Phil Lind, left, talks with then-RCI President and Chief Executive Officer Ted Rogers as Rogers Communications Inc. appears before the CRTC on April 8, 2008.Sean Kilpatrick/The Globe and Mail
Phil Lind, a long-time Rogers Communications Inc. director who served as a close adviser to its late founder, died Sunday on his 80th birthday.
Mr. Lind joined Ted Rogers’s company as its programming officer in 1969, when it owned two radio stations and had approximately 10,000 cable subscribers. He played a key role in the growth of Rogers over the course of 54 years and was closely involved in every major transaction in its history.
The company described him as a “tireless advocate” for multilingual and multicultural programming, and a champion of the country’s independent film and television sector.
“Phil has been a constant steady force for over five decades,” Edward Rogers, the company’s chair, said in a statement. “We will miss his deep devotion, relentless determination, and sage counsel.”
The statement comes after The Globe and Mail reported on the matter, citing two sources, one of whom said Mr. Lind died at Princess Margaret Hospital. The Globe is not identifying its sources because they are not authorized to speak publicly.
Mr. Lind supported Edward Rogers, Ted Rogers’s son, in a fractious boardroom battle in the fall of 2021 that unseated the company’s then-chief executive, Joe Natale, and five of its independent directors.
The conflict pitted Mr. Lind, Edward Rogers and the company’s former chair, Alan Horn, against Ted Rogers’s widow, Loretta Rogers, and two of the couple’s daughters, Martha Rogers and Melinda Rogers-Hixon.
On Friday, Mr. Natale sued the telecom giant for at least $24-million for wrongful dismissal and breach of contract. Rogers countered with a statement alleging that an investigation found that Mr. Natale “engaged in serious misconduct” and that it has made his termination “for cause.”
Mr. Lind was a member of the advisory committee to the Rogers Control Trust, which controls the telecom through its ownership of 97.5 per cent of the company’s voting Class A shares.
His death follows the recent passing of two other directors and advisory trust members: Mr. Horn, who died in January of this year, and Loretta, who passed away in June, 2022.
It’s unclear whether or how the vacant seats on the family trust will be filled.
Mr. Lind, a political junkie, was a teenager when he met Ted Rogers at a Tory convention, according to his book, Right Hand Man: How Phil Lind Steered the Genius of Ted Rogers, Canada’s Foremost Entrepreneur, co-authored with Robert Brehl. His grandfather struck it rich during the Klondike Gold Rush and parlayed his newfound wealth into a successful cement business.
Mr. Lind was a troublemaker during his youth, writing in his book that he earned the nickname “Fidel” in boarding school on account of his rebellious nature.
He joined Rogers after studying political science and sociology, first at the University of British Columbia and then at the University of Rochester, where he completed a master’s degree.
Mr. Lind held various positions at the company over the years, including as senior vice-president of programming and planning. Along with an executive named Colin Watson, he spearheaded the company’s foray into the U.S. cable market. Rogers later sold its U.S. cable business for a US$1-billion profit to focus on entering the wireless sector.
Former prime minister Brian Mulroney called Mr. Lind’s death “a great loss for Canada.”
“Phil was a true pioneer in Canada’s cable and wireless industry and he left an indelible mark on our country. His success in business was only matched by his passion for the arts and a deep obligation to his country through his many philanthropic endeavours,” Mr. Mulroney said in a statement.
An avid sports fan, Mr. Lind persuaded Ted Rogers to acquire the Toronto Blue Jays in 2000 and played a major role in the company’s purchase of specialty sports channel Sportsnet.
Blue Jays president emeritus Paul Beeston hailed Mr. Lind as a “great businessman” who understood the value of sports, while Colette Watson, president of Rogers Sports and Media, described him as a “cable giant and legend” who advocated for women’s advancement.
“He was progressive in his views, and I personally owe my entire career to him for his mentorship, his guidance and his tutelage,” Ms. Watson said in a statement.
He also founded the Cable Public Affairs Channel, or CPAC, a commercial-free, not-for-profit bilingual television service owned by a consortium that includes Rogers.
On July 1, 1998, he suffered a serious stroke that left him unable to use his right arm or leg. Despite the setback, he returned to work less than a year later, defying the expectations of his physician, Dr. Bernie Gosevitz.
Mr. Lind was a collector of contemporary art and enjoyed fly-fishing. He was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2002 and inducted into the U.S. Cable Hall of Fame in 2012.
Matthew Teitelbaum, the director of Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts and former director and CEO of the Art Gallery of Ontario, described Mr. Lind as a “visionary” who loved socializing, dreamt “big dreams” and “worked hard to help remarkable things happen.”
As an AGO director, Mr. Lind “encouraged ambition and excellence and, though a proud Canadian, always insisted on an international perspective,” Mr. Teitelbaum said in a statement. “He supported institutions that had passion, loved the energy of artists, and believed that creative thinkers could change the world.”
Brookfield CEO Bruce Flatt called Mr. Lind, who sat on the company’s board, a “great man of wise counsel” who consistently provided thoughtful advice.
“We will miss him but are better having been influenced by him,” Mr. Flatt said in a statement.
He leaves his two children, Sarah and Jed; his daughter-in-law, Jessica; his two grandchildren, James and Jack; and his long-time partner, Ellen.