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Staff post about: Brett Wilson Become an Author

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Perhaps it is the fact that his mother was a social worker who opened Wilson's childhood house to anyone that needed it. Or, perhaps it is the fact that he survived an advanced case of prostate cancer in his early 40s. Whatever the reason, Wilson has committed much of his adult life to giving away much of the money he has worked so hard to make to a wide range of charities. During his time with FirstEnergy, Wilson gained something of a reputation for demanding a donation cheque as the price of admission to all of his fundraisers, whether fancy ballroom galas, or simple outdoor garden parties. In one of his more famous moments, Wilson organized a birthday party for 12 business associates who, along with himself, were celebrating their 50th birthdays in 2007. With a performers' guest list that included the Guess Who, the event raised $3 million - the most money of any single one-day event in Calgary's history, all of which went towards prostate cancer research.

In addition to the corporate fundraisers, Wilson has also donated much of his own money to charities near and dear to his heart. He established the Wilson Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence at the University of Saskatchewan, donated $100,000 to the North Battleford United Way, and $500,000 to the Battleford's Union Hospital Foundation. Not to mention the event he co-chaired for the David Foster Foundation in 2007 that raised more than $3 million for families of children requiring organ transplants, an event which won an award for Best Event Produced for a Non-Profit from the Special Events Magazine International Gala Awards. He also regularly visits Mexico with his children to build houses for the less fortunate, has hiked Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise funds for Alzheimer's, and shaved his head for children's cancer research.

But Wilson's passion for the people around him amounts to more than just dollar signs. In 1999, FirstEnergy was held responsible for a tragic event that would change the way it did business. "In 1999, just days before our annual fundraising event called FirstRodeo, we contracted with a company to erect tents on the rodeo grounds. The tents were the standard variety used for weddings and large events," recalls Wilson. But very quickly, something went very wrong.

"During set-up, a metal pole came in contact with an overhead wire and an employee of the tent rental company was electrocuted. It was a tragic accident, and we were subsequently sued," says Wilson. "Certainly no one intended this sort of outcome from an event that was to raise money for charities in our community. Very shortly after, we implemented a company-wide policy to ensure safety at our corporate events - safety for workers and safety for guests. Although we couldn't change the outcome of this tragedy, we owed it to our employees and all those we contracted with to ensure changes were made. It was the right thing to do."

And that is what concerns Wilson - the right thing. "Always keep honesty and integrity at the centre of everything you do," he says. "There's right and there's wrong, and nothing in between."

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