Richard Norman Gareau

Richard Norman Wilfred Gareau was born on February 24th, 1931 in Regina, Saskatchewan. His mother was (Hazel) Irene Forsyth (from Sintaluta) and his father was Urban (Joseph) Gareau (from Pembroke, Ontario), the first paediatrician in Saskatchewan. He was very close to his two maternal aunts, Gert (Gertrude Forsyth) and Mat (Martha Olmsted), who often brought him to the town of Sintaluta, Sask. in his youth.

In 1937, his father built a cottage at Waskesiu Lake, situated in Prince Albert National Park, where Richard would spend his summer months along with his siblings. A stunningly beautiful location fronting the Canadian Shield with lush forests, innumerable lakes of the purest of waters and the freshest and most intoxicating air imaginable. No wonder it has always held a special place in his heart and that of his siblings and family.

Richard attended Regina Central Collegiate High School in Regina (1944 – 1948) He later attended University of McGill where he obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree (1952), while participating in athletic activities including football and the McGill boxing team.

He married Thyra Skonnord in August 28th 1954 in the city of Prince Albert, Sask. and honeymooned in Lac La Ronge. In 1956 he completed his law degree at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and qualified for the Alberta Bar in 1957.

His eldest son David was born in Edmonton in June of 1955, followed by Colette a year later. Richard converted to Catholicism in the mid 50’s.

His first professional occupation was for Sharritt-Gordon Mines Ltd., as assistant to the corporate secretary and was transferred to Toronto in the spring of 1957 where he worked for a year and a half. During this time his daughter Julie was born (1958).

That same year, he began working for the Banque d’expansion industrielle which allowed him to move to Montreal, his dream for many years and where he would spend the rest of his life.

He later worked for Webb and Knapp Canada Ltd., a Zechendorf real estate development company during which time he studied for and passed exams to the Quebec Bar (1961). He then continued his career working for Trizec Corporation (2.5 years) and it should be mentioned that this period, Richard had the opportunity and privilege to work with Sam and Nathan Steinberg whom he came to deeply admire and respect.

Although Richard had a promising future working with the Trizec corporation, he chose in 1963 to accept the position of Director of Licensing and Concessions for the The Canadian Corporation for the 1967 World Exhibition. This allowed him the opportunity to consult with licensing experts involved with the Disney Organization, the New York World`s Fair and many other famous U.S. event corporations and geminated his passion and dedication for that highly specialize branch of law.

Richard went into private practice in 1968 with Me Raymond Lette and shortly thereafter with Me Michael Awada and Me Hayk Sumbulian until 1972. This experience led to his accepting the role of Director of Licensing, Concessions and Sponsorships for the 1976 OLYMPIC games Organizing Committee in Montreal. Shortly after he started his own business in the field of commercial licensing where he had the opportunity to represent or act as a consultant in various capacities for many high profile events, corporations and personalities.

He and Thyra had four more children together, all in Montreal: Richard S. (1959), Michel (1960), Adrien (1963) and Paul (1965). A word about the dog, a female Rhodesian Ridgeback named “Beauté”, who brought great joy to all except maybe a few of the neighbours. It is worth noting that one memorable family trip to Waskesiu in a station wagon, including the parents, the seven kids and the dog who wisely chose to keep a low profile thus avoiding being ordered to run along the car for most of the trip’s 3000 miles.

On January 30th 1983, his wife Thyra passed away after a long and difficult battle with cancer. He was fortunate enough to find a new soul mate in Margaret (“Maggie”) Simard, whom he married on December 3,1983. From this union he became step-father to Maggie’s daughter Jennifer and together had a son Daniel (1984).

Richard went into private practice in 1968 with Me Raymond Lette for 10 months, then with Me Michael Awada till 1972. This experience lead to his accepting the role as Director of Licensing and Concessions and Sponsorships for the 1976 Olympic Games Organizing Committee in Montreal. Shorlty thereafter, he started his own business in the field of commercial licensing and merchandising (Universal Innovations Ltd., and later ILC International Licensing Corporation, Transip-R Enterprises Inc.), where he had the opportunity of representing or acting as a consultant in various capacities for many high profile events and personalities:

