Robert Bandeen
Robert Angus Bandeen | |
---|---|
Born | Canadian National Railways | October 29, 1930
Awards | Order of Canada |
Robert Angus Bandeen
Born in
The Bandeen children excelled at school and Robert earned a scholarship to the University of Western Ontario where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and political science, graduating in 1952 with the Governor General's Academic Medal. He was accepted directly into the Ph.D. program in economics at Duke University from which he graduated in 1955. He was hired as an economist at the Montreal headquarters of the Canadian National Railways in 1955. Bandeen met Mona Blair in Montreal in 1957 and they were married in spring 1958; they had four sons.
Bandeen became vice-president Great Lakes Region for CN in 1971 and he relocated to Toronto. This position also saw Bandeen in charge of CN's major U.S. holdings, the Grand Trunk Western Railroad, the Duluth, Winnipeg and Pacific Railway and the Central Vermont Railway. One of his first major decisions as vice-president Great Lakes Region was to consolidate the U.S. lines under a newly created holding company named Grand Trunk Corporation.
In 1974, Bandeen returned to Montreal where he was appointed president of CN, replacing the retiring
Following his career at CN, Bandeen worked for Crown Life where he was instrumental in reorganizing the company by reducing management, increasing profits, and improving brand awareness while taking on new business divisions. He left Crown Life in 1985 after working there for three years.
In 1981, he was appointed the 15th Chancellor of Bishop's University and served until 1987.
In 1980, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada "in recognition of his contribution to the development of transportation in Canada". [1]
He had four boys who have all gone on to be successful in the financial world. In retirement, Bandeen was living between Toronto and his farm in Quebec. He had 13 grandchildren. A strong supporter of various community organizations and the arts, the Bandeens were members of various organizations, including the Montreal and Toronto symphony orchestras, the
In 2008, Robert Angus Bandeen was inducted into the North America Railway Hall of Fame for his contributions to the railway.
Bandeen died in Toronto, Ontario on August 16, 2010, following complications resulting from heart surgery.
References
- "Canadian Who's Who 1997 entry". Retrieved February 7, 2006.