Ottawa tech giant Terry Matthews has been appointed an officer of the Order of Canada, the latest prestigious accolade for one of the city’s most accomplished entrepreneurs.
Matthews, the chairman of Wesley Clover International and executive at several local businesses, was given the national honour “for his exceptional achievements as a high-technology entrepreneur and investor, and for his contributions to community development through charitable endeavours,” according to a release from the governor general’s office.
The Order of Canada was created in 1967 to honour civilians for their outstanding achievements and community contributions.
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In terms of entrepreneurship, the Welsh-born Canadian has funded or founded at least 100 companies, the most notable of which include Mitel and Newbridge Networks. Wesley Clover invests in ICT companies around the world, providing hands-on guidance to startups in its portfolio. It has also funded Kanata-based SaaS accelerator L-Spark, as well as local companies including the Better Software Co., FileFacets and Solace.
Through the charitable arm of Wesley Clover, Matthews has supported health-care research and initiatives to foster youth entrepreneurship. Additionally, the annual Lumiere Gala – hosted at Matthew’s Brookstreet Hotel – has raised more than $1 million to-date for local charities and cancer research, according to the foundation.
This isn’t the first recognition of its kind for Matthews – Sir Terry was also named to the Order of the British Empire in 1994, and was knighted by Her Majesty The Queen seven years later.
The title of officer – below companion but above member – ranks Matthews alongside fellow new appointments such as actor William Shatner.
