Harrison McCain

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Harrison McCain, CC, ONB, (November 3, 1927 – March 18, 2004) was a Canadian businessman, co-founder of McCain Foods Limited.

Born in Florenceville, New Brunswick, he was the co-founder, along with his brothers Andrew, Robert and Wallace, of McCain Foods. Harrison was the 4th son and Wallace the 5th son of the family. Their father was a well respected seed potato farmer. Since 1900, the family sold seed potatoes throughout New Brunswick and exported to Cuba and Latin America.

After graduating college, Harrison and Wallace worked for Irving Oil. Upon their brothers' suggestions, Harrison and Wallace founded one of the first factories to process potatoes, turning them into prefried frozen french fries. With the benefit of ensured quality and the ability to export long distances with a value added product, the business starting growing. With Harrison's personal and business skills backed by Wallace's financial savvy, the business eventually grew to over 55 factories worldwide and the number one french fry company in the world.

Harrison McCain was a member of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Nova Scotia and a close personal friend of the bank's chairman Cedric Ritchie who grew up in the neighboring community of Upper Kent.

In 1992 he was named a Companion of the Order of Canada. He died of kidney failure in Boston, Massachusetts.

He is father to Gillian McCain co-author (with Legs McNeil) of Please Kill Me: The Oral History Of Punk (Grove Press, 1996) as well as two volumes of poetry, Tilt (Hard Press, 1997) and Religion (The Figures, 1999). Married to Marion "Billie" McCain, daughter of the former premier of New Brunswick John McNair. His other children are Mark McCain, Ann Evans, Peter McCain (deceased 1997), and Laura McCain Jensen.