Celebrating philanthropy

Edward Rogers Jr., more commonly known as Ted, launched his career with equal doses of a dream and the drive to make it happen. He built Rogers Communications from humble roots into a national company, offering phone, Internet, radio, cable and publishing services. Under his leadership, Rogers was the first company in Canada to offer commercial cellular services and high-speed Internet across North America.

“This is somebody who just had limitless imagination in terms of what was possible,” said Perrin Beatty, the president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, who shared his comments in a 2008 Maclean’s article. “He was a risk taker, a builder, somebody who believed and had a sense of optimism about what he could achieve.”

As the business grew, so did Ted’s philanthropic contributions, the value of which he instilled in his family alongside his wife Loretta. The family shares a belief that support can come in many forms and in any dollar amount. To that end, they have supported various initiatives focused on improving the lives of children, education, health and environmentalism. The family has been a generous supporter of Power To Be since 2006.

The impact of Ted’s legacy is showcased in the honours bestowed upon him. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada, an inductee of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame and the Canadian Associate of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He was awarded the Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals, alongside Loretta, in 2002.

Ted would always say, “The best is yet to come.” We at Power To Be have lived by these words since our inception. Power To Be is honoured to have the continued support of the Rogers family.

We dedicate this post to Ted Rogers (1933-2008).