KINGSEY
FALLS, QC, Nov. 9, 2023 /CNW/ - Cascades deeply
regrets and is saddened to announce the death of one of its
cofounders, Mr. Bernard Lemaire, at
the age of 87.
Bernard Lemaire was born in
Drummondville, Québec in 1936. In
1960, he joined the family business of waste recovery, Drummond
Pulp and Fiber. Four years later, under his impetus, and with the
support of his brothers Laurent and Alain, a second life was given
to the disused Dominion Paper Co. mill in Kingsey Falls. He then laid the foundation for
Cascades, which would become a North American, and even European,
leader in environmentally responsible recovery, packaging and
hygiene solutions. For nearly 30 years, Bernard Lemaire was president of the Company,
applying his management philosophy based on respect for human
resources and initiating an unprecedented expansion strategy. He
applied the same recipe to build Boralex, a Québec flagship in
renewable energy.
His brothers Laurent and Alain paid tribute to him: "Bernard was
an exceptional man, a larger-than-life character. Visionary,
generous and charismatic, he convinced countless people and
communities to participate in a huge project, the project of his
life: Cascades. His career embodies the emergence of a francophone
Québec that is proud of its roots. Our big brother was a great man.
Today, he is a legend."
"Bernard is the source of the ingenuity and dedication of the
10,000 or so Cascaders," said Mario
Plourde, President and Chief Executive Officer. "It is
thanks to him that they are working today in a multinational
company that is a role model and whose vision, success and values
are praised. He gave the Company the momentum that has made it grow
and shine for nearly 60 years. His legacy is rich and will live on.
On behalf of all Cascades employees, I would like to offer the
Lemaire family and Bernard's loved ones our most sincere
condolences."
Bernard Lemaire's contribution to
the business world has been rewarded on many occasions. In 1985,
the newspaper Finances awarded him the title of Businessman of the
Year. In 1991, the Association des professionnels en ressources
humaines du Québec awarded him the Iris d'honneur for his
outstanding contribution to the advancement of human resources
management. He has been awarded the insignia of Officer of the
Order of Canada, Officer of the
National Order of Québec, and Knight of the National Order of the
Legion of Honor, granted by the President of the French Republic.
He has also received honorary doctorates from the Université de
Sherbrooke, the École des Hautes
Études Commerciales, the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and
the Université du Québec à Montréal. A prominent figure in modern
Québec, the man embodies entrepreneurship.
Flags on all Company buildings will be flown at half-mast and
commemorative activities will take place. The public is also
invited to visit the Company's digital platforms to pay tribute to
him. A virtual guestbook is available on Cascades' website:
https://cascades.com/en/tribute-great-builder.
You can also show your support by making a donation to the
Federation of Quebec Alzheimer Societies.
Founded in 1964, Cascades offers sustainable, innovative
and value-added solutions for packaging, hygiene and recovery
needs. The company employs approximately 10,000 talents, who work
in a network of more than 70 production units in North America. With its management philosophy,
half a century of experience in recycling, and continuous efforts
in research and development as driving forces, Cascades continues
to deliver the innovative products that customers have come to rely
on, while contributing to the well-being of people, communities and
the planet. Cascades' shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange
under the ticker symbol CAS.
SOURCE Cascades Inc.