2007 Fredericton Encaenia - Ceremony A
Ross, James W.
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Orator: Burge, Elizabeth
Citation:
ENCAENIA, CEREMONY A, 16 MAY 2007
JAMES W. ROSS
to be Doctor of Laws
James Ross sees both the big picture and its detail. He helps build communities as well as real estate. But he avoids the spotlight of public attention, preferring to build more ideas for further testing with trusted colleagues. An American scholar, Jerome Bruner, believed that the best thinking produces "the shrewd guess, the fertile hypothesis, [and] the courageous leap to a tentative conclusion." Jim Ross (as he is usually known) blends astute judgment of the analyst with the boldness of an entrepreneur and the patience of a reflective thinker to get his desired results.
His work is guided by the principles that still underpin the company he founded in 1970. The staff of Ross Ventures Ltd. look to promote "volunteerism, community pride and support of those in need." The recipients of the company’s volunteerism include adults needing shelter and the ten to eighteen year olds facing abuse, social engagement difficulties and issues of self-esteem and self-responsibility. In just over a decade, James Ross has promoted his ideal of gathering various partners into a formidable force to provide counseling and adventure activities to at-risk youth. At his investiture as a Member of the Order of Canada on April 26, 2000, his Partners for Youth program was named as a model for similar programs across Canada.
His record of business developments include creating and managing radio stations and building residential and commercial real estate in Central New Brunswick and in Charlotte County. His personal interest in the food and hospitality industry plays out in his commercial activity. Today, for example, he still frequents Brewbaker’s Restaurant that he founded in 1996 and takes a great interest in the Happy Baker, another popular enterprise.
His community building includes helping to establish Downtown Fredericton Inc. and its goal, then, of keeping and restoring the stock of heritage buildings in the downtown core. Other agencies that James Ross has helped include Big Brothers and Sisters, the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, the Fredericton Kinsmen Club, the United Way, the Paraplegic Association, and Theatre New Brunswick. For four years, he was a Patron of the New Brunswick Foundation for the Arts. Grace House, so important for women needing safety and shelter, benefited from his support as a Co-Patron. The Council for Canadian Unity attracted his commitment as a Director from 1996-2002. Prior to that, he answered a call from the Prime Minister to serve in the Senate of Canada. He stayed from 1990-1993 as a very active member until lured back into the creative challenged of entrepreneurship and the satisfactions of philanthropy.
His links with the University of New Brunswick began with his studies in arts (BA in 1961) and law (Bachelor in Common Law in 1965). The law did not hold him for long. He did, however, return to UNB recently to assist in two major fundraising campaigns.
To conclude, let us return to this business of thinking things through. To become an effective thinker, argued the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, one must claim quiet time away from the stress and distractions of daily life. Jim Ross, from reliable accounts, does just that. Seeking not to be the centre of attention, even during social occasions, he prefers one deep and constructive conversation to several superficial ones. Legendary are his extensive appraisals of his own "shrewd guesses, fertile hypotheses, [and] courageous leaps to a tentative conclusion." As one patient colleague of his has learned, "He doesn’t sacrifice the quality of a decision for the sake of speed." Colleagues respect his need to keep his options open, to avoid any collateral damage to human or building, to analyze all the contextual factors, and to assess who will best deliver the goods. Long-term friends celebrate his deep sense of responsibility and caring. They also appreciate his self-deprecating humour, "disarmingly soft-spoken" style, and consistent courtesy.
Combine all these aspects of the Honourable James Wesley Ross—the thoughtful innovator, the analyst with courage to act, and the principled human being—and it is no surprise to hear calls for "more people like Jim Ross in this city."
From: Honoris Causa, UA Case 70, Box 4
JAMES W. ROSS
to be Doctor of Laws
James Ross sees both the big picture and its detail. He helps build communities as well as real estate. But he avoids the spotlight of public attention, preferring to build more ideas for further testing with trusted colleagues. An American scholar, Jerome Bruner, believed that the best thinking produces "the shrewd guess, the fertile hypothesis, [and] the courageous leap to a tentative conclusion." Jim Ross (as he is usually known) blends astute judgment of the analyst with the boldness of an entrepreneur and the patience of a reflective thinker to get his desired results.
His work is guided by the principles that still underpin the company he founded in 1970. The staff of Ross Ventures Ltd. look to promote "volunteerism, community pride and support of those in need." The recipients of the company’s volunteerism include adults needing shelter and the ten to eighteen year olds facing abuse, social engagement difficulties and issues of self-esteem and self-responsibility. In just over a decade, James Ross has promoted his ideal of gathering various partners into a formidable force to provide counseling and adventure activities to at-risk youth. At his investiture as a Member of the Order of Canada on April 26, 2000, his Partners for Youth program was named as a model for similar programs across Canada.
His record of business developments include creating and managing radio stations and building residential and commercial real estate in Central New Brunswick and in Charlotte County. His personal interest in the food and hospitality industry plays out in his commercial activity. Today, for example, he still frequents Brewbaker’s Restaurant that he founded in 1996 and takes a great interest in the Happy Baker, another popular enterprise.
His community building includes helping to establish Downtown Fredericton Inc. and its goal, then, of keeping and restoring the stock of heritage buildings in the downtown core. Other agencies that James Ross has helped include Big Brothers and Sisters, the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, the Fredericton Kinsmen Club, the United Way, the Paraplegic Association, and Theatre New Brunswick. For four years, he was a Patron of the New Brunswick Foundation for the Arts. Grace House, so important for women needing safety and shelter, benefited from his support as a Co-Patron. The Council for Canadian Unity attracted his commitment as a Director from 1996-2002. Prior to that, he answered a call from the Prime Minister to serve in the Senate of Canada. He stayed from 1990-1993 as a very active member until lured back into the creative challenged of entrepreneurship and the satisfactions of philanthropy.
His links with the University of New Brunswick began with his studies in arts (BA in 1961) and law (Bachelor in Common Law in 1965). The law did not hold him for long. He did, however, return to UNB recently to assist in two major fundraising campaigns.
To conclude, let us return to this business of thinking things through. To become an effective thinker, argued the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, one must claim quiet time away from the stress and distractions of daily life. Jim Ross, from reliable accounts, does just that. Seeking not to be the centre of attention, even during social occasions, he prefers one deep and constructive conversation to several superficial ones. Legendary are his extensive appraisals of his own "shrewd guesses, fertile hypotheses, [and] courageous leaps to a tentative conclusion." As one patient colleague of his has learned, "He doesn’t sacrifice the quality of a decision for the sake of speed." Colleagues respect his need to keep his options open, to avoid any collateral damage to human or building, to analyze all the contextual factors, and to assess who will best deliver the goods. Long-term friends celebrate his deep sense of responsibility and caring. They also appreciate his self-deprecating humour, "disarmingly soft-spoken" style, and consistent courtesy.
Combine all these aspects of the Honourable James Wesley Ross—the thoughtful innovator, the analyst with courage to act, and the principled human being—and it is no surprise to hear calls for "more people like Jim Ross in this city."
From: Honoris Causa, UA Case 70, Box 4
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