Sam Katz

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the mayoral candidate in Philadelphia, see Sam Katz (Philadelphia).

This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling.
You can assist by editing it now. A how-to guide is available, as is general documentation.
This article has been tagged since January 2007.

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please discuss this issue on the talk page or replace this tag with a more specific message.
This article has been tagged since October 2006.

The neutrality of this article is disputed.
Please see the discussion on the talk page.

Samuel (Sam) Michael Katz, OM , BA (born Rehovot, Israel, 1951) is the 42nd mayor of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Katz emigrated to Winnipeg as an infant with parents Chaim and Zena Katz and his older brother David, and was raised in north Winnipeg. Shortly after graduating in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from the University of Manitoba, he opened up a clothing store in Brandon, Manitoba. Throughout his career he continued his entrepreneurial ventures with real estate and entertainment. With his entertainment company Showtime Productions, he brought artists such as Tina Turner and Paul McCartney and musicals Evita and The Phantom of the Opera to Winnipeg. In 1994, he brought professional baseball back to Winnipeg with the Winnipeg Goldeyes, who now play in the Northern League. Through this franchise, he arranged for the construction and success of CanWest Global Ball Park in 1999 that made him more famous and well known. He also tried to get basketball to the city with the Winnipeg Cyclone, however, that venture failed as the team left a few years later.

Katz ran for the Winnipeg City Council in 1989, but lost to Glen Murray, another future mayor of the city.

On June 22, 2004, Katz was elected as the first Jewish mayor of Winnipeg. He beat out prominent politicians Dan Vandal, Al Golden, and MaryAnn Mihychuk for the job by receiving 42.51% of the vote. This came after the resignation of Glen Murray as mayor of Winnipeg to run in the 2004 federal election. He was re-elected to a second term in the 2006 elections on October 25, 2006.

Katz has drawn criticism for some of his policies, as well as negative publicity for public faux pas, as when he referred to Winnipeg's five female Olympic medal-winners as "beautiful females" whose close-up presence made him "feel like Hugh Hefner".^[1] Major political controversies involve his cancellation of plans for bus rapid transit with a bicycle lane through South Winnipeg, his support of a controversial new suburban neighbourhood, Waverley West, his proposal to make land available for residential development in Assiniboine Park and his decision not to place his baseball team in a blind trust upon becoming mayor. There has been public criticism that Katz lacks a vision for Winnipeg as well, something which his 3-day Winnipeg City Summit in April 2006 was aimed at addressing. [1]

Throughout his diverse career as an entrepreneur and promoter, he has fought to bring professional sports and high quality entertainment to Winnipeg. As President and CEO of Showtime Productions Inc., he is responsible for bringing acts like the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, and Pink Floyd, along with Broadway musicals such as Evita, Tommy, and Les Misérables to Winnipeg. All along, Sam has been fired by a belief that Winnipeg is a first-class city and a great venue for top acts and performances.

Sam has been President and CEO of the Winnipeg Goldeyes Baseball Club since 1994, and was successful in commencing construction of CanWest Global Park; home of the Winnipeg Goldeyes, and a popular venue for a variety of other entertainment, which has served as a key anchor for the renaissance of downtown Winnipeg.

Sam was a founder of the Winnipeg Goldeyes Field of Dreams Foundation, an organization that has donated more than half a million dollars to children's charities and non-profit organizations in Manitoba. He has supported children’s programs and fought against the devastating effects drug abuse has on our youth and their future.

In 2002, Katz was presented with the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal. In 2004, he was given the province's highest honour, the Order of Manitoba, for demonstrating an ability to improve the social, cultural and economic well being of Manitoba and its residents.

Katz is involved in numerous charities such as the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.