The video presentation below is courtesy of Hamilton Board member Ron Foxcroft. It was presented as part of The Argyll Speaker Series and contains compelling material for improving both as an official and a leader.
Smarter, Not Harder
TEAMWORK IN TOUGH TIMES
A presentation by Colonel Ron Foxcroft, entrepreneur, inventor, philanthropist, motivator, citizen of the year, former honorary colonel of the Argylls.
About Ron Foxcroft (Courtesy the Argyll Regimental Foundation):
COLONEL RON FOXCROFT, C.M.
Ron resides in Burlington with his wife, Marie, and has three sons: Steve, Dave, and Ronnie. Over the past few years, Ron has been featured in the New York Times and Biz Magazine, and on CBC, ESPN, and the History Channel. He has had an audience with the Queen at Buckingham Palace. On December 27, 2018, Colonel Ron Foxcroft was appointed to one of Canada’s highest honours, the Order of Canada.
The Order honours people whose service shapes our society; whose innovations ignite our imaginations; and whose compassion unites our communities. Enriching the lives of others, recipients have taken to heart the motto of the Order: “They desire a better country.” As a very deserving Canadian, Ron is honoured for his contributions as a sports referee, inventor, entrepreneur, and engaged community leader.
Ron continues today as a logistics entrepreneur. With its famous slogan, “If It’s on Time…It’s a ‘Fluke,’” his Hamilton-based trucking, warehousing, and distribution company, Fluke Transportation, has grown under Ron’s hand. He built it from 3 trucks to 176 trucks and 475 trailers, starting with 250,000 square feet of warehousing, which has grown to 1.3 million square feet.
Ron is the inventor of the Fox 40 Pealess Whistle. The whistle is now sold in 140 countries and is sanctioned by almost all major sports worldwide. Fox 40, a Canadian company, proudly dominates the worldwide sport and safety whistle industry.
Ron was named Entrepreneur of the Decade by Profit Magazine. He received an honorary doctorate from McMaster University, was named to the Burlington Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame, Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame, and several other business and sports Halls of Fame. He was named Citizen of the Year in both Hamilton & Burlington, Ontario, and inducted into the Hamilton Gallery of Distinction. He is chair of the Hamilton John C. Munro Airport, the largest packaging freight airport in Canada. He has chaired the Burlington Flood Relief Victim Fund, McMaster University Athletics Stadium Build, Hillfield Strathallan College, St Joseph’s Hospital Capital campaigns, and co‐chaired the CFL’s 84th Grey Cup Championship Game and Festival.
Ron was the honorary colonel of The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada during the tragic shooting of one of his Regiment, Corporal Nathan Cirillo. Ron continues to remember and pay tribute to Cpl Cirillo and his family.
Ron officiated the 1976 Olympic Gold Medal Basketball Game. He enjoyed a distinguished career in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Division‐1, highlighted by officiating Michael Jordan’s first college game and the Sweet 16. Referee Magazine named Ron one of the 52 most influential persons in North American officiating history. To date, Ron has spent 17 seasons with the NBA, observing and evaluating the performance of NBA referees. Since 2019, he has served the NBA as court administrator, working with the replay centre to administer the coach’s challenge. In 2016, the National Association of Sports Officials named Ron the recipient of the esteemed Gold Whistle Award, which is the highest honour bestowed on a referee by the officiating industry. Accompanied with the conferment of our country’s highest honour, it is a testament to Ron’s outstanding achievement, unwavering innovation, and dedication to the community and service to the nation.