Ralph Thomas Scurfield

Ralph Thomas Scurfield, B.Sc, was born in Broadview, Saskatchewan, on January 7, 1928, the son of Ralph and Ann Scurfield (nee Parsons). He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Manitoba in 1948. He was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Nu-West Group Limited (1957-1985), and was an original owner of the Calgary Flames. On February 18, 1985, he was killed in an avalanche while Heli-skiing in the Bugaboo Mountains, near Blue River, British Columbia.

Biography

Scurfield is the legendary [Myke Thomas, Calgary Sun (Article: Awards of Excellence building to be the best), July 7, 2007. (http://www.calgarysun.com/cgi-bin/publish.cgi?p=188981&x=articles&s=homes)] Canadian businessman who controlled one of North America’s largest home building companies, Nu-West Group Limited.Susan Goldenberg, Men Of Property: The Canadian Developers Who Are Buying America (Toronto: Personal Publishers, 1981) Chapter 4.] He was also one of the founding owners [Monica Zurowski, The Fire Inside: Celebrating 25 Years of Calgary Flames Spirit And Hockey (CanWest Books, 2006), page 44.] of the National Hockey League's Calgary Flames. Scurfield was a well-respected international business leader, and a generous benefactor to the environment, education and the arts.

Ralph T. Scurfield was the founder and CEO of Nu-West Group Ltd., a growth-oriented house building company that grew into an internationally diversified conglomerate. In 1957, Scurfield took control of Nu-West Homes, a small, privately owned, house-building company operating in Calgary, Alberta. In 1969, Nu-West Homes Ltd. became a publicly traded company and was listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. By 1981 Nu-West Group Ltd. had become the largest house-building company in Canada, with diversified asset holdings of $1.9 billion, and over 3,700 employees.

Scurfield was actively involved in the establishment of the Faculty of Management at the University of Calgary. The faculty’s building, Scurfield Hall, is named in his honour. [http://gauntlet.ucalgary.ca/supplements/79/index.php?sid=6525] In addition to his real estate interests, Scurfield's love of sports led to his family's ownership of Sunshine Village ski resort [http://www.skibanff.com/media/the_history.php] located in Banff National Park, and a share of Calgary Flames Hockey Club.

Early years

Ralph Thomas Scurfield was born in Broadview, Saskatchewan, on January 7, 1928 [Calgary Herald, February 21, 1985, Obituary, page D8] . His family soon moved to the small farming community of Ninga, Manitoba where his father was the station master on the Canadian Pacific Railway line. Ralph was active in sports and enjoyed playing hockey and soccer as a child. Few who knew him from his rural childhood days could have imagined that the bright boy with reddish hair, who walked to the one-room school house with his pet crow on his shoulder, would grow up to become one of the most successful and influential Canadian businessmen of his generation.

Scurfield attended the University of Manitoba, working his way through school by taking summer carpentry jobs in the northern town of Churchill, Manitoba. After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in 1948, Ralph became an elementary school teacher. He taught in Manitoba for only two years, before leaving a promising teaching career to pursue his chosen trade of carpentry. In 1951, lured by the booming Alberta economy, he moved to Edmonton, where he quickly found employment with McConnell Homes as a crew foreman. Scurfield was soon settled in Alberta, and in July 1954 he married Sonia Onishenko, the youngest child of her Ukrainian/Russian immigrant parents.

Scurfield’s employer, Ches McConnell, impressed with Ralph’s work ethic and university degree, asked Ralph to move 160 miles south to Calgary to manage a the small, financially struggling, house building company called Nu-West Homes. Ralph agreed, but only on the condition that he be allowed to buy in as a 1/3 partner.

After mortgaging his house to finance his partnership, in 1957, at the age of 29, he became president of Nu-West Homes, a Calgary-based company building approximately 40 homes a year. When he moved to Calgary in May 1957, he found that Nu-West was in worse financial shape than he had been lead to believe. With only a secretary and a bobcat driver as employees, Ralph went to work salvaging the reputation of the near bankrupt Nu-West Homes by fixing previously built houses free of charge. By putting in long hours he was able to establish Nu-West Homes as a company of strong customer service. Nu-West quickly became known for quality housing and after-sales service. Under Scurfield’s direction, Nu-West Homes flourished, and Scurfield’s personal stature grew.

In 1969 Nu-West went public, raising 2.9 million in its initial share offering. The money raised was used to purchase land in and around the City of Edmonton enabling Nu-West to enter the Edmonton house building market. The Alberta cities of Edmonton and Calgary were both growing very fast due to the continuing oil boom. Now positioned as the province’s largest house builder, Nu-West provided the homes demanded by the quickly growing population. Nu-West continued to expand and was soon building homes and buildings across Canada and in parts of the United States.

