George Cohon

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George A. Cohon, O.C., O.Ont., B.Sc., J.D., Ph.D., (born 1937) is a Canadian businessman who is the founder and senior chairman of McDonald's of Canada and McDonald's of Russia.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, he received a B.Sc. from Drake University and a Juris Doctorate degree from the Northwestern University School of Law. He practiced corporate law in Chicago from 1961 through 1967. In 1967 he moved to Toronto, Ontario, as the licensee of McDonald’s Corporation for Eastern Canada. In 1971, he became chairman, president and chief executive officer of McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada.

He was involved in opening McDonald’s in the former Soviet Union with the first restaurant opening in 1990.

He is the founder of Ronald McDonald House Charities, which provides accommodation for families whose children are receiving medical treatment, in Canada and in Russia.

He is a member of the board of directors of McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Limited, Royal Bank of Canada and Astral Media Inc. He was a member of Board of Governors of York University between 1982 and 1995.

He became a Canadian citizen in 1975. He was awarded the Order of Ontario in 2000. In 1987 he was made a Member of the Order of Canada and was promoted to Officer in 1992.

He wrote an auto-biography, To Russia With Fries.

References

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