Jim Ross

WHAT GOT YOU STARTED?

by Burke Campbell 

Published in the Financial Post

 Aug 25, 2008

Former Senator, Jim Ross, founded Ross Ventures ( www.rvl.ca ) Headquartered in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Ross Ventures is a firm involved in commercial real estate, radio broadcasting, and food and beverage services. Jim Ross tells the Financial Post what motivated him to become an entrepreneur.  

A kid’s energy: “When I was 13 years old, growing up in a small town in the Gaspé Peninsula , I put up posters, hired a fiddler, and organized community dances. Instinctively, I seized opportunities.”  

Need for fun: “In the early 1970s, people in Fredericton and Moncton needed places to go, so I opened restaurants, places to drink and dance. These became major hubs for socializing.”  

The past retrieved: “Pursuing heritage real estate gave me the chance to restore landmark buildings--to preserve, modernize, and include these structures in today’s world.” 

Music in the air: “In 1977, I launched a new AM radio station in Fredericton . Gradually, I acquired others in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia , selling all at the end of the 1990s.”  

Great honour: “Appointed in the early 1990s, I served as a Senator. My time in Parliament was one of the great experiences of my life and I worked hard to do my best.”  

Building paradise: “At present, I’m spearheading construction of beautiful homes overlooking the water, in St. Andrew’s by-the-Sea. It’s a joy to contribute to existing communities, and to create new ones, too.”  

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