Doug Campbell is a well known individual around Cochrane with his involvement in many worthwhile organizations. He was honoured by the town with the well deserved “Senior of the Year” award for 2012, as he often gives 60 to 70 hours of his time per week to the community.
“I was extremely honoured to receive this award. We all have different talents and the volunteer groups I am involved with locally are inspirational,” says Doug. “I was raised to help serve wherever I can.”
He is currently president of the Alberta 55 Plus Society for Zone 2, covering British Columbia to Saskatchewan, Olds to High River and recently joined the provincial board as a director.
Doug coordinated the Cochrane Seniors Friendly Games of 2012. Another project close to his heart is the Cochrane Warm Water Therapy Society, for whom he serves as a director. In April, he was appointed board chair of Seniors on the Bow.
“The mantra of the Alberta 55-plus movement is literally to get people off the couch, to stimulate mature adults physically, mentally and psychologically,” Doug explains.
Doug and his wife, Irene, have three children: Keith, who is senior business editor for Bloomberg News in London, England; Ross is a graphic designer and musician in Calgary; and Jennifer is a physiotherapist living in Edmonton.
Doug and Irene decided to move to Cochrane in 2004, while Jennifer was attending the University of Calgary. They were inspired by the awesome daily view of the Rocky Mountains.
Doug grew up on a farm, becoming a third generation grain farmer.
After receiving degrees in biology, economics and agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, he started an impressive career as farm leader and research director for Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association & Prairie Farm Commodity Coalition, based in Regina.
He became senior policy advisor to various federal cabinet ministers; then a senior executive with Canadian National Railways; then CEO of the Canada Grains Council, before forming his own company CABSI (Canadian Agri Business Solution International) whereby he extended and utilized his expertise internationally in Russia, India, Pakistan and China, serving their industry modernization needs in the agricultural, economic development, transportation and trade practices and infrastructure.
While at CN from 1980-1990, Doug contributed to reform of the 1873-based rail freight rate regime (also known as the Crowsnest Pass Rates), he implemented railway deregulation for CN and he downsized some 26,000 miles of CN road bed to 18,000 miles, generating millions of dollars of savings for the railway and its agricultural and bulk shippers.
Doug comes from a ‘curling family’ dating back to the 1940s when his grandfather, Sandy Campbell, first built a natural curling ice on the family farm near Avonlea, Sask. All five sons Garnet, Lloyd, Glen, Don and Gordon were curlers. As a family, the Campbells have participated in 24 Briers.
Doug is an avid curler himself, receiving a bronze in the Canada Games in Nova Scotia in September, having won the Alberta senior mixed championship in 2011.
He coaches the South Korea women’s whenever they’re in Canada. Of course they have practiced at the Cochrane Curling Club.
