| John Millson | |
|---|---|
| Mayor | |
| In office 1988–1991 |
|
| Preceded by | David Burr |
| Succeeded by | Michael D. Hurst |
John Millson is a Canadian politician and businessman. He served as mayor of Windsor, Ontario, from 1988 to 1991, later becoming president of the Windsor Raceway. In 2009 he co-founded Great Lakes Energy Limited. As of 2011[update], he has been rumored to be a contender for Member of Provincial Parliament of West Windsor.
Millson attended J.L. Forster Secondary School, where he joined the school band. He later recalled that the band teacher, Ernie Gerenda, had given him and the other band members tough love, at times being a bully, and at times playing practical jokes.[1] Millson later attended the University of Windsor.[2]
Millson ran unsuccessfully for alderman of Windsor's Ward 2 in 1982.[3] He later defeated incumbent Ted Bounsall by a margin of 2,764 votes.[3] Millson was elected as mayor of Windsor in 1988 with a total of 31,303 votes, taking office in November.[3] Although he was considered a popular mayor, he did not run for reelection in 1991 due to death threats.[4]
Millson later worked as president of Windsor raceway, earning CAD 300,000 per annum in 1998. He stepped down in 2006.[5] That same year, Millson and the estate of former owner Tom Joy brought a civil lawsuit seeking CAD 3.7 million from three local figures, who were accused of loaning CAD 2 million to the raceway at "an exorbitantly high and illegal rate of interest".[5] Lawyer Doug Lawson, one of the parties accused, filed a counter claim for CAD 2.7 million; the raceway's claims were dismissed as an "unfounded attack on (Lawson’s) professional reputation and was carried out carelessly", while Lawson's counter-claim was awarded with full indemnity on costs.[6]
Millson teamed up with president of Southwest Manufacturing Vince Schiller to found Great Lakes Energy, which deals in solar racking and wind turbines, in 2009. [7] He is currently its president.[2] He was suggested as a candidate for the 2010 election, but said he was too busy.[8]
In 2011, Millson was suggested as a possible replacement for Windsor West Member of Provincial Parliament Sandra Pupatello. Although Millson did not confirm that he would be running, he said he was "flattered" that people thought he would be a good candidate.[9] It has been rumored that Pupatello would be backing him.[10]