View source for Willard Gordon Galen Weston

'''Willard Gordon Galen Weston,''' OC, OOnt, (born October 29, 1940) is a Canadian businessman and descendant of [[George Weston]] of the George Weston Bakeries Limited. Weston is the son of [[W. Garfield Weston|Willard Garfield Weston]] and grandson of the founder [[George Weston]]. Brother [[Garry Weston]] (1927-2002) took charge of [[Associated British Foods|Associated British Foods plc]], the family's UK operations.

While he studied in London, Ontario at the [[University of Western Ontario]], Weston was roommates with [[Dave Nichol]], whom he would make President of Loblaws in 1976. He and his family are the second richest family in Canada, with a net worth of US$8.4 billion, and the 59th richest family in the world (according to [[Forbes]]<ref>[http://www.forbes.com//lists/2006/10/V30Q.html Rich List]</ref>). His family's fortune comes from their interest in such stores as [[Loblaw Companies Limited|Loblaws]], [[Holt Renfrew]], and [[Selfridges]]. Following the death of his brother Garry Weston, Galen's interests have again spread to the United Kingdom, against the unwritten pact which followed the division of their father's assets into the British/European enterprises, notably [[Associated British Foods]], controlled by Garry, the North American bakeries [[George Weston Limited]] controlled by Galen, and the US interests controlled by eldest brother Grainger. Their six sisters received nothing.

Weston is married with two children, Galen Jr. and Alannah. His wife [[Hilary Weston|Hilary]] (born Hilary Frayne in Dublin in 1942) served as the 26th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 1997 to 2002.  His daughter Alannah is to marry the grandson & heir of late Baronet [[Desmond Cochrane|Sir Desmond Cochrane]] & his Lebanese wife [[Lady Cochrane Sursock]]. 

In 1990, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2005, he was awarded the Order of Ontario.

==IRA Kidnapping==
:According to reliable garda sources, ABF decided to pay the IRA IR£2.2m through [[Control Risks]], a London-based security firm. The food company had been told the IRA was planning to kidnap another of its executives, or would attempt to seize [[Don Tidey|Tidey]] again. The company, which owned the [[Quinnsworth]] supermarket chain, decided to cut a deal with the IRA rather than take the risk.

:[[Garry Weston]], ABF's then chairman, also feared that his life and his family's safety would remain under threat if the company did not meet the IRA's demands. His brother, [[Galen Weston|Galen]], was the subject of an IRA kidnap attempt in 1983. A gang of terrorists surrounded his Wicklow home, but gardai had already tipped off the businessman and he was in London. Galen Weston and his wife, model [[Hilary Frayne]], moved to Canada shortly afterwards.<ref>The Sunday Times June 29, 2008, '[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article4233176.ece Ireland seizes €6m IRA funds from Tidey kidnap]' John Mooney</ref>

==See also==

* [[George Weston]] - founder of George Weston Bakeries Ltd.
* [[W. Garfield Weston]] b. 1898-1978 - son of George Weston
* [[Garry Weston]] b. 1927, d. 2002 - son of Garfield Weston
* [[George G. Weston]] b.1964 - son of Garry Weston
* [[Guy Weston]] b. 1961 - son of Garry Weston
* [[Hilary Weston|Hilary Frayne Weston]] - wife of Galen Sr.
* [[Garfield Weston Foundation]]

==External links==

*[http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/10/2004/LIR.jhtml?passListId=10&passYear=2004&passListType=Person&uniqueId=V30Q&datatype=Person Forbes.com: Forbes World's Richest People]
*[http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/business.cfm?id=561962003 What's in store for Galen...]
*[http://www.gwbakeries.com/ GW Bakeries]
*[http://empireclubfoundation.com/details.asp?SpeechID=1959&FT=yes The Empire Club of Canada Speeches 1993-1994]

==Notes==
<references/>
[[Category:Weston family|Weston, Willard Gordon Galen]]