- Aaron Fish
Aaron Fish was born in the 1930s in Montreal, Quebec. He was the Chairman and CEO of
Unican Security Systems Ltd. from its creation in 1965 to its sale in December 2000. [Canadian Shareowner] Aaron Fish has seven children and eight grandchildren.Aaron Fish worked for his father in his early years as a locksmith. By the time he was 17 and graduated high school, he was operating as a key and lock distributor. From 1949 to 1960, Aaron Fish became the largest key and lock distributor in Montreal. [ [http://www.twst.com/notes/articles/hak611.html Aaron M. Fish - Unican Security Systems Ltd (Ucs.T): Twst ] ]
In 1960 Bell Canada decided they needed to get away from using keys, and had a requirement for a push button lock. Aaron Fish then promptly moved from a distributor to a developer, and created the first push button lock in North America. In 1964, in an effort to finance his company, Unican, he sold half of the business to private investors.
In 1967 Aaron Fish once again ran out of money, he took his company public to raise a quarter of a million dollars.
Over the next 4 years Unican acquired 5 companies, from die casting Capitol Industries to key-maker Ilco in Boston.
During the 1980s, the company grew exponentially, achieving sales of $100 million annually.
In the 1990s, Unican Security Systems was supplying locks to the U.S. Pentagon and the United Nations.
By 1999, the company had sales of nearly $500 million annually, making 4.5 million keys each day for automobile companies, hotels, residential, commercial and the like. [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3642/is_199901/ai_n8841248] more information on Aaron Fish and Unican Security.
In December 2000, Unican Security Systems was bought out by the Kaba Group of Switzerland for $36.00 a share based on 18 124 000 shares outstanding.
Aaron Fish was responsible for a major change in the key making and lock industries in North America, Europe, South America and Asia.
Aaron Fish currently lives in Montreal with his wife and two of his children. He has residences in Montreal, North Carolina, Paris and South Africa.
Unican's fortunes declined following the 2000 sale, as global competition increased. In November 2007, Aaron Fish bought back the orignal east-end Montreal plant where the company began. He began slashing costs and soon returned Capital Industries Ltd. to profitability. The Montreal Gazette on Sept. 6, 2008 reported that the company now specializes in zinc die-casting and finishing, mainly for metal furniture parts such as door handles.
References
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