Ken Jewett
Founder
Ken started in business with the Abitibi Paper Company in 1950. In 1958, he pursued an interest in cooking into a study of the frozen prepared food market. At age forty (in 1970), he left Abitibi and spent the next year arranging financing and equipping a plant for a new business called Marsan Foods. Marsan produces frozen meals for supermarket chains, restaurant chains and the health care field and was a winner in competition across Canada as one of “The 50 Best Managed Companies“ in 2005 and 2008, earning “Platinum” status in 2012 & 2013.
Jewett started community work as an Assistant Scoutmaster. He had a farm in the Brooklin area where he planted thousands of trees and opened the property for Scout camping. He was a former Director of the Toronto Advertising and Sales Club. Ken was a Big Brother and is an Honorary Life Director of Big Brothers. This was a ten-year involvement. Ken was Past President of the Canadian Food Service Executives Association. He served as Chairman of the Committee of Convocation at Trinity College School in Port Hope as well as serving on the Board of Governors. He owned East Bay Marina on Lake Muskoka and served as a Director of the Muskoka Lakes Ratepayers Association and is also a member of “The American Association of Therapeutic Humor”.
Ken is the founder/entrepreneur of two successful enterprises: Marsan Foods and Maple leaves Forever. Ken was a Trustee of the Trees Ontario Foundation from 2002 until 2007, and also served on Trees Ontario (now Forests Ontario) Board of Directors. Ken founded Maple Leaves Forever in 1997 and formalized its establishment in 2000 – the growing charitable organization in now in it’s 25th successful year of championing the planting of Native Canadian Maple Trees. On Ken’s 91st birthday, the Museum of Nature in Ottawa honoured him with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his life-long and outstanding dedication to promoting environmental education on the importance of the native Canadian Maple through Maple Leaves Forever.
Ken was married to his beloved wife Edie Jewett for 68 years until her passing in 2022. They have two sons and one daughter.
James C. Jewett
Member of the Board, Secretary
James attended Trinity College School in Port Hope and Bishops University in Lennoxville. He had a successful career in commercial real estate prior to joining Marsan Foods Limited. At Marsan, he pioneered the healthcare division that is now recognized as Canada’s leader in convenience feeding for long-term care and acute-care facilities.
Today, James is Vice President of Marsan Foods and oversees the sales and marketing throughout North America, earning awards including Supplier of the Year for Loblaws. As well, he holds the titles of Secretary and a Director of Marsan Foods. Apart from Marsan, James’ interests include skiing, squash, and golf. James is a Sick Kids Leader and is active as a fundraiser for the Yellow Bus Foundation. Most recently James has joined the Board of Directors at Sheena’s Place a community based center offering assistance to individuals and families affected by eating disorders.
James is also a member of the Bedford Park Players, a community based theatre group who perform annually in support of The Big Little Caravan of Joy which brings arts-based curriculums to underprivileged children in remote Canadian communities.
James is married and has two children.
Graeme Jewett
Member of the Board
Graeme Jewett graduated from University of Western Ontario 1981 and joined Marsan Foods September of the same year. After working in most areas of the business, he became President in 1995. Gaeme oversaw growth of the business from $9mm in sales to over $65mm. He is currently Chair of McDermott House Canada, a foundation supporting Veterans causes, and Trustee of Trinity College School. He is Past President of The Badminton and Racquet Club, and past Board member of Further Poultry Processors.
Graeme is married to Laura and together they have two daughters, Stephanie and Carter.
Robert H. Keen, RPF
Member of the Board
Rob is a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) with 40 years of experience in forestry and founded a forestry consultant business upon graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the University of Toronto in 1982. He has been involved in many facets of the forestry industry, primarily in the Great Lakes St. Lawrence forest region. Rob has provided forestry services to landowners, developed forest management plans on Crown and private lands, conducted wood supply and feasibility studies, led forest audits for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (and Forestry).
Rob has been an active member of the Ontario Professional Foresters Association since 1985, where he served as vice-president for two terms. He was Director and Chair of the Algonquin Forestry Authority, Director of Invasive Species Centre and currently serves as a Director for Maple Leaves Forever and Chair of the Westwind Forest Stewardship sustainable forest licensee.
