Charles E. Greb

Charles E. Greb was born in Kitchener. He started his business career with Greb Shoes Limited, a family company that grew into Canada’s largest shoe manufacturing company by the time it was sold in 1976. Greb later became CEO of Musitron Communications which under his presidency became part of Grebco Holdings Ltd. He was also director and chairman of Skyjack Inc. of Guelph; director and chairman of Virtek Vision International Inc. of Waterloo; and managing partner of Woodside Fund, a California Venture Capital Partnership.

Greb was a life member and former chairman of the National Council of YMCAs of