Colin J. Parsons, past president of Monarch Developments and the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD), was presented with BILD’s Lifetime Achievement Award on April 24 at the 35th annual BILD Awards.
The award recognizes and celebrates excellence within the building and development industry. Bryan Tuckey, chief executive officer and current president of BILD, presented Parsons with the award.
“Colin Parsons is a trailblazer and an industry champion and I am privileged to present him with this award recognizing his lifetime of achievement,” Tuckey said at the ceremony.
Parsons joined Monarch as an accountant in its accounts department, two years after arriving in Canada from Wales in 1957. From there, he swiftly became chief accountant, secretary, treasurer, vice-president and finally president.
During the time he was president from 1976 to 1991, the company’s assets blossomed from $66 million to more than $227 million, expanding outside Toronto, into several Ontario municipalities.Monarch also built communities south of the border in Florida, Texas, Georgia and California.
“I’m not absolutely sure I was entitled to this, maybe there was nobody else,” joked Parsons at the gala. “I would like to thank my family, who are here with me tonight, as well as my Monarch family. I couldn’t have done all the things I have done without the people working for me. It’s been a wonderful career with wonderful people. Thank you all very much.”
Photo courtesy of BILD
