Harley Hotchkiss

Who was Harley Hotchkiss?

Harley Norman Hotchkiss, CC AOE was a Canadian business and community leader who was best known for his contributions to health and sports development in Canada. He was one of the original owners that brought the National Hockey League's Atlanta Flames to Calgary in 1980 and remained a team owner until shortly before his death. He served as chairman of the board of the National Hockey League between 1995 and 2007, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2006.

A graduate of Michigan State University in 1951 and a geologist by trade, Hotchkiss moved to Calgary in 1951 and began a long career in the oil and gas industry. He served as president of Alcon Petroleum into the 1960s, and started up his own companies, including Sabre Petroleum with long-time business partners Byron and Doc Seaman. His peers remembered him as an "icon" in the industry.

A noted philanthropist, the University of Calgary's Hotchkiss Brain Institute is named in honour of his contributions. He also supported Hockey Canada, investing in the growth of the sport across the country.