TORONTO – Long time Canadian cable executive – and the first CEO of what is now Rogers Wireless – George Fierheller, died last week. He was 86.
While still chair of Rogers Cable-owned Canadian Cablesystems in 1983, Fierheller led a team backed by investors Philippe de Gaspe Beaubien, Sam Belzberg, and Ted Rogers to win cellular spectrum from the federal government – the first made available for mobile wireless voice services for consumers.
Fierheller then became the first president and CEO of Cantel after gaining the spectrum licences, staying from the beginning (it officially launched service in 1985) until 1993. During that time, Cantel was not a division of Rogers Communications, which was mainly a large cable company and whose board famously told founder Ted Rogers it would not invest in wireless.
Just as famously, Ted struck out on his own, founding Cantel with partners (whom he eventually bought out) and Fierheller was the CEO who drove the construction of the Cantel network across the country. He was also was a vice-chairman of Rogers Cablesystems, as well as the president and CEO of Rogers Cable TV – British Columbia.
According to his impressive bio, Fierheller was actively involved in community affairs in Ottawa, and Vancouver and Toronto including as chairman of the board of governors of Carleton University, chairman of the finance committee of the board of governors of Simon Fraser University, chairman of United Way Campaigns in Ottawa in 1972, Vancouver in 1981 and in Toronto in 1991, member of the executive committee of the National Arts Centre, a trustee of the Vancouver General Hospital Foundation, a director of Vancouver Opera and a member of the Vancouver Centennial Commission.
He also has served as chair of the board of the United Way of Greater Toronto, chair, Information Technology Association of Canada, chair, Smart Toronto, Trustee of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, president of The Toronto Board of Trade, director, Ontario Exports Inc., chair of The Spirit of Leadership Campaign, Trinity College, University of Toronto, chair of the Sigma Chi Canadian Foundation and president of the National Club.
A prolific writer, he was also the author of six books, including Wireless in Wonderland which is the story of the first 10 years of Cantel. “On September 5, 1985, I announced that in addition to being in commercial operation in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Hamilton and Oshawa, we now had a network of 29 cells. We also had 156 employees, not counting those involved in our 19 CANTEL Service Centres,” reads
one passage of the book. The company has come a long way since. (The photo of Fierheller, right, is from the book)
There is an excellent piece on his life and career written in 2004 on IT World here, as well.
“George was passionate about taking care of his customers and his community, and gave his time generously to many business and charitable organizations. Rogers has made a donation to the Toronto Public Library Foundation in his name. He was an innovator, a community leader and a loyal friend and he will be missed,” said Rogers vice-chair Edaward Rogers in a statement.
A member of the Order of Canada, Fierheller is survived by his wife of 63 years Glenna, daughter Lori Wittemeier, son-in-law Jürgen and grandchildren Christian and Caitlin Wittemeier. He was predeceased by his eldest daughter, Vicki. A private cremation has already taken place and at his request, says his official obituary, there will be no other ceremony.
Top photo borrowed from his web page.