In 2014, Rob Keen assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer of Forests Ontario (the merged organization of Trees Ontario and Ontario Forestry Association) after serving as CEO of Trees Ontario since 2011 and continues to lead the Forests Ontario team in sustaining and generating new partnerships to support and achieve its re-greening mandate.
Tony DiGiovanni
Member of the Board
Tony DiGiovanni is the Executive Director of Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association, one of the world’s largest and most active Horticultural Associations. The organization enjoys a membership of over 3,400 companies, publishes 2 magazines, coordinates 3 trade shows and hosts over 250 seminars and workshops.
In addition to his role as Executive Director of Landscape Ontario he also serves as a Director of the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation and Executive Director of Canada Blooms Flower and Garden Show.
The Foundation has distributed over $400,000 in scholarships and millions of dollars’ worth of research support since its inception. In 2004 the Foundation started a scholarship in his honour and raised over $100,000 for the Tony DiGiovanni Scholarship Fund. This is one of Tony’s proudest achievements
Tony is also currently (2022) serving on the Stakeholder Advisory Committee of Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, Deans Advisory Committee at Humber College, Chair of Green Infrastructure Ontario, (https://greeninfrastructureontario.org/), Chair of the Development Committee at Toronto Botanical Garden, Board member of the Toronto Botanical Gardens. Director Maple Leaves Forever, Director Highway of Heroes Living Tribute (HOHTribute.ca), Director Smart about Salt Council and Director IPM Council,
Tony has been active in many facets of horticulture industry development. He participated in the founding of the following organizations:
- Canada Blooms, Canada’s premier flower and Garden Festival. Canada Blooms is one of the largest indoor events in North America attracting over 200,000 people in a 10-day period.
- Integrated Pest Management Council (served as Executive Director)
- Pesticide Technicians Advisory Council – (dedicated to pesticide safety training)
- Ontario Horticultural Human Resource Council (Served as Chair for 10 years)
- The Smart about Salt Council – (An alliance of associations dedicated to reducing the impact of road salt on the environment and raising the professional stature of the Snow and Ice Management industry)
- The Green Infrastructure Coalition – An alliance of associations dedicated to raising awareness for the economic, environmental and social benefits of gardens, landscapes, green space and green infrastructure
- Trees for Life (This coalition of tree advocacy groups was founded by Mark Cullen. Its aim is to promote 40% urban tree cover)
- Highway of Heroes Living Tribute- This organization is planting 117,000 trees along the Highway of Heroes (401 to Toronto) in recognition of all soldiers who died for their country since confederation.
- Canadian Trees for Life Foundation
- London Veteran’s Memorial Parkway Community Program, (http://treesfortheparkway.ca/),
He has also held advisory board positions at the University of Guelph, Seneca College, Ryerson University, Humber College and the Industry Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Colleges Training and Universities.
He has participated in numerous committees and received many awards including the Humber Alumnus of Distinction in 2002 and an Honorary Degree in 2011. He is thrilled to be an honorary member of the Niagara Parks School Alumni.
Tony has a passion for growing a prosperous, professional, ethical, recognized, valued and contribution-oriented horticultural industry.
D. Walter McCormick, CFA
Member of the Board
Walter has 40 years’ experience working with high net worth Individuals, Trusts and Pension Plans. Together with his partner, Garreth Fallis, Walter and his team at Richardson GMP provide their clients with a wide universe of investment options within an open architecture environment.
Walter graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and became a Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute in 1984. Walter was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 1986.
Walter has been active in various community charities , foundations and boards. Walter served on the Robarts’s Council and is a former member of the Board of Governors of Trinity College School in Port Hope. Walter has been an active member of fund-raising committees for the Toronto Community Foundation, the Sick Kids and Arthritis Foundations. He is currently a director of the Muskoka Lakes Association, The Grenadine Initiative and Griffith Island Club.
Past Members of the Board
Maple Leaves Forever would like to thank the following past board members for their contributions:
- Edith O. Jewett
- R.N.Winfield
- C. McKay