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Today the Bowl Canada Hall of Fame welcomes a gentleman who has been deeply involved in the bowling industry, in many capacities over the course of his career. We are very proud to have Bowl Canada Past-President Ed Whitehead as our 2024 inductee.
A son of Saskatoon, born and bred in the “Paris of the Prairies”, 1965 was a big year for Ed Whitehead. It’s the year he graduated high school… got his first serious job… and most importantly…met the love of his life, Marilyn Hunter.
The job was at Sask Power Corp and came courtesy of a neighbour who had a high position with the company. He, like others through this story, saw something in the young Ed to offer him the position.
The love of his life, on the other hand, came courtesy of a blind date. Recalling that date now, Ed tells us, “I thought to myself that very night…. we may or may not continue going out right now, but one day I will marry this woman.”
He was right, of course… but would have to wait until 1972. In the meantime, their relationship grew, and even from those early days Ed fully credits Marilyn for motivating him to expand his horizons and education. By 1969 that motivation got Ed enrolled at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, and 1971 saw Ed graduate with a Diploma of Recreational Technology.
Upon graduating, one of Ed’s communications teachers, again someone seeing something in him worth fostering, managed to get Ed an interview with the General Manager of CFQC Television in Saskatoon. While Ed had never considered a position in Broadcasting to that point, he understood this was a great connection being offered and went to the interview. Ed quickly sussed out there was no specific position available, but the GM explained he was “always on the lookout for quality people in the community.”
With a technology diploma under his belt, Ed then decided to continue his schooling with a Bachelor of Education course at the University of Saskatchewan. Thinking it through, he decided to call CFQC back, explaining he could use a position there to help get him through university. Ed was hired on that call, with the GM stating ‘We’ll find a spot for you.’ That was in June of 1971.
Ed started at CFQC working on live audio in newscasts. “I just loved it there.” He tells us, thinking back. “They had me doing anything and everything. Great people who were open minded and listened to all ideas. Even as a part-timer I felt important to the company. This made me extremely loyal to them. If they called and said they needed me there in 10 minutes, I’d be there in 9 or under.”.
Ed continued to grow into roles at CFQC, working on live broadcasts, production, and all aspects of broadcasting…ending up in Master Control, virtually overseeing everything that came into a Saskatoon television set. And he found his loyalty was returned whenever he needed his shifts adjusted to fit into his Education schedule.
By 1974 Ed graduated for the second time, now earning a Bachelor of Education degree. Around this time, Marilyn had accepted a position teaching for the Catholic School Board. She managed to arrange an interview for Ed with her Superintendent, who was quick to offer Ed the position. ½ a year later they decided not to retain him because he wasn’t catholic. But liked him enough to recommend him to the Public School system, where he was hired on the spot, teaching for 3.5 years.
Still teaching come April 1978, Marilyn’s dad, Ken Hunter, asked if Ed would be interested in coming into the family business. Ed said yes, and was set to managing on evenings and weekends, which fit well with his teaching schedule he would maintain until resigning at the end of the school year.
His Father-In-Law started him off managing the Saskatoon Bowlarena on First Avenue. But it was Fairhaven Bowl, a new split centre in the works and slated to open that September, which Ed was being groomed to take on. And come the new season he did just that, and Ed has been running Fairhaven Bowl ever since.
Diving into the industry, Ed was quick to start attending provincial tournaments, provincial and national meetings, trade shows and any opportunities to meet and network with others in the business.
Fairhaven Bowl had a rough start due to issues with their new tenpin machines. Ed remembers working 16 hour days until things settled in. But at no time did he think he’d made the wrong decision about the business.
“Looking back,” he recalls “having to work a lot of nights and weekends, I realize that one of the things I’m truly appreciative of is Marilyn’s understanding. Coming from a bowling family, she never once said ‘Do you really have to go back in tonight? Do you have to work this weekend? Can’t someone else solve that problem?’ This takes a lot of stress off a marriage. This business can require a lot of time out of a family life, and I really appreciate her for that support and understanding.”
Ed was getting to know the bowling business and community, and it was getting to know him. Before long Bowl Sask President Chuck Cole was known to be making his way onto the Executive of the National Board, and Ed was being recruited to run for the open position as President of BPA-Saskatchewan. Bypassing a customary term as Provincial YBC Chair, he was elected President in 1988. Embracing the role Ed found the required travel was fun, and meeting people face to face was his thing.
After a few years being exposed to the national Board as a provincial rep, Ed’s open, positive and collaborative style was getting the attention of the national community, and before long the opportunity to move on to the National Executive of Bowl Canada seemed a given.
Ed was elected to the position of Secretary for BPAC (Bowling Proprietors Association of Canada, as Bowl Canada was named then) in 1992. From there, Ed moved up to Treasurer, then Vice President (each position a 2 year term).
As fate would have it, just months before Ed would be running for the President’s seat, Executive Director Inge Malcolmson announced she would be retiring. “I’ve always loved challenges,” Ed recalls, “and I realized this would bring about big change at our office, and for our association. After decades under the firm and guiding hands of Carl and Inge Malcolmson, we were headed into a new era. We had Paul Oliveira lined up to take over for that eventuality, and I was excited to work with Paul to launch the new era at Bowl Canada.”.
By the time Ed was elected President in June 1998, the marketing firm “St. Clair Group” had recently been engaged by Bowl Canada to develop a “Season Of Champions” for bowling’s TV properties on CBC and TSN, just as they had just done for curling. The Board was excited about the possibilities, as was the community.
We soon learned from St. Clair Group that CTF had reached out to St. Clair directly, hoping to get in on any potential sponsorships that were being solicited. St. Cair Group immediately let us know about the contact and that they’d stated clearly to CTF that they would not speak with anyone in bowling without Bowl Canada’s knowledge and approval.
Ed saw this as an opportunity. Rather than sneaking behind backs as they had done, Ed’s approach was to reach out to CTF, and C5, and organize a get together of the associations to see what common ground there was to work with. This was not a popular move in the Bowl Canada camp, as many were dead set against working with the players’ groups at that time. But Ed held his ground, and CTF and C5PBA were contacted.
A meeting was set up for September, 1999 in the Toronto area. Sport Canada was invited to attend. Roch Beauchamp, Senior Program Officer at Sport Canada, attended and outlined what would be expected of a reformed BFC (Bowling Federation of Canada) should it be accepted as a recognized sport. Open discussions took place, and by the time it was done all agreed to move forward. Elections were held to formalize the leaders of the new group. In his typical way, Ed did not run for President, though he was singularly responsible for this success. But to help steer the revived BFC to a strong future, he ran for Vice-President and was joined on the Executive by C5’s Bill Cuthbert as BFC President, and CTF’s Adriane Bride as BFC’s new Treasurer.
While we all now know how things ended up at BFC, Ed’s drive to bring bowling together and be recognized by the Government of Canada saw some $6,000,000 invested by Sport Canada into the bowling community from 2000 to 2020 and beyond. An unmitigated success!
Asked about the BFC now, Ed says, “I’ve always believed there is value in working with industry partners. Even if things aren’t working today, I would keep an open mind for tomorrow.”
Beyond the relationships with BFC and Sport Canada, Ed dealt with big name marketing gurus, TSN and CBC Presidents, Producers, Directors and production crews… Hell… thanks to his experience at CFQC he even worked the camera for some of our TSN shows! In all situations he represented every member of the association professionally and in style. And, if you know Ed, he was always the guy that could lighten a mood and bring everyone down to reality… and in a fun way.
Never the heavy, he’s the guy who rode his Harley Davidson into a room much like this one for the Welcome Reception when he hosted our Annual Meeting in Saskatoon back in 1989. They’re still trying to clear the exhaust fumes out of that ballroom today.
He’s also the guy that almost gave Carl Malcolmson a heart attack, when at that same conference, he hired a woman actor to crash the business meetings dressed as a bag lady and yelling out Carl’s name.
And just ask him what he did to a poor, unsuspecting waiter at a YBC National in St. John’s, NL back in 2001. Poor fella will never be the same.
Those were busier days for Bowl Canada. More members, more bowlers in our programs, more sponsors and network affiliations. more events for our customers, etc. Travelling the country to represent the association and its members made for fun and busy times.
Asked for a favourite memory…. He says it comes down to people. So many friends over the years, with good times and memories shared.
Asked for a worst memory, he tells us… “After a few years of being in the know on everything … one of the saddest days of my life was July 1, 2002, the end of my term on the BPAC Board of Directors. I had no understanding of this prior, but it was like the Garage Door came down and I lost all communication with the national board and office. I understand it… the new Board keeps moving and their workings need to be confidential, etc, but the sudden void is just a shock. You realize just how involved you’ve been, and what a place that involvement has taken in your life.”
Today Ed remains the driving force at Fairhaven Bowl along with his son David, who continues to take on more roles in the business. He and Marilyn are very proud of their 3 children (David, Kristen and Ryan) and their 9 grandchildren.
Asked where he sees the future of the industry?;
“I see the business thriving. There will always be a need for recreation, and no matter how you cut it bowling remains affordable entertainment.
So many centres have now diversified… restaurants, lounges, redemption centres, other entertainment options … that’s where it’s at for the recreation side, and as an industry we continue to position ourselves to take advantage of that market. The entertainment industry is very interesting and rewarding, both personally and monetarily.
Having said that, there will always be those who want to commit to weekly sessions, take the sport more seriously and be part of a team. I always see a need for leagues. And frankly, leagues are where most of my industry memories lie. Having relationships with regular customers and knowing that what we do and what we offer has a place of importance in their lives. Our industry should certainly keep that in mind.
Some of us are challenged with reconciling our two streams of revenue… open and organized play. We need to work and support both. It’s such a flexible business… If we can’t keep it strong, it’s our own fault.
And above all, we are what we are and should be proud of ourselves and what our centres offer all Canadians.”
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Ladies and gentlemen…. We are honoured today to add another giant of our industry to the Bowl Canada Hall of Fame. . To induct a gentleman who has contributed to this industry’s success in a lasting and meaningful way.
Please join me now in congratulations and thanks to our 2024 inductee….
From Saskatoon, Saskatchewan…. ED WHITEHEAD
From Ed
I am deeply honored to receive this award from my esteemed peers. It is truly a testament to the collaborative spirit and mutual respect we share in this community.
Working alongside fellow proprietors has been immensely rewarding. The collective wisdom, dedication, and passion within this group inspire me daily. I cherish the relationships we’ve built and the innovative ideas we’ve shared.
I must also extend my heartfelt gratitude to Paul, Kevin, and Wendy at the national office. Their professionalism, knowledge, and unwavering support have been invaluable. Each interaction with them has been a pleasure, enriching my understanding and enhancing our collective efforts.
Thank you all for this incredible recognition. I look forward to continuing our journey together, striving for excellence and fostering the growth of our community.
Thank you.