Member of the Order of Canada
Awarded on: 2019-11-22
Invested on: 2022-11-03
Ronald Duncan Besse, C.M.
Toronto, Ontario
Astute businessman Ronald Besse had a long-standing career in the publishing industry. Starting as a sales representative, he successively rose through the ranks and became CEO of various publishers specializing in consumer, academic and educational books in both English and French. He was instrumental in commissioning Canadian editions of successful U.S. textbooks as well as Canadian-authored textbooks, and helped disseminate the scholarly work coming out of Canada’s leading national research institutions. He is also a devoted philanthropist and a generous contributor to higher education and health care initiatives.