Northern Miner celebrates 75 years in business

A 75th anniversary party for Northern Miner Press became almost as much a farewell party for Richard Pearce, whose family owned the company for 74 of those years, and retiring President Frank Bowles as a celebration of the company’s history.

Virtually all of the employees of the publishing company and its sister company, printing firm Norgraphics (Canada) Ltd., attended the function at Toronto’s Royal York Hotel, including the entire staff from The Northern Miner newspaper’s Vancouver office, flown in for the occasion. Altogether, about 335 people filled the hotel’s Concert Hall for dinner and dancing.

Maurice Brown, publisher emeritus of The Northern Miner, acted as master of ceremonies during the evening. Dick Gardner, president and chief executive officer of both Northern Miner Press Inc. and Norgraphics, made a toast during the evening to the companies’ next 75 years.

Also on hand were John Fisher, president and chief executive officer of Southam Inc., Bruce Morrison, senior vice-president of finance for Southam Bus iness Information and Communications Group Inc., Michael Quinn, director and president of Southam Printing Ltd., and John Morris, group president for the consumer printed products group of Southam Printing.

The company was purchased in late 1989 by Southam Business Information and Communications Group, a unit of Southam Inc. At that time, the company’s name was changed from Northern Miner Press Ltd. to Northern Miner Press Inc. As a result of the sale, Norgraphics, previously a subsidiary company, was established as a wholly owned subsidiary of Southam Inc.

Pearce was given a standing ovation when presented with a retirement gift by John Cooke, publisher of The Northern Miner. Pearce’s uncle purchased The Northern Miner newspaper in 1915 before it had completed a full year of publication. He was soon joined by his two brothers (Pearce’s father and another uncle) as owners and operators of the paper and printing business.

Pearce and his two cousins eventually joined the company’s staff as well. Pearce began in 1945 as a reporter in the newspaper’s editorial department, became general manager in 1951 and president in 1960.

Bowles also received a standing ovation when presented with a retirement gift by Walter Mishko, vice-president of sales and general manager of Norgraphics. Bowles, too, knew almost everyone in the hall on a personal basis. He began with the company as a mail boy at age 17 and over the next 45 years worked in almost every department. He became general manager in 1976 and president in 1980.

Pressman Don Bryson won the evening’s door prize, a gift certificate from Accurate Travel.