Chairman Emeritus, Atlantic Institute for Market Studies
Former non-executive Chairman, Imasco Limited
CT Financial Services Inc., Montreal, Quebec
A native of Five Islands, Nova Scotia, Purdy Crawford is the former non-executive Chairman of Imasco Limited, C.T. Financial Services Inc., and Canada Trusco Mortgage Company. He is presently Counsel at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt and Chairman of AT&T Canada. He joined Imasco in 1985 as President and Chief Operating Officer; in 1986, he became Chief Executive Office; and, in 1987, Chairman, President and CEO. He retired as CEO in 1995, but continued as non-executive Chairman until February 2000. Prior to joining Imasco, he was a senior partner with the law firm of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt, practising primarily in the corporate/commercial area.
He sits on the boards of several large public companies, both in Canada and the United States. He is Chancellor Emeritus of Mount Allison University and is active in fund-raising for several major charities.
In 1995, he was awarded the United Way Canada Volunteerism Award for outstanding contribution to Canadian society, and, in 1996, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. He also received the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education Friend of Education Award for his dedication over the years to the advancement of learning.
In 1997 he was inducted into the Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame in April 2000, and was named Ivey Business Leader of the Year in 2000. In 2003 he was named as one of the 2002 Public Policy Forum honourees and in October 2003 he received the Conference Board of Canada's Honourary Associate Award.