As a result of Nu-West's success, Scurfield became very wealthy and respected. His advice was sought out by city planners, business, and political leaders. He sat as a director with numerous corporations including Carma Ltd., The Mortgage Insurance Company of Canada, MICC Investments Ltd., and Sunshine Village Corporation. He was a part owner Calgary Flames Hockey Club, a member of the Faculty of Management Advisory Board of the University of Calgary, a member of the Board of Governors of the Banff Centre for Continuing Education, and he served a term as President of the Housing and Urban Development Association of Canada. He travelled extensively, for both business and pleasure, and was an avid sportsman who enjoyed ice hockey, football, skiing, fishing and golf. In 1969, three years before President Richard Nixon's historic visit, Scurfield (then President of the National House Builder’s Association), was invited to visit the People's Republic of China as part of an official business delegation. In 1981, as a personal guest of former U.S. President Gerald Ford, Ralph and his wife were in attendance to witness the first launching of the NASA Space Shuttle.

Scurfield’s influence within the Calgary business community cannot be overstated. Scurfield was one of the founding members of Carma Ltd., a cooperative of independent builders who banded together to form a land development company to provide serviced lots to Calgary homebuilders. In 1963 he became President of the Calgary House Builder's Association, and in 1969 became the President of the National House Builder's Association of Canada.

Using his influence, Scurfield established national house building standards, and introduced the "New Home Builder's Warranty Program" which continues to this day. He convinced his contemporary house building competitors that long term quality of life was more important than short-term profit.

Always defying the stereotype, Scurfield’s demonstrated that a land developer could also be an environmentalist. The lands, which are now Nose Hill Park, were once privately owned and zoned for residential development. The largest landowners were Nu-West and Carma. Recognizing that the natural beauty of the undisturbed Nose Hill added a distinctive and desirable quality of life to Calgary, in the mid-1970s, Ralph orchestrated a land swap between Nu-West, Carma Developers and the City of Calgary, such that the City gained ownership of the future Park Lands. Over the next decade, the City acquired the remaining parcels of private holdings, and the resulting protected lands are now Nose Hill Park, the largest City owned natural park in North America, and part of Ralph’s lasting legacy to the City of Calgary and its citizens.

By the end of the 1970s, Nu-West had become a diversified company, and so did Scurfield’s personal holdings. In 1980 the Scurfield Family bought Sunshine Village, a ski resort located in the Banff National Park. In 1981, Ralph Scurfield made a $4 million private donation to the University of Calgary, with a matching donation by Nu-West Group Ltd., to begin construction of a new faculty of management building. The building, named Scurfield Hall, opened on January 1, 1986. Ralph T. Scurfield was also one of six Calgary businessmen who purchased the NHL's Atlanta Flames, which were then moved to Calgary for the 1980-81 season. The other original investors are Harley Hotchkiss, Daryl Seaman, Byron Seaman, Norman Green, and Normie Kwong. When the Calgary Flames won the NHL Championship in 1989, Ralph's widow, Sonia Scurfield, became only the second woman (the first Canadian woman) to have her name engraved on the Stanley Cup.

Scurfield was 57, when on February 18, 1985, he was killed in an avalanche while Heli-skiing in the Bugaboo Mountains near Blue River, British Columbia. His death was international news, and made front page headlines in both of Calgary's daily newspapers. His funeral was so well attended that loudspeakers had to be set up so the overflow crowd could hear the service in adjoining parts of the church building. The City of Calgary provided a police honour guard to guide the lengthy funeral procession through the city from the church to the cemetery. The honour guard was in full salute as Ralph's body passed through the gates of the cemetery.

Scurfield was friendly, outgoing and well respected by all who knew him.Fact|date=May 2008 He was a wonderful and dedicated family man. He and his wife Sonia raised seven children: Ralph Jr., Susan, Thomas, Katheryn, Sergei, Allan and John. Ralph was best known as a civic minded businessman and humanitarian. His legacy is remembered though his contributions and influence in establishing Nose Hill Park in Calgary, Scurfield Hall at the University of Calgary, the Calgary Flames, and the community centres he established throughout Calgary. Other contributions to the city he loved, and in which he and his wife Sonia raised seven children, are truly too numerous to mention.

Honours

Named in his honour include:

* The Ralph T. Scurfield Award of Excellence, presented annually by Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), is the highest recognition that can be bestowed on a SAIT faculty member.

* The Ralph T. Scurfield Humanitarian Award, is presented annually by the Calgary Flames to the Flames player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, determination and leadership on the ice, combined with dedication to community service.

* The Ralph T. Scurfield Builder of the Year Award, presented annual by the Alberta Home Builders Association, is the Alberta home building industry’s top honour (the winner is commonly referred to as "the best of the best").

* Scurfield Hall [http://www.viewcalgary.com/pathway/vUofC090.htm Photo of Scurfield Hall] , the faculty building housing the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business.

* Scurfield Boulevard and Scurfield Park, located in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

* Scurfield Drive located in Calgary, Alberta.

* Scurfield Point, located on Goat’s Eye Mountain in Banff National Park.

* In 1986, Scurfield was posthumously named a recipient of the Centennial Award of Merit, awarded by the Centennial of Incorporation Committee to acknowledge Calgarians whose community service has enriched the city’s life for a period of 10 years are more.

* In 2005, Scurfield was selected by Alberta Venture Magazine as the 2nd Greatest Albertan of all time, [http://www.albertaventure.com/abventure_4937.html?ID=4937&doc_id=6310] , behind only the legendary Grant MacEwan.

