The bowling industry is pleased and proud to honour a long-time friend, William (Bill) Sutherland. Bill has been with the Brunswick Company for 38 years and has become well-known and admired throughout Canada. He has always been concerned with the well-being of the industry and the people in it and it is a privilege to honour him for his contributions tonight.

Bill was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, May 30th, 1922 and attended school in that city. As a teenager he joined Dun and Bradstreet as a junior credit reporter but soon after enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy in September, 1940. He served with the navy throughout the war and was discharged in June, 1945 after serving on both the East and West coasts on shore and convoy duties.

Bill has been an all-around athlete in his youth, playing both baseball and hockey. After leaving the navy at the end of the war, he was approached by the New York Rangers to attend a hockey tryout camp for the new season. His competition was Charlie Rayner, now a member of the Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame, and “Sugar” Jim Henry. Sutherland was assigned to the minor leagues. By this time Bill had married Phyllis and was already the father of two children. He decided that hockey was too unpredictable a way to make a living and returned home to Winnipeg to work for Stafford Foods.

Shortly after, he answered an advertisement for a salesman to sell products for the world’s largest manufacturer of recreation equipment. This turned out to be the Brunswick Balke Collender Company, and marked the beginning of a long-time relationship. He was hired as Manitoba-Thunder Bay Sales Representative and was later transferred to Vancouver as Western Branch Manager. He then became Merchandising Manager - Bowling Division for Brunswick at the time the Gold Crown equipment was being introduced in Canada. He was appointed Outdoor Recreation Sales Manager with the responsibility of introducing the McGregor athletic line in Canada, along with the responsibility of the sales of Owens, Cuter and Larson Boats and Zebco fishing equipment. He became the Ontario Branch Manager with the responsibilities for all product lines handled by Brunswick. Today, he is the Regional Vice-President with Sales and Marketing responsibilities in Canada. He is Brunswick’s senior man in Canada.

Bill is known and respected throughout the bowling world. He has always been fair and honourable with everyone he has come in contact with. He has been an excellent representative for his company. Over the years, Bill has been concerned that Brunswick should provide service and attention to the five pin bowling game. Realizing that his counterparts in the United States have trouble relating to the five pin game, Bill has constantly reminded them of their obligation to five pin bowling. He has encouraged his company to sponsor tournaments and to advertise in five pin publications. Perhaps even more importantly, he has insisted that his company manufactures products specifically designed for five pins. Without Bill’s influence, five pin proprietors would find themselves lacking many of the pieces of equipment required to make an attractive centre.

Bill and Phyllis now live in Oakville. Their three children have grown up and son Terry is a graduate professional engineer from Queen’s and is currently the Vice-President of Canadian General Electric. He and his wife have provided Bill and Phyllis Sutherland with three grandchildren. His older daughter Linda is a registered nurse and now lives in Midhurst, Ontario. She is married with two children and works as a nurse in Barrie. Their younger daughter, Diane has graduated with a Masters Degree in Psychology from the University of Guelph, and she is also married and is now employed by the Halton Board of Education.

Bill Sutherland is an interested and interesting man. He has become an energetic walker and trudges two to three miles each day in all kinds of weather. He is an avid Toronto Blue Jays fan - not just this year but ever since the franchise began. Bill and Phyllis are members of a five pin mixed bowling league in Burlington, where they enjoy keeping in touch with the game and seeing friends on a regular basis.