1. Canadian Corporation for the 1967 World Exhibition (Expo '67)

2. New York Fair- 1964-65

3. Commonwealth Games – 1978

4. CNE in Toronto

5. Tintin - Hergé

6. Expo '70 (Osaka)

7. Montreal Baseball Club (Expos)

8. Canadian Astronaut Program (National Research Council of Canada)

9. Calgary Stampede

10. Edmonton Klondike Days

11. Edmonton Northlands in Edmonton

12. The Taft Merchandising Group (Hanna Barbera)

13. Comité Organisateur des Jeux Olympiques de Montréal 1976 (COJO '76)

14. CN Tower (Canadian National)

15. Carnaval de Québec

16. American Revolution Bicentennial Administration (ARBA)

17. Papal Visit - Canada 1984

18. The Weider Group (Ben Weider)

19. Expo '86 (Vancouver)

20. International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB)

21. Legal advisor to commercial participants - Lake Placid Winter Olympic Games (1980)

22. Legal advisor to commercial participants - the Calgary Winter Olympic Games (1988)

23. Kenny Rogers

24. Air Canada

25. Transport Canada [Montreal International Airport (Mirabel)]

26. Canadian National Exhibition

27. Canada Post (Olympic Stamp Licensing Program)

28. Montreal Mondial World Triathlon

29. Quebec '84 (450th Anniversary of Jacques Cartier's discovery of the City of Quebec)

30. Muhammad Ali

31. Philippine Chess Federation

32. Olivia Newton-John - Koala Blue

33. Legal advisor to commercial participants - World Exhibition 1988, Brisbane, Australia

34. Sport Participation Canada ('Participation')

35. Italia '90 - World Soccer Championships

36. Alliance for a Drug-Free Canada

37. Chloe, the official international mascot of the 'Just Say No' Foundation

38. Estate of Marilyn Monroe

39. Le Petit Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)

40. Legal advisor to commercial participants - World Exhibition 1992 - Seville, Spain

41. United States Sports Academy

42. Société Immobilière du Canada (Vieux Port de Québec)

43. Montreal International Music Festival

44. Canadian Patents and Development Limited (Government of Canada)

45. Estate of Charlie Chaplin

46. GS Future Stars of Canada Inc

47. Earth Day International (worldwide); Earth Day Canada; Earth Day U.S.A.

48. SITAC - Sino-Canadian Trade & Advisory Corp.

49. NCI Technologies Inc.

50. Royal Canadian Mounted Police

51. Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC)

52. La Croix-Rouge canadienne

53. Friends of the Earth

54. L’Oratoire St-Joseph du Mont-Royal

Richard also was an active participant in seminars and conferences and also submitted a number of papers (see footnote).

Together with his passion for licensing, Richard, also pursued his legal practice specializing in Intellectual Property Law, Corporate Law and Technology Transfer, working his last 21 years hand in hand with his wife, Maggie. Together they built a successful business (Transip-R Enterprises Inc.) and legal practice. In 2001, they built an extension to their home on Connaught Avenue in Montreal, which served as their professional office. This decision turned-out to be a blessing as it provided them with an improved quality of life and more time to enjoy each other and their children.

Richard suffered a massive heart attack on December 3rd, 2004. This left him with a weakened heart and many challenges which he fought bravely until he succumbed to congestive heart failure on April 15th, 2006, at home, surrounded by his loving wife and beloved family.

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PAPERS, PUBLICATIONS, SEMINARS, CONFERENCES

1. "Corporate Licensing" Patent and Trade-mark Institute of Canada - September 1989.

2. "Whether to Embark on Corporate Identity Licensing" Licensing Executives Society - Ottawa Seminar Ottawa, April '86.

3. "The Licensor Licensee Relationship" OYEZ Licensing Symposium, Toronto.

4. "Cartoon Licensing Cartoon Characters Can Boost Sales" - The Licensing Book, 1983.

5. "The Evolving Legal and Business Considerations Necessary for the Effective Use of Licensing as Marketing and Merchandise Tool" - OYEZ Licensing Symposium June 1982.

6. "Licensing The Legal and Marketing Aspects" Chairman and key speaker - McGill University Management Institute June 1983.

7. "Official Marks Public Authority" - Legal Opinion, 1989.

8. "Licensing A New Source of Revenue" Sports Administration '86 May 1986.

9. "The Planning and Management of a Trade-mark and/or Copyright Licensing Program" Seminar Paper and publication - Patent and Trade-mark Institute of Canada - August 1986.

10. "Corporate Licensing Corporate Identity Licensing Program" Licensing Executives Society USA/Canada, Inc. Annual Meeting September 1987.

11. "Corporate Licensing The World's Fastest Growing Discipline" 'Trade Mark World' (Publication out of London, England' distributed principally throughout the Common Market) - August 1988.

12. "Weider Corporate Licensing A Case History" Worldwide Licensing - U.S. Publication Spring 1988.

13. Concordia University - Lecturer to graduate student body on the legal, marketing and management aspects of licensingC1988 to 1999.

14. "Sports Licensing" published in Concordia University's 'The Canadian Sports Administrator' - May 1990

15. "The Marketing of a Cause" Montreal Business Magazine, April 1989.

16. "Section 9(1)(n)(iii) Trade-marks Act"- Legal Opinion, 1990.

17. "Licensing - The Importance of Interface between the Legal and the Business/Marketing Components" - Patent and Trade-mark Institute of Canada - May 1990.

18. "Environmental Licensing - Earth Day" - 'Licensing Product Times' - Winter 1991.

19. "Acquiring or Transferring Technology for Profit - The Investor's perspective" - Licensing Executives Society - Ottawa October 1991.

20. “Acquiring or Transferring Technology for Profit - The Investors Perspective” - Licensing Executives Society/Patent & Trade-mark Institute of Canada - Meetings - Montreal, Nov. 1991.

21. “A Case Study - Licensing the Image of the RCMP” - Insight conference, Toronto June 1995.

22. “From Invention to Commercial Success: A Practical Game Plan” - Licensing Executives Society U.S.A./Canada, Toronto, May 1995.

23. “Marketing Social Program Abroad”, a special seminar/paper delivered to senior staff of Human Resources Development Canada in Ottawa, December 1995.

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