Fraser Institute Founding Chairman Passes Away

[Previous] [Contents] [Next]

Long-time friends and supporters of The Fraser Institute were saddened by the death in August of the Institute’s immediate past and Founding Chairman, Mr. Alan Farnsworth Campney.

Mr. Campney was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 1955, and went on to specialize in private international law. In this capacity, he was a pioneer in the development of Asian trade. He helped the Nippon Steel corporation enter the North American market, and also assisted the Nissan Motor Company with its North American development. For these and many other services, in 1997 the government of Japan conferred upon Mr. Campney the prestigious Order of the Rising Sun.

In Vancouver, Mr. Campney practised with the firm Campney & Murphy, where he was, successively, associate, partner, managing partner, and associate counsel. In 1984 he left active law practice to devote himself full-time to business.

Mr. Campney gave generously of his time to The Fraser Institute, on whose Board of Trustees and Executive Advisory Board he continued to serve after stepping down as Chairman in 1986. In that year, the Institute conferred an honorary lifetime membership on Mr. Campney. In his eulogy to Alan Campney, Michael Walker, The Fraser Institute’s Executive Director, said, "The long habit of living leaves us unprepared for death - particularly of one who has been a close part of our life. The compensations for the pain of the loss of this close connection are the many gifts which, in the cycle of life, we have received from Alan. His optimism, his joy of life, his unique perspective ... but also his industry, his sage advice, and his investment in our ideas.... We shall miss him for what he added to our lives professionally and personally."

Mr. Campney was 70 years old. He is survived by his wife Barbara and their three daughters.

[Previous] [Contents/A>] [Next]

info@fraserinstitute.ca You can contact us at the above email address for any comments or information requests. Please report any dead links or technical problems.

If you know someone who would be interested in this web page, please enter their email address below, and we will forward this URL to them: Email Address:

Last Modified: Friday, October 22, 1999.