Careers
Four decades, five industries, and a career that refused to stay in one lane.
Ralph moved through a working life of unusual range. He taught marketing at Harvard, attained the rank of Senior Vice President in charge of Global and Minerals Group at RBC, formed a partnership which acquired the Faro lead-zinc mine in Yukon, one of the largest in the world, advised one of Canada’s wealthiest families, and sat on the boards of organizations from forestry to nuclear submarines. Some ventures succeeded brilliantly. Others, in his own words, were more successful than others.
A Working Life
From the lecture hall to the mine face, a working life of unusual range.
Harvard Professor (1960s–1973)
Five years after beginning his studies at Harvard in 1958, even before completing his PhD thesis, he was appointed Assistant Professor at the Harvard Business School, rose to the rank of Associate Professor, launched the consulting-industry-changing Profit Impact of Market Share (PIMS) study, and initiated a two-volume, Harvard University Press distributed study of price-fixing and market collusion in the oligopolistic electrical capital equipment industry.
The Royal Bank of Canada (1973–1982)
Joined as Chief Economist, rose to Senior VP of Global Energy and Minerals, Calgary with offices worldwide.
Mining and Business (1982–2001)
He became EVP of Hudbay in the vast, international resources Anglo American, organization, advised the JW McConnell family on their investments, became part-owner of the largest mining enterprise in Yukon, and consulted broadly with a client list which included Coca-Cola, General Electric, IBM, and Imperial Oil.
Public Life (2001–2020)
Entered provincial politics in his late sixties and served nineteen years in the BC Legislature. In 2017, at 83, became the oldest person ever elected in British Columbia.