Kai Hietarinta | |
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| Born | (1932-11-23)23 November 1932 (age 93) Helsinki, Finland |
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Kai Harri Hietarinta (Finnish pronunciation:[kɑi̯ˈhɑrːiˈhie̯rtɑrintɑ]; born 25 November 1932) is a Finnish businessman and ice hockey executive. Hispetroleum industry career as executive vice president ofNeste involved him in Finland'sinternational trade policy, and importing Soviet oil to reduce thetrade surplus. Becoming theFinnish Ice Hockey Association president to resolve disputes, he used business connections to gain an advantage in international ice hockey. During his presidency, Finland increased its number of indoorice rinks as hockey grew in popularity, and won its first international medals in men's, women's and junior hockey. He was also aFinnish Olympic Committee andInternational Ice Hockey Federation member, and was inducted into both theFinnish Hockey Hall of Fame and theIIHF Hall of Fame.
Kai Harri Hietarinta was born on 25 November 1932, inHelsinki, Finland. He graduated from theHanken School of Economics in 1950, then attendedHelsinki University of Technology where he earned aMaster of Science in Administration degree in business and economics in 1958, and aMaster of Science in Information Technology degree in 1959.[1][2]
Hietarinta began working in thepetroleum industry atNeste in 1960, the state-ownedoil refining and marketing company of Finland.[1] Working in management positions since 1964, he became executive vice president in the 1970s, serving under presidentUolevi Raade. Through business he developed a network of contacts in North America, Russia, and the Middle East.[3] His position involved him in both theenergy policy of Finland and itsinternational trade policy.[4] He has sat on the board of directors of several additional companies,[1] including the international advisory board ofDana Gas based in the United Arab Emirates.[5]
When Finland became theSoviet Union's largest Western oil importer in 1983, Hietarinta explained by stating that "the Soviets are reliable suppliers", in light of the1970s energy crisis.[6] From 1980 to 1982, Soviet supply increased from 58 to 81 ofFinnish oil imports. Hietarinta noted that importing oil was Finland's only means to reduce itstrade surplus.[6] Trade obligations to the Soviet Union originated with the terms of itsIndependence from Russia in 1917, and theSecond World War reparations from the 1944Moscow Armistice that ended theSecond Soviet–Finnish War.[6]
Hietarinta was theFinnish Ice Hockey Association (FIHA) president from 1984 to 1997.[7][8] He became president when the FIHA needed an outside person to resolve internal disputes.[3] Along with his vice-presidentKalervo Kummola, he used business connections to Finland's advantage for greater influence in international ice hockey,[3] and created stability allowing the FIHA to focus on player development.[2] During his presidency, Finland won its firstOlympic ice hockey medal.[9][10] Themen's national team won its first Winter Olympics medal with asilver medal in 1988, and its firstWorld Championship in1995.[9][11] Themen's national junior team won gold at the1987 World Junior Championships,[9][11] and thewomen's national team won four bronze medals at the first fourWomen's World Championships.[10][12] Finland increased its number of indoorice rinks from 12 to more than 100, includingHartwall Arena constructed to host the1997 Men's World Championships.[8]
In a 2022 interview withHelsingin Sanomat, Hietarinta felt that "Finnish ice hockey began to succeed when a couple of hundred rinks were built around the country in ten years", and then "the sport became the largest and most popular in Finland".[4] In 2025, he stated "For Finland, the ultimate highlight was winning the first World Championship 30 years ago" ... "That victory gave the country a real boost and self confidence", and "paved the road for the later success of Finland in ice hockey".[8]
Hietarinta sat on theFinnish Olympic Committee from October 1984 to June 1993,[13] was a board member for theVierumäki Sports Institute from 1997 to 2001, and theFinnish Hockey Hall of Fame from 2000 to 2008.[2][10] He was a council member of theInternational Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) from 1990 to 1998,[7] and chairperson of IIHF tournaments hosted in Finland.[2][10] When IIHF presidentGünther Sabetzki retired in 1994, Hietarinta placed in an election to succeed him, losing toRené Fasel of Switzerland by three votes.[2][3] After retiring from the FIHA, Hietarinta was a Finnish Ice Hockey Foundation board member from 1997 to until 2015.[10][11]
In 1998, Hietarinta was made an honorary life member of the IIHF,[2][14] and inducted into the builder category of the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame.[3][10] In 2025, he was the fifth Finnish person to be inducted into the builder category of theIIHF Hall of Fame,[15] receiving the honor at the medal presentation day of the2025 IIHF World Championship on 25 May in Stockholm.[8][11]