History
The Jim Pattison Group began on May 8, 1961 when Mr. Pattison purchased a General Motors automobile dealership by borrowing $40,000 from the Royal Bank of Canada, and placing his home and life insurance policy with the bank as collateral. Acquisitions in subsequent years included the following:
- 1965 - Awarded license to operate Vancouver AM radio station CJOR
- 1967 - Acquired Neon Products (Vancouver) & Seaboard Outdoor Advertising
- 1968 - Acquired Overwaitea Foods (Vancouver)
- 1969 - Acquired Provincial News (Edmonton)
- Employees: 2,500 Sales: $100 million
- 1980 - Started Jim Pattison Real Estate Group
- Employees: 6,000 Sales: $500 million
- Purchased Beautiful British Columbia Magazine
- 1984 - Acquired Canadian Fishing Company
- 1985 - Acquired Ripley's Believe It or Not!
- Employees: 6,000 Sales: $1 billion
- 1990 - Acquired the Foodservice Packaging Group
- Acquired the Flexible Packaging Group
- Acquired Coroplast and Montebello Packaging
- Employees: 10,000 Sales: $2 billion
- 1991 - Started Jim Pattison Trade Group
- Started Financial Services division
- 1994 - Acquired Westshore Terminals, a BC-based coal-export terminal facility
- Employees: 15,000 Sales: $3 billion
- 1995 - Acquired Buy-Low Foods
- 1997 - Started Select Media Services
- Opened Ripley's Aquarium, Myrtle Beach, SC
- 1999 - Acquired Cooper's Foods
- Employees: 20,000 Sales: $4.4 billion
- 2000 - Opened Ripley's Aquarium of The Smokies, Gatlinburg, TN
- Employees: 22,000 Sales: $4.6 billion
- 2001 - Acquired Monarch Broadcasting
- Acquired Van-Whole Produce
- Employees: 24,000 Sales: $5 billion
- 2002 - Started ProLogix Distribution Services and AccuLogix Distribution Services
- Acquired Ever Corp.
- Employees: 25,000 Sales: $5.2 billion
- 2003 - Acquired LIN PAC Inc.
- Employees: 26,000 Sales: $5.5 billion
- 2004 - Acquired Classic Attractions (Texas)
- Acquired St. Augustine Sightseeing Trains (Florida)
- Acquired Maltese Signs (Norcross, GA)
- Acquired auto lease business of Cross-Canada Car Leasing Limited (Toronto, ON)
- Acquired periodical distribution companies in San Jose and Chico, CA
- Employees: 27,000 Sales: $5.7 billion
- 2005 - Acquired control of Icicle Seafoods (BC.) Inc.
- Acquired Freeway Dodge Chrysler
- Acquired Spartech Corporation’s corrugated plastic sheet business
- Started the Vancouver edition of 24 Hours (in partnership with Quebecor Media)
- Formed or purchased interests in several US and Canadian joint ventures in the periodical industry
- Employees: 28,000 Sales: $6.1 billion
- 2006 - Acquired Carthage Cup, Carthage, TX
- Acquired Creative Outdoor Ads, Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Acquired Island Radio Ltd.'s six FM stations on Vancouver Island
- Acquired OK Radio Group Ltd.'s two FM stations in Victoria, BC
- Acquired A&W Fixtures, Cocoa, Florida
- Started Great Pacific Bank Limited, Warrens, Barbados
- 2007 - Disposed of interest in the Vancouver 24 Hours
- 2008 - Acquired Guinness World Records from HIT Entertainment
- 2010 - Acquired Amc Billboard Co
- 2011 - Acquired Ocean Brands
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