The First Lady of Canadian Business
On International Women's Day here is the story of the formidable Muriel Sprague Richardson (1890-1973)
While raising a young family and lending time to community initiatives, she became a sounding board for her husband, James A. Richardson, the fourth President of James Richardson & Sons, Limited. Mrs. Richardson was astute and became so knowledgeable about the business that James asked his closest confidante to join the board of directors.
When James died suddenly at age 53, Mrs. Richardson was determined to continue his work. Without formal business training, yet with great fortitude and common sense, she was elected the fifth President of James Richardson & Sons, Limited in July 1939 - only a month after her husband's funeral - becoming the first woman to lead a major Canadian corporation.
That September, Canada entered the Second World War. Mrs. Richardson took charge of directing several war efforts on the home front and assured JR personnel serving in the military that their jobs would remain protected. During her tenure, she also instituted the employee pension plan, and made decisions to further diversify the company’s interests, broaden the scope of the financial business, and make valuable contributions to Canadian agriculture.
Muriel Sprague Richardson led JRSL for 27 remarkable years until her retirement in 1966. She was posthumously inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame in 1981 – the first woman to ever receive the honour.
Source: James Richardson & Sons, Limited
Established in 1857, James Richardson & Sons, Limited is a private, family-owned and operated corporation. JRSL is actively involved in the global agriculture and food processing business, as well as energy exploration, transportation and marketing, financial services, insurance and real estate investments. Headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, JRSL has assets and operations strategically located across Canada, the United States and in the United Kingdom.
