant mind and a most generous heart.