Cascades Announces Death Of Bernard Lemaire, Great Entrepreneur And Builder 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 envi- ronmentally responsible recovery, packaging and hygiene solutions. For nearly 30 years, Bernard Lemaire was president of the Company, applying his man- agement philosophy based on respect for hu-
Bernard Lemaire
man resources and initiating an unprecedented expansion strategy. He applied the same recipe to build Boralex, a Québec flagship in renew- able 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 par- ticipate 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 Of- ficer. “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 be- half 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 re- warded 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 Or- der of the Legion of Honor, granted by the President of the French Re- public. 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 entrepreneur- ship. Flags on all Company buildings will be flown at half-mast and com- memorative activities will take place. The public is also invited to visit the Company’s digital platforms to pay tribute to him. A virtual guest- book is available on Cascades’ website: https://cascades.com/en/trib- ute-great-builder . You can also show your support by making a donation to the Federa- tion of Quebec Alzheimer Societies.
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November 20, 2023
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