Ross James TURNER

1930 - 2023

ROSS J. TURNER Ross J. Turner (Ross James Turner) was born May 1, 1930, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to James Valentine and Gretta Harriet Turner (nee Ross), and died peacefully in his home in Rancho Santa Fe, California, on the morning of August 29, 2023, at the age of 93. He will be lovingly missed and forever remembered by his wife, Wendy; his children, Ralph J. Turner and wife, Starla, T. Richard Turner and wife, Jennifer, and Tracy L. Turner; his grandchildren, Matthew, Meghan and husband, Russell, Chelsea and her husband, Michael, and Shauna; his great-grandchildren, Jeffrey, Rumi, Quinn, and Hendrix; his niece, Susan Paulsen and husband, Dennis; his nephew, Jeffrey Reyner and wife, Terry, and their families. His sister, Verlie Hazel and husband, Gerald R. Reyner predeceased him. Ross's family didn't have much money, so he began working on his uncle's farm at the age of five to help support his family during the Depression. He continued to support his family, while going to school, by working various jobs. Here he developed a hard work ethic and respect for the value of money. Despite being only 13 years old, his mature height and weight enabled him to work on a job building the Canadian railroad system. Being far from home and on his own, he became self-reliant, strong, and learned to stand up for himself. Back at home in Winnipeg, in the eighth grade, he decided that he wanted to get to the very top in business. Then and there he developed his unique executive signature that he used throughout his extraordinary business career. While working and going to school, he also pursued his passion for sports, particularly canoeing and basketball. As a member of the Winnipeg Canoe Club, he participated in the Le Voyager 65-mile canoe race. The first year he raced, due to the illnesses of his partner, he finished dead last, but he never gave up on a goal once he set one. His desire to excel and win pushed him to log 1000 miles of training the following year and, with his new partner, he decisively won the race. Ross attended East Kildonan Collegiate Secondary School in Winnipeg, Manitoba, University of Manitoba, and the Banff school of Advanced Management. He was named a Fellow of the Society of Management Accountants of Canada and Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia. Ross's desire to be at the top drove him to be the best at everything he did. In 1947, the head of Dominion Bridge, asked who was the top student at his school. It was Ross and a job was offered. This opened the door to his first job in business, and he was soon on his way to being the CFO at Dominion Bridge and ultimately Ross moved to the Head Office in Montreal in 1959. He also continued his passion for sports, namely basketball. He played on the Canadian Senior Men's A team against the Harlem Globetrotters and the Minneapolis (Los Angeles) Lakers. At this point he began investing on the side to pursue his goal of building wealth. By his mid-20s, having learned the art of 'deal making', he was the proud co-owner of four companies. In 1961, ever goal oriented, he knew he needed to transition from accounting to operations to be a top businessman. He accepted a job at Winnipeg based BACM (British American Construction and Materials), owned by the Simkin family, who mentored him into a gifted corporate executive. As a result, he was named by the Young Presidents Organization as one of the up-and-coming young chief executives in Canada. In 1969, he moved from Winnipeg to Vancouver to take advantage of another opportunity. From 1969 to 1970 he was president and CEO of Neonex. In 1971, to pursue further advancement, he joined Seaspan International Ltd as its new President and CEO. In 1972 he became President and CEO of Genstar Western, LTD which merged with Sogemines LTD in 1974 to become Genstar Corporation. Ross moved up to become Genstar's President, Chairman and CEO, positions which he and his partner, Angus MacNaughton shared, serving in alternative years. Genstar was a Canadian building-materials and financial-services company that invested $1.9 billion through 28 acquisitions from 1976 to 1986. In 1981, Genstar bought Canada Permanent Mortgage Corp., and four years later, scooped up Canada Trustco Mortgage Co. (operating as Canada Trust), at the time the largest independently owned trust company in the country. Additionally, Genstar sold 40 businesses and entered into 75 joint ventures during this period. Genstar, which was listed on the New York Stock Exchange, was sold to Imasco, Ltd in 1986, at which point Genstar owned more than 100 businesses around the world. Together Ross and Angus grew Genstar into an international conglomerate. In 1978, he moved the Headquarters of Genstar Corporation from Montreal to San Francisco. There he also served on the boards of Blue Shield of California, Guy F. Atkinson company, Rio Algom Ltd (as chairman and CEO), Great West Life & Annuity Insurance Company, Western Corporate Enterprises Inc. He was also chairman of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, on the board of the California Business Roundtable, and on the board of the YMCA. When Genstar Corporation was sold in 1986, Ross and Angus formed Genstar Investment Corporation, and founded Genstar Capital, LLC a private equity firm. Based in San Francisco, Genstar is focused on investing in financial services, software, industrial technology, and healthcare. From 1989 through to 2021, Genstar launched 10 Funds and raised over $28 billion. Ross was an extraordinarily astute and successful businessman driven by a fierce desire to succeed beyond his humble beginnings. He worked and travelled tirelessly over the world while engaging with corporate leaders, politicians, royalty, and celebrities. He was described in the book 'Men of Property, The Canadian Developers Who are Buying America' as tall, lanky, silver haired and suave with a diplomat's demeanor. He had a commanding presence that invited careful listening and attention. He was a great judge of character and had an amazing ability to turn adverse situations around and create a 'win' for all instead. When not building businesses and financial empires, Ross loved to travel, spend time with his family, play sports, and help those less fortunate. Ross played basketball well into his 60s in all the cities he travelled to for business and often amazed the younger players with his famous hook shot. He and his wife Wendy traveled all over the world for business and pleasure including North, South and Central America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Ross even went to the North Pole as a guest of the Governor General of Canada. He generously wanted to share his good fortune with all of his family. He and Wendy organized extended family gatherings treating the family to fun filled vacations while encouraging the family to bond and grow ever closer. Although he was formidable in business he loved to joke and tell stories. When gathering for a delicious meal he worked his brilliant mind and charm, remembering details of all his life experiences, with a wit and sense of humor to entertain. Whether it was for family, friends, business associates or dignitaries, he could hold everyone in a rapt attention and delight as he retold his life's adventures, interspersed with humorous jokes, to lighten the mood. He loved to eat but his favorite part of any meal was dessert, especially pie or chocolate ice cream with copious amounts of chocolate sauce. Followed by even more chocolate candy. Although he rose to the very top, he never forgot his humble beginnings. He treated people from all walks of life with kindness, integrity, and respect. He took the time to engage with everyone he met and had an amazing ability to charm and connect with people. Whether it was a custodian or royalty, and everyone in between, he related to them in a way that dissolved all the barriers of position and status. Whether it was attention, a kind word, or a compliment, he brightened their day and gave them a lift. Anyone who ever met him never forgot him.