Fonds 2003.8 - Adam Zimmerman fonds

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Adam Zimmerman fonds

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  • Textual record
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  • Source of title proper: Title based on creator of the fonds.

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Fonds

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2003.8

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Date(s)

  • 1957-1994 (Creation)
    Creator
    Zimmerman, Adam

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Physical description

21.18 m of textual records and other material

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Name of creator

(1927-2016)

Biographical history

Adam Hartley Zimmerman, O.C., B.A., F.C.A. (1927 - 2016 ) was born in Toronto. From 1930 to 1941 he lived with his family in Youngstown and Niagara Falls, New York while his father worked with the Moore Corporation as a mining engineer. Adam moved back to Ontario to complete junior high school and attended Upper Canada College from 1938-40, Ridley College from 1940-44, the Royal Canadian Naval College 1944-46, and Trinity College, University of Toronto, 1946-50. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in General Arts with a major in Philosophy in 1950. He also served six years in the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve rising to the ranks of lieutenant.

After graduation and a brief term with Proctor Gamble, Zimmerman decided to join Clarkson Gordon (now Ernst & Young), as a student-in-accounts from 1950-54; received his CA and worked as a Chartered Accountant (1956) and Audit Supervisor, 1956-58. Mr. Zimerman then joined Noranda Inc. first serving as an Assistant Comptroller at Noranda Mines (1958-61), and then Comptroller (1961-1966). He subsequently became Vice President and Comptroller (1966-1974), Executive Vice President (1974-1982), President and CEO (1982-87), Vice Chairman of Noranda Inc. (1987-1992), as well as CEO, Noranda Forest Inc. (1987-1991), Chairman (1987-1993), and Director (1987-1994), as well as Chairman (1983-1990) and Vice Chairman (1990-1993) of MacMillan Bloedel after it was acquired by Noranda Forests Inc. Zimmerman also served as an independent director of Algoma Steel and as a foreign director at Royal Dutch Paper Mills (when MB was a dominant shareholder). Zimmerman retired from Noranda Inc. in 1994.

Mr. Zimmerman has served on over 40 private and public sector boards throughout his career including directorships on the following Northwood Pulp and Timber Ltd.; Confederation Life Insurance Co.; The Toronto Dominion Bank; Battery Technologies Inc.; Economic Investment Trust; Maple Leaf Foods Inc.; The Pittston Co.; Southam Inc; and Hydro One (2002- ). He has had had many professional affiliations during his career including with: C.D. Howe Institute (Former Chairman & Dir.); Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (Fellow); Canadian Pulp & Paper Association (former Chairman); Canadian Forest Industries Council (former Chairman); University of Toronto, Faculty of Forestry (Advisory Board.); The Hospital for Sick Children (Honorary Trustee); The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation (Director); Roy Thomson Hall (Director); World Wildlife Fund Canada (Executive Committee); Zeta Psi; York Club; Toronto Golf Club; Craigleith Ski Club; Madawaska Club.

Publications: Who’s in Charge Here, Anyway?: reflections from a life in business, (Don Mills, Ontario: Stoddart; Distributed in Canada by General Distribution Services), 1997.

HONOURS: Distinguished Business Alumni Award, Univ. of Toronto, 1992; LL.D. (Hon), Royal Roads Military College; D.S.L., Trinity University, Toronto. Member of the University of Toronto, Faculty of Forestry; a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario; Past Chairman, Canadian American Committee; and board positions with the Mining Association of Canada; Canadian Forest Industries Council; Canadian Pulp and Paper Association and with Zeta Psi.

Scope and content

This fonds consits of the administrative and business papers of Mr. Adam Zimmerman during his tenure as a senior level executive with Noranda Inc., Noranda Mines Ltd, and Macmillan Bloedel Ltd., particularly in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia with the majority of these records relating to the senior level operations of these companies. It includes textual records relate to the creation and development of Northwood Pulp & Timber Ltd. in Prince George including all aspects of its regional operations throughout Northcentral BC). The fonds also includes records related to Noranda Inc.’s successful and unsuccessful attempts at business acquisitions in both forestry and mining operations internationally, particularly in Mexico, Brazil, the Netherlands and Tasmania.

