Stephen a. Jarislowsky

Stephen Jarislowsky arrived in Canada with vision and determination, built a pioneering investment firm, and – guided by a strong moral compass – helped transform the country’s financial services industry. His story is both an inspiring account of entrepreneurial success and a powerful reflection on leadership, integrity, and public service.This biography offers compelling insight into one of Canada’s most influential business leaders and philanthropists. Drawing on interviews with family, friends, and colleagues as well as privileged access to Jarislowsky himself, Donald Savoie illuminates a life shaped by many of the defining events of the twentieth century. Born in Berlin in 1925, Jarislowsky was educated in the Netherlands and France before immigrating to the United States. He studied at Cornell University, served in the army, and worked in counterintelligence in postwar Japan. In 1955 he settled in Montreal and founded Jarislowsky Fraser; over the next four decades he would build one of Canada’s premier investment management firms while earning a reputation for ethical leadership and independent judgment. He remained steadfast throughout Quebec’s Quiet Revolution, becoming a proud Québécois while maintaining an unwavering commitment to Canada.Jarislowsky’s influence reached far beyond finance, making a mark on corporate governance, the arts, and higher education through the endowment of university research chairs. This book paints a portrait of a businessman and benefactor who made profound contributions to Canada and maintained an enduring commitment to a healthy democratic society.