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A leading member of the city’s Jewish community, Jack was a philanthropist, and distinguished himself with several gifts to Simon Fraser University, and a donation of land to the BC Cancer Agency. He was a co-founder of Vancouver’s Variety Club and the BC Heart Foundation, a Chancellor of SFU, a Freeman of the City, and honorary Doctor of Laws, and a Companion of the Order of Canada.

Mr. Jake Kerr wears many hats. He is Managing Partner of Lignum Forest Products LLP, a wood products distribution and trading company, and is Chairman of Lignum Investments Ltd, a privately-held investment company. Jake is also Co-Owner and Managing Partner of the Vancouver Professional Baseball LLP and along with his partner, Jeff Mooney, acquired the Vancouver Canadians Baseball Club in 2007.

Prior to 2005, Jake, for 35 years, was Chairman and CEO of Lignum Limited, one of Canada’s largest private forest products companies. Currently, Jake is Chancellor of the Emily Carr University of Art + Design, a Director of the Bank of Nova Scotia and Past Chair of the Vancouver Foundation. He is a proud recipient of the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia in recognition for his significant contributions to the province and to the country. In his spare time, Jake takes an interest in art collecting, fly fishing, tennis, golf and baseball. He has five grown children and five grand children.

Jeff Mooney is Chairman and controlling shareholder of A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. He led the company as President and CEO for fourteen years from 1991 to 2005 and today, A&W is a strategy-driven organization which has grown to over 780 restaurants across Canada. A&W has been recognized as one of the 50 Best Managed Companies in Canada for the past nine consecutive years.

As well as being the past Chairman of the Business Council of British Columbia, Jeff is also past Chairman of the Young Presidents’ Organization, B.C. Chapter, a member of the Chief Executives’ Organization and World Presidents’ Organization. In 1994, Jeff was chosen Marketing Executive of the Year by the Sales and Marketing Executives of Vancouver, and in 2003, he was a recipient of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee Medal. In 2006, Jeff was inducted into the B.C. Restaurant Hall of Fame.

Mr. Mooney is an alumnus of both the University of Saskatchewan and Harvard University Graduate School of Business. Jeff is married to Suzanne Bolton and is the proud father of four grown children.

Past Recipients of the Jack Diamond Sports Personality of the year Award