Jack Purvis of Purvis Marine is the 2002 recipient of the Chamber of Commerce's Paul Dalseg Award.
The following is the full text of Chamber President Ben Pascuzzi's remarks about Purvis and the award:
********************************************************************** The Paul Dalseg Award recognizes a businessperson in Sault Ste. Marie who has demonstrated exemplary interest in the community, and in so doing, has made a major, outstanding and unique achievement or contribution to the life of the community.
It is intended to recognize the leadership and community-mindedness of businessmen and women.
Initiated in 1991, it is appropriate that this unique award be dedicated to Paul Dalseg, who while operating one of the city’s most successful retail and service operations, was also an outstanding example of a businessperson’s dedication to their community.
This year we have the pleasure of presenting this award to a very deserving individual – Jack Purvis of Purvis Marine.
It may be hard to believe, but Purvis Marine began as a hobby for Jack Purvis.
Jack Purvis was teaching high-school physics, when the opportunity arose to purchase an almost 70-year–old, 73-foot tug from Abitibi Pulp and Paper in 1967.
The “Rocket” as it was called was primarily a pleasure craft” until Jack decided to put it back to work in 1969.
One craft became 2, which became 3, which eventually became the blue and white fleet of Purvis Marine, recognized at every port along the shoreline of Ontario’s Great Lake’s Waterways.
In 1988, the lock in Sault Ste. Marie was closed due to the failure of one of its walls.
By 1990, talk of filling in the lock had arisen.
A mere 12 years later, it is still hard to imagine that the possibility was considered.
It was Jack Purvis who spearheaded the campaign to save the Locks, submitting a proposal to privatize, restore and operate the historic lock while creating an important new asset for the city.
Purvis Marine is a major corporate sponsor of the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, and is the largest single benefactor to the Great Tugboat Race, promoting tourism, maritime safety and charitable contributions to children’s charities.
PML has contributed to more local fundraising initiatives than we can mention here today.
We can say this with fair certainty -- The face of Sault Ste. Marie would be much different had Jack Purvis never purchased that first tug in 1967.
Jack Purvis was the recipient of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s outstanding Business Achievement Award in 1991; in 1999 he was honoured as Marine Man of the Year.
He has received the Sault Ste. Marie Metal of Merit, and today he is the Recipient of the Paul Dalseg Community Achievement Award.
Celebrating excellence
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