Ronald Frederick KNOWLES

1941 - 2022

RONALD FREDRICK BAILEY KNOWLES Was born June 15, 1941, in Cambridge (Galt) and grew up in Brantford and Hamilton. He graduated from UofT with what he always described as "one of Canada's oldest MBA's". He passed away on April 30, 2022 and is survived by his wife, Linda; his son, Jonathan; his daughter, Gillian; and her sons, Charlie and Evan; and by his lifelong friend and cousin, Gary Oakley. He was predeceased by his sister Linda and brothers Dale and Glenn. After a two-decade business career, Ron found his true love: management consulting, initially at Price Waterhouse & Associates and, for almost three decades, Western Management Consulting, where he was for a time National Director, then capping off his working life in his own firm. Ron was a part-time faculty member in the Executive Development stream at the Rotman School of Management and, for the past twenty years, at the University of St. Michael's College Diploma program in Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability where his greatest love was mentoring the students. Ron took an interest in most everything (except how machinery worked!) He loved working with his clients, many of whom became friends. He had many and varied interests. He was a keen golfer (a love-hate relationship), active in tennis and, at the Donalda Club, took leadership roles where he was, among other things, President. A lover of classical and choral music, travel, and theatre, he was a voracious and eclectic reader. He was an active board volunteer throughout his adult life, most recently at Pax Christi Chorale and the Arts and Letters Club, where he was a member of the Literature and Architecture committees, as well as the Board of Directors, until ill health forced him to step back. Ron has requested that there be no funeral, but a celebration of life which will take place later in the year. Cremation has taken place.