* In June 2008, Ralph Scurfield was nominated as one of Alberta's Greatest Citizens, as part of their "Seach for our Greatest Citizen Project. [ [http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/features/greatest/index.html Best of Alberta | Calgary Herald ] ]

Quotes

"I have only one purpose, to serve the community. Everything else will follow through." [The Calgary Herald, June 8, 2008, page BA8]

Bibliography

* Ronald Matsushita, Housing, (McGraw-Hill, 1977), page 62.
* James Lorimer, The Developers, ISBN 088862218X (James Lorimer & Company, 1978), page 26.
* Peter Foster, The Blue-eyed Sheiks: The Canadian Oil Establishment, ISBN 0002166089 (Collins, 1979), page 224.
* Susan Goldenberg, Men Of Property: The Canadian Developers Who Are Buying America, ISBN 0920510469 (Toronto: Personal Publishers, 1981) Chapter 4
* United States Congress, Impact of Canadian Investment and Energy Policies on U.S. Commerce, (U.S. G.P.O., 1981), page 36.
* Who's Who in the World (1982)
* Petroleum Publishing Co., 1983 Canadian Oil Industry Directory, (Pennwell Corp.).
* Peter Charles Newman, Debrett's Illustrated Guide to the Canadian Establishment, ISBN 0458967904 (Methuen, 1983), page 124.
* Charles E. Reasons and Chuck Reasons, Stampede City: Power and Politics in the West, ISBN 0919946461 (Between the Lines, 1984), page 64.
* James H. Marsh, The Canadian Encyclopaedia, (Hurtig, 1988), page 317.
* Marie Morgan, From the Ground Up: A History of Carma Developers, 1998.
* Barbara J. Austin, Capitalizing Knowledge: Essays on the History of Business Education in Canada, ISBN 0802042341 (University of Toronto Press, 2000), page 220.
* Monica Zurowski, The Fire Inside: Celebrating 25 Years of Calgary Flames Spirit And Hockey, ISBN 1897229011 (CanWest Books, 2006), pages 8, 44.

Newspaper and magazine articles

* Mar. 29, 1980 - The Financial Post, p. W9
* July 13, 1981- New York Times, July 13, 1981, Late City Final Edition, Page D3,
* May 19, 1982 - Brandon Sun (Manitoba)
* February 20, 1985 - The Calgary Herald (Scurfield skied into slide), Front page; (Scurfield killed) page A2; (Legacy everywhere), editorial; (Scurfield wanted to be the best), page C1.
* February 20, 1985 - Calgary Sun (Nu-West Boss Dies In Slide), Front Page; (Magnate dies in slide), page 2; (A great loss), editorial page 10; (Scurfield represented Calgary Spirit), page 11; (Developer missed) page38,
* February 20, 1985 - Edmonton Journal (Nu-West kingpin dies as avalanche hits skiers)
* February 20, 1985 - Vancouver Sun (Two skied into slide, operator says/Skiers didn’t hear shouts)
* February 20, 1985 - Toronto Star (Obituary: Ralph Scurfield, 57, co-founder of giant Nu-West Group).
* February 20, 1985 - The Globe and Mail (Nu-West chief part owner of Flames), page 15.
* February 21, 1985 - Vancouver Sun (B.C. avalanche site probed after two killed on skiing trip)
* February 21, 1985 - Calgary Herald (Scurfield’s son rejects claim), page B2; (Obituary), page D8;
* February 23, 1985 - Calgary Herald (Man of vision given farewell)
* February 27, 1985 - The University of Calgary Gazette (in memoriam Ralph Thomas Scurfield, 1928 - 1985), page 3
* March 4, 1985 - Alberta Report (Skiing into oblivion), page 16; (Carpenter to tycoon), page 16-17.
* December 2, 1986 - Calgary Herald (Five citizens to get community award), page B6.
* January 23, 1998 - The Calgary Herald (The Scurfield Legacy), page D1, D2
* December 2005 - Alberta Venture Magazine, Vol. 09 Issue 10, (The 50 Greatest Albertans)
* June 8, 2008 - The Calgary Herald (125 Of Our Greatest Citizens)

References

External links

* [http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/features/greatest/index.html Calgary Herald - 125 of our Greatest Citizens]
* [http://www.albertaventure.com/abventure_4937.html?ID=4937&doc_id=6310 Alberta Venture Magazine - The 50 Greatest Albertans]
* [http://www.zoominfo.com/people/Scurfield_Ralph_240410701.aspx Zoominfo.com]
* [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0001174 The Canadian Encyclopedia (Calgary Flames)]
* [http://www.ucalgary.ca/lib-old/SpecColl/OccPaper/occ10.htm Official Portraits of the University of Calgary]
* [http://flames.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=358091 Phaneuf named recipient of 2007-08 Ralph T. Scurfield Award (Calgary Flames)]
* [http://www.sait.ab.ca/pages/about/news/newsarchive/2006/Current/page07.shtml Ralph T. Scurfield Award for Excellence in Teaching (SAIT)(1)]
* [http://citd.sait.ca/saitawards.htm Ralph T. Scurfield Award for Excellence in Teaching (SAIT)(2)]