William "Bill" Robert Peterson

Whether leading the Star-Phoenix through the difficult transition to morning publication or overseeing unprecedented annual circulation increases making the SP the fastest growing daily newspaper in Canada, Bill Peterson liked to build things big. Peterson, 71, died this week at his adopted home of North Saanich, British Columbia, with Paul Lavoie, his husband of 16 years, at his side. Peterson battled Parkinson’s (and elements of Dementia) for the last 14 years.

Peterson began in the lowly position of newsroom copy boy, eventually rising to city and news editor, editor-in-chief and publisher during a 22-year stint at the paper.

In 1994, Bill joined Southam Newspaper Group, serving as Publisher of the Prince George Citizen and later the Kingston Whig-Standard.

Bill returned to Saskatoon launching independent Free Press community newspapers where, for three years, he battled newspaper baron Conrad Black’s Hollinger Corporation. Black ended up in jail, Bill was inducted to the JA Saskatchewan Business Hall of Fame.

Bill’s second career was as senior partner in Saskatoon-based Creative Fire, a strategic communications firm. Bill happily traversed the worlds of effective communications, business strategy, executive coaching and political readiness. Clients ranged from international publicly traded mining companies to local charities, with projects as diverse as helping global fertilizer giant PotashCorp successfully fend off a hostile takeover to convincing Saskatoon residents to build the Remai Modern. Other resume highlights include chicken farming, helping to create Perki’s Copymat and meeting the Queen – twice, the first at the request of his long-time Little Brother Dale Baptiste. Bill received the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers (SMV) in working with causes ranging from chairing the National Newspaper Awards, to serving as a board member on Michener Journalism Awards Foundation and MITACS Centre For Mathematical Excellence at a national level to the United Way, Zoo Foundation, Habitat for Humanity and Meewasin Valley Authority and helped create a new PWP Parkinson’s Resource Centre now established in Victoria and serving Parkinson’s patients from across the province. Bill attended night school at the University of Saskatchewan earning a Certificate in Business Administration. He was a Southam Journalism Fellow(1983-84) at University of Toronto and Commonwealth Journalism Fellowship at City University, ((198)6) London, England. A pesky case of Parkinson’s prompted Bill and partner Paul Lavoie to move to North Saanich, Vancouver Island where they wrestled with gardening, enjoyed the Salish Sea, not missing Saskatchewan winters and cultivated the fine art of goofing off.

Bill is survived by husband Paul, who grew up in Prince Albert, now residing in North Saanich BC.

Bill was predeceased by his mother Dorothy in 2000 and Father Robert in 1969, both of Saskatoon. He is survived by sister Lynn ( Kerry) and her three children: Robert Peterson-Wakeman (Lisa)of Saskatoon, Kate-Peterson-Wakeman (Josh) of Calgary, & Julia ,(Eric) Keil of Windsor, Ontario.

Memorial donations to Saskatoon Zoo Foundation, if so inclined.

An Appreciation of Bill’s Life will be scheduled shortly.