He was a popular and influential figure in Canada’s auto sector, as an innovative banker supporting dealers and OEMs in their vision for the industry.
Ron Porter, 71, died this week following complications from lung transplant surgery. He worked in a number of roles in banking and finance over the years, but is perhaps best remembered for the more than 33 years he spent at Scotiabank — and for the time he led the auto finance team as Senior-Vice President Automotive Finance.
After his retirement from the bank, Porter continued to serve as a director on the boards of various institutions, including Tangerine Bank, Scotia Mortgage Corporation, Scotia Trust, Scotia Life, Scotia General Ins, National Trust, and Roynat Capital. His longtime friend Tony Laframboise, a former president of Mitsubishi Motors Canada, said he worked tirelessly in retirement as well, championing a number of causes.
Canadian auto dealer learned of the news of Ron’s passing yesterday and reached out to a cross-section of industry professionals for comment about his career. Here are a few of the responses we received in time for our publication deadline.
Ruth McBride, who was hired by Ron and worked alongside him for decades (and remained close friends), said she was saddened to have to share the news. It was McBride who contacted Canadian auto dealer to share the update about his untimely passing.
“I started in automotive in 2000,” said McBride, who worked for Scotiabank for more than 37 years. She said Ron spent two hours during her job interview convincing her why automotive finance was where she should spend her career. “I sensed his passion right away.”
“He was an industry icon. At the bank we called him Mr. Automotive,” added McBride. “I was so lucky we were friends and colleagues, and he was my mentor. He was one of the smartest people I’ve ever met.”
McBride said at one point she was working with Porter in a small office in downtown Toronto, Ont. Ron challenged her to go out and meet dealers and find out what they really wanted. “When you look out this window, do you see any car dealers at Yonge and Adelaide? You had better go out and meet dealers and figure out what we can do for them,” she said he told her.
McBride said his customer first approach is what drove the business, and how Ron led the bank’s auto finance operations. Even other parts of the bank studied what the auto finance team was up to, because they were having such great results being customer focused.
“Ron’s father was a GM at a Chrysler dealership,” said McBride. “He grew up at the dinner table talking about cars.”
McBride said even when he worked his way up in the bank and became the Senior Vice-President of Automotive Finance, he never lost the ability to talk to dealers — or go have a beer with them and find out what was really going on in their business. Up until he retired, he would meet once a year with the head of a prominent dealer group, Shiv Dilawri, play a round of golf at his club Camelot, then go to a restaurant called La Baccara at Leamy Lake with Shiv and his wife Sarita. It was the type of “old school” relationship building that defined Ron’s approach.
McBride said Ron protected his team from the typical bureaucracy that exists in a bank, and he never let that slow them down. “He would keep all the BS away and say, ‘go get the business,’ and he would find a way to get the bank to agree to what was needed. He was a visionary. He knew where we were going,” said McBride.
Alain Henry, Vice-President of Scotia Dealer Advantage who worked for many years with Ron, also shared some thoughts — along with a picture of a fridge magnet about winning that Ron gave to every employee to serve as a constant reminder to employees, colleagues and industry partners.
“He was passionate about working to the highest standards. Ron’s relentless focus on customer service excellence and product innovation paved the way to Scotiabank’s market leadership in automotive finance,” said Henry. “He’s left our bank an amazing legacy and will always be remembered for his unwavering commitment to the automotive industry!”
Dealers who worked with Ron also passed along their comments.
“Ron was an extremely big part of getting our group off the ground. He used to have more confidence in me than I did,” said Mike Stollery, Founder and Chairman of the AutoIQ Group. “I spent a lot of time with him over the years and enjoyed every single minute. He was the ultimate relationship banker, and the relationships were about a lot more than just business.”
John Carmichael, a well known auto dealer and former federal Member of Parliament, also shared his thoughts. “I am very sorry and saddened to receive the news of Ron Porter’s sudden passing,” said Carmichael. “I had the opportunity to work with Ron for a number of years and always enjoyed our discussions. I was a customer and found dealing with Ron to always be professional and respectful. I extend my deepest sympathy to Ron’s family at this difficult time, and wish them much peace and strength.”
John Hiscock, currently the Senior Vice-President of Scotia Automotive Finance and who now occupies the role Porter held for many years, shared the statement he sent to bank employees. “As you know each year, we have an annual employee recognition award known as the Porter Cup. This is named after Ron Porter, a previous SVP of the Auto Finance business,” said Hiscock.
“Ron spent several years leading the business and growing it to the number one market leading position we enjoy today, Ron led the acquisition of Scotia Dealer Advantage in 2008, was instrumental in signing many of our existing OEM relationships, and was key to getting — and holding — many of our commercial client relationships,” said Hiscock.
In the statement, Hiscock highlighted a few of Porter’s career achievements. “Many of whom he knew since he was a relationship manager in his early days with Scotiabank. He always had a strong focus on working from the customer back and breaking down barriers to make it easier to do business with us. He was a true customer champion! These are the underlying qualifications for the Porter Cup. Ron also mentored many current and former employees both during his career, and in retirement. He was also a very devoted family man and was very proud of his wife Lenore and children, Shane and Alaina’s, many life accomplishments.”
Ron’s partners from the OEM world also offered their thoughts. Tony Laframboise, who retired as President of Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada, dealt with Ron when he was at the bank. The two remained close friends and continued to spend time together in retirement, having breakfast once a week up until Ron’s passing.
“Ron was an innovator in automotive financing. I was involved with him with Kia and Mitsubishi,” said Laframboise, in an interview with Canadian auto dealer. “Ron was always looking for creative ways to help us. He did a lot of things for car companies that didn’t have their own financing arms.”
“He was a great guy and a consummate gentleman,” said Laframboise. “He was so active after retirement, it was incredible. The guy never stopped. He was just a force to be reckoned with. He was very good at creating friendships. He was a supplier to the manufacturers, and a support to the dealers, (and) he was a friend to so many people.”
“Ron was an incredible business partner and friend to Mazda in Canada for decades,” said David Klan, President and CEO of Mazda Canada. “He built the automotive unit at Scotiabank into what it is today, and was an inspirational leader with unparalleled passion for the business and commitment to developing great teams and true partnerships.”
Don Romano, President and CEO of Hyundai Auto Canada Corp., said he first met Ron when Romano was running Mazda Canada. At that time, Ford Motor Credit was handling the floor plan financing for their dealers. When Ford pulled out, Ron and Scotia moved in. “Ron was right there and they picked up every one of our dealers that lost their flooring from Ford Motor Credit, which allowed us to continue our business. It’s something I’ll never forget. They were there in our time of need,” said Romano.
He said he has stayed friends with Ron for more than 15 years. “Ron never forgot it was a people business. He always cultivated those relationships and was always there when you needed him,” said Romano, adding that he enjoyed many rounds of golf over the years with Ron and Ruth McBride.
“Even though he had retired, I still turned to him as a mentor and to get advice,” said Romano. “I never saw Ron as a ‘banker.’ Not once. I always saw him as a business partner. His sense of humour is going to be missed. Nobody had a more dry, fun, and sarcastic sense of humour. He could make you laugh at the most difficult times.”
Adding to that, Rick Gauthier, former President and CEO of the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association, said he was saddened to hear of the passing this week of one of the industry’s staunchest supporters, Ron Porter, former Senior Vice-President of Scotiabank, Auto Finance.” I first met Ron very early in 1997, shortly after I came to CADA.”
“At that time, our industry was deeply embroiled in the ‘banks in leasing’ issue, and while Ron and I found ourselves on opposing ends of this matter, I was struck by how respectful he was of the dealers’ passionate defense of their opposition to Canada’s Banks potentially accessing the automotive leasing market,” said Gauthier.
“While we disagreed, he never took it personally, but rather explained why he thought that this, in the long run, could benefit the dealers. Obviously we agreed to disagree and the rest is history, but I came away thinking that this is a guy who really cares about the automobile business and we went on to do many great things together,” recounts Gauthier in a statement.
“I’ll never forget the time in the mid 2000’s when Ron called asking what Scotiabank could do to give back to the industry in a forward-looking and meaningful way, and I suggested the creation of a student scholarship award at the then Canadian Automotive Institute (now the Automotive Business School of Canada). He didn’t hesitate for one minute, and within a week we had arranged for a formal announcement and cheque presentation at the CADA Headquarters where Ron showed up with his entire senior leadership team. He clearly was proud of the opportunity to help the young men and women who would someday also take leadership roles in the car business. I’ll definitely miss this champion of the industry and want to take this opportunity to extend my sincere condolences to his family, as well as to his former colleagues at Scotiabank,” said Gauthier.
Niel Hiscox, publisher of Canadian auto dealer, also offered his thoughts. “I first met Ron when I was publisher of Canadian Auto World. He was at the helm of Scotiabank, our most important advertiser. A few years later, I was in a new role, which gave me the opportunity to take a new look at the market. From that, the idea for Canadian auto dealer emerged,” said Niel Hiscox.
Hiscox said he met with Porter prior to launching the magazine, and when Porter agreed to support the publication, he was then able to proceed. “Ron told me that as long as I held up my end of the bargain and delivered the type of publication I’d promised, he would support us. And he was true to his word,” said Hiscox, adding that this is just one example of the type of person he was.”Hiscox will dedicate his publisher’s note in the next issue of Canadian auto dealer to recounting his experiences with Ron, and his leadership and integrity. “Thank you Ron, for being such an important part of so many careers and so many lives. You are missed,” he said.
Another industry icon who remembers porter fondly is Alan Bird, now CEO of taq Automotive Intelligence.
“I was very sad to hear of the passing of Ron. He truly was a leader and visionary in the Automotive finance business,” said Bird in an email to Canadian auto dealer. “A significant amount of the innovation we see in today’s marketplace was designed and driven by Ron. His ability to see beyond the present was a skill that was only surpassed by his attention to detail. His legendary follow up email at all times of the day and night are aspects of Ron that we (his direct reports and strategic partners) will all fondly remember. He truly was an icon in the automotive industry.”
Laframboise said Ron was struggling with COPD, and did extensive research about the merits of getting a lung transplant — including interviewing lung transplant recipients. In the end, he just wanted to be healthy enough for one more round of golf, and to swim with his grandchildren in his pool.
“We were so hopeful that what he had worked so hard for in the last year would give him a second chance of life. It just didn’t work out,” said McBride.
Ron Porter will be missed. On behalf of Canadian auto dealer, we express our condolences to the Porter family, his Scotiabank family, and all those through the industry whose life he touched.
Ron’s family expressed that anyone wanting to make donations can do so to the Lung Health Foundation www.lunghealth.ca or Lung Transplant at UHN Foundation UHNfoundation.ca/tribute.