The fonds also contains textual records generated by Zimmerman in his directorship and chairman positions on various forest industry association boards. It includes his notes, general correspondence, minutes, as well as booklets and brochures notably from the Canadian Forest Industries Council, the Canadian Pulp and Paper Association, the Forest Sector Advisory Council and other similar industry associations. Much of this material relates to the issue of the softwood lumber dispute and Zimmerman’s involvement in the lobbying efforts regarding Canada/U.S. Free Trade issues and includes bound reports, agreements, and publications as well as correspondence to/from Zimmerman and his handwritten notes within the files. The fonds also includes general business information (annual reports, brochures, publications) pertaining to other Canadian forestry and mining companies.

The fonds also contains Adam Zimmerman’s speeches and correspondence related to his involvement in numerous charities, foundations and corporate fundraising initiatives with numerous Canadian educational institutions, non-profit societies and federal election campaigns.

Business records of Noranda Inc. are extensive and include administrative, business, personnel, financial and legal records. Record types include correspondence, memos, handwritten notes, business proposals and meeting notes, merger proposals and notes, prospectuses, board meeting agendas and minutes, annual reports, financial statements, resumes, portfolios, printed brochures, publications and other ephemera related to the business operations of Noranda Inc., Noranda Mines and MacMillan Bloedel [during Noranda Mines take-over of MB] all during Zimmerman’s tenure as Chair and/or CEO. The fonds includes correspondence, financial reports, legal testimony transcripts resulting from the Gaspe Copper Mine labour strike in Quebec in 1957 and the subsequent Gaspe Law Suit of 1960 between Noranda and the United Steel Workers of America. The fonds also includes extensive correspondence between Zimmerman and various levels of government regarding the lobbying of government on forestry policy and correspondence with various environmental lobbying groups in the 1980s including correspondence with well-known environmentalist David Suzuki.

Subjects include all facets of business operations pertaining to Canadian forestry and mining sectors including labour issues, environmental impacts of industrial developments, industry and effects on the Canadian economy, the free trade debate, the softwood lumber issue etc.

The fonds provides a detailed archival record of Mr. Zimmerman’s contribution to the building of Noranda Forest in Canada, Northwood Pulp & Timber in BC and Noranda Inc. as a resource-based conglomerate. Many records were utilized by Mr. Zimmerman in the writing of his book, Who’s in Charge Here, Anyway?: reflections from a life in business, (Don Mills, Ontario: Stoddart; Distributed in Canada by General Distribution Services), 1997.

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Arrangement

Arranged by the archivist. Original order can be cross-referenced in inventory.

Language of material

  • English

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    Restrictions on access

    Some restrictions apply. Files may need to be reviewed by an archivist before public viewing. Research access and any restrictions on confidential material are determined per FOIPOP & Bill C-6 legislation.

    Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

    Personal or academic use of materials is welcomed under the standard fair dealing and educational use clauses of Canadian Copyright Law. Commercial use is, however, forbidden without the express permission of the copyright holder. For information on obtaining written permission from the copyright holder, please contact the Northern B.C. Archives and Special Collections.

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    Sources

    Canadian Corporate Reports. McGill Digital Archive. https://digital.library.mcgill.ca/hrcorpreports/search/detail.php?company=Noranda%20Inc.&ID=275

    International Directory of Company Histories. “Noranda Incorporated History (1922 – 2004)”. https://republicofmining.com/2011/06/17/noranda-incorporated-history-1922-2004-by-international-directory-of-company-histories/

    Noranda Inc. Annual Reports.

    Royal Commission on Corporate Concentration, Noranda Mines Limited: A Corporate Background Report. 1976.

    Statistics Canada. Inter-corporate Ownership Directory. 1965, 1967, 1969, 1972, 1975, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1990, 2000.

    Zimmerman, Adam. Who’s in Charge Here, Anyway?: Reflections from a Life in Business, (Don Mills, Ontario: Stoddart; Distributed in Canada by General Distribution Services), 1997.

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