Michael Harrison McCain was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, at the 9:30 a.m. ceremony on Thursday, June 12, “in recognition of leadership in economic development and exemplary values-based entrepreneurship.”
Michael McCain is president and CEO of Maple Leaf Foods Inc., one of Canada’s flagship food companies. His leadership values of transparency, integrity and bias for action define Maple Leaf Foods and have created a dynamic, ethical and performance driven culture.
He has devoted his career to the food industry, starting at McCain Foods Limited in the late ‘70s where he held a variety of roles culminating in his appointment as president and CEO of McCain Foods USA Inc. He joined Maple Leaf Foods in 1995. Since then, he has been instrumental in establishing Maple Leaf as
a destination of choice for top talent and leading the company to overcome challenges that have tested the North American food industry and the Canadian manufacturing sector, in particular.
This includes implementing a bold transformation strategy to shed costs, reduce currency exposure and establish Maple Leaf Foods as a world-class food processor, positioned to compete with the best in the world.
McCain is a director of McCain Capital Inc., McCain Foods, Maple Leaf Foods, and the Royal Bank of Canada. He is a member of the Richard Ivey School of Business Advisory Board and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Foundation, where he is a passionate advocate for transparency and action on mental health issues.