Harrison McCain | |
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| Born | Harold Harrison McCain (1927-11-03)3 November 1927 Florenceville-Bristol,New Brunswick, Canada |
| Died | 18 March 2004(2004-03-18) (aged 76) Boston,Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Acadia University |
| Spouse | [1] |
| Relatives | Wallace McCain (brother) |
Harold Harrison McCainCC ONB (3 November 1927 – 18 March 2004) was a Canadian businessman and co-founder, along with his three brothers, of international frozen foods giantMcCain Foods.
McCain was born inFlorenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick, as the son of Andrew Davis McCain, a descendant of a settler fromCastlefinn, County Donegal, Ireland who became a well-respected seed potato farmer. Since 1900, the family sold seed potatoes throughoutNew Brunswick and exported toCuba and Latin America.[2]
After graduating fromAcadia University, Harrison (the 3rd son) and his brother Wallace (the 4th son) worked for oil and gas companyIrving Oil. In 1956, on their brother Robert suggestions, Harrison and Wallace with their brothers Robert and Andrew founded one of the first factories to process potatoes, turning them into frozenfrench fries. With the benefit of ensured quality and the ability to export long distances with a value added product, the business started growing. With Harrison's personal and business skills and the close relationship with his brother Wallace, the McCain Foods business eventually grew to over 55 factories worldwide and the number one french fry company in the world. In the 1990s a prolonged legal dispute between Harrison and Wallace over succession to the company leadership led to the departure of Wallace and his sonMichael from McCain Foods. Harrison named his nephew, Allison McCain, son of his late brother Andrew, as his successor in 2002.[3]
McCain was a member of the board of directors of theBank of Nova Scotia and a close personal friend of the bank's chairmanCedric Ritchie who grew up in the neighboring community ofUpper Kent.
In 1992, he was named to theOrder of Canada as acompanion, the highest degree.
He is father toGillian McCain co-author (with Legs McNeil) ofPlease Kill Me: The Oral History of Punk (Grove Press, 1996) as well as two volumes of poetry,Tilt (Hard Press, 1997) andReligion (The Figures, 1999). He was married to Marion "Billie" McCain, daughter of the former premier of New BrunswickJohn McNair.
He died of kidney failure inBoston, Massachusetts, on 18 March 2004.
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