Spouse Linda Forzani (m. ?–2014) Position(s) Owner/OL | Name John Forzani Role American football player | |
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Date of birth (1947-04-05)April 5, 1947 Date of death October 30, 2014(2014-10-30) (aged 67) Died October 31, 2014, Palm Springs, California, United States Children Mike Forzani, Jodi Forzani | ||
Organizations founded Forzani Group Siblings Tom Forzani, Joe Forzani | ||
2016 Inductee - Joe Forzani, John Forzani, Tom Forzani, and Basil Bark
John Forzani (April 5, 1947 – October 30, 2014) was a Canadian businessman, former Canadian Football League (CFL) player, and CFL team owner. He was the Chairman and co-founder of FGL Sports.
Contents
- 2016 Inductee Joe Forzani John Forzani Tom Forzani and Basil Bark
- Celebrity Shout out John Forzanimov
- Early life
- Career
- Personal
- References
Celebrity Shout out John Forzani.mov
Early life
Born in Calgary, Alberta, he received a degree in business administration from Utah State University in 1971. In 1971, he joined the Calgary Stampeders as an offensive lineman and was part of the winning team of the 59th Grey Cup. He played football until 1976.
Career
In 1974, he opened a 1,200-square-foot (110 m2) store called Forzani's Locker Room in Calgary. In 1994, he acquired Sports Experts Inc. for $20 million becoming Canada's largest sporting goods retailer.
In 2001, the Retail Council of Canada recognized Forzani's work in leading FGL Sports (then known as the Forzani Group) to outstanding business success. In recognition of this accomplishment he was presented with the Distinguished Canadian Retailer of the Year Award.
In 2005, he became a part owner of the Calgary Stampeders. In June 2005, Concordia University conferred an honorary doctorate at the convocation ceremony for the John Molson School of Business, and he gave the address to the graduates.
Personal
John and two of his brothers, Joe and Tom, all played together with the Calgary Stampeders. Joe and Tom also attended Utah State University. Forzani died of a heart attack on October 30, 2014.