A well-known and highly-respected car dealer, who was instrumental in helping establish the automotive business program at Georgian College, has passed away. Bryan Rowntree, 91, died at the Toronto General Hospital from complications related to cancer.
“He was truly a visionary (who) loved everything about business and entrepreneurialism,” said Wesley Neichenbauer, Chairman & CEO of Rowntree Enterprises Inc. “Bryan and I spent two decades together, laughing, debating, traveling, trying to guess what the economy was going to do next, and dreaming up lofty business ideas. Bryan always pushed me to become a better version of myself, forcing me to step outside my comfort zone and bet on myself.”
In a note sent to some of those who knew Bryan, Neichenbauer updated them about his final days as he battled cancer.
“For those of you that knew Bryan outside of work, I am happy to confirm that he remained true to himself right up until the end. His mind remained as sharp as ever, doing things his way, including advising the staff at the hospital about the inefficiencies he was seeing with how they did their work, while always being sure to show his appreciation for their efforts on his behalf,” he wrote in a note he shared with Canadian auto dealer.
Jason Dale, Executive Director of the Automotive Business School of Canada, notified industry colleagues of the news, and said Georgian College would be lowering the flag and making a donation in his honour.
“It is with a heavy heart that I communicate the passing of our very own Bryan Rowntree. Bryan has served on our board since inception and his support and dedication to our students, faculty, and industry is exceptional and we will miss him immensely,” wrote Dale.
Rick Gauthier, former President and CEO of the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association, and a longtime associate, also shared his thoughts in an email to Canadian auto dealer.
“The recent passing of this legendary automotive giant represents one of the most noteworthy events in recent Canadian automotive history. Bryan was not only one of this country’s most successful dealers but he was also an innovator that did not fear tackling new and often risky projects, which he always managed to develop into successful ventures,” said Gauthier.
Gauthier said that back in the 1970s and 80s, Bryan became Canada’s first “mega-dealer” before the term was even coined. He credits him as being the driving force behind establishing what is now the Automotive Business School of Canada (ABSC). He was a founding director and served on the school’s board for more than three decades. The Rowntree Theatre lecture hall in the ABSC school is named in his honour.
“Today’s Automotive Business School of Canada, previously known as the Canadian Automotive Institute at Georgian College, would not exist without Bryan’s vision, support, and leadership back in the early 1980s. As a result, an entire generation of young men and women thriving in today’s automotive sector owe a debt of gratitude to this iconic industry leader,” said Gauthier.
Canadian auto dealer also reached out to Frank Romeo, another prominent dealer who wrote a tribute to Rowntree in the Toronto Star while he was President of the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association (now MVRO).
“When I attended General Motors meetings as a young, next generation dealer, I came to respect Bryan as a true pioneer and visionary of the auto industry. His words of wisdom certainly caught my attention. Bryan’s accomplishments throughout his business career are truly remarkable.” said Romeo, President of Pine View West Hyundai in Brampton, Ont.
An obituary in the Toronto Star details Bryan’s career achievements and details his many philanthropic efforts. Bryan started in sports car racing, which led him on a path to automotive retail in 1957. In 1963, he started at Golden Mile Motors and became General Manager and later Dealer Principal, where he retailed more than 3,200 vehicles a year in the 1960s. Impressive numbers for the time, ranking him among the top retailers in Canada.
In 1968, he was named Time Quality Dealer of the Year in Canada. He later served as President of the Toronto Automobile Dealers Association and President of the Canadian International AutoShow in 1982. The association awarded him their TADA Award of Merit for leading the industry’s opposition to keeping the big banks out of the automotive leasing sector.
Bryan was a board member of the Automotive Hall of Fame in Detroit, founding chairman of Co-Auto Warehousing; a co-founder of Sym-Tech Rustproofing, and one of the original members of the J.D. Power Automotive Roundtable. At one point, he owned 11 car dealerships in Toronto, Ont., and Montréal, Qué., and employed over 700 people.
Rowntree later moved into the real estate business, founding Rowntree Enterprises, which included strategic partnerships with established developers like Tridel.
Bryan and his wife Bette’s philanthropic efforts are too vast to list here, but some include: Scarborough General, Scarborough Centenary, North York General and Sunnybrook Hospitals, Providence Villa Seniors Residence, a CNIB Guide Dog facility in Markham, Toronto’s annual Brazilian Ball, the Rowntree Theatre at Georgian College, the gymnasium project at St. Andrews College in Aurora, the Rowntree Academic Centre at Rosseau Lake College, and in the summer of 2023 — the Bryan and Bette Rowntree Palliative Care Unit at Scarborough Centenary Hospital.
In his note, Wesley Neichenbauer shared more insights about what Bryan was like during his final days: “I was able to be with him each day that he was in the hospital leading up to his passing. We shared stories, laughed and, of course, Bryan talked about business. True to form, in one of our last conversations, he reminded me to stay focused on cash flow,” he said.
In keeping with Bryan’s wishes, there was no public funeral, only a small celebration of life with family members. The family advises that in lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to a charity of your choice in his honour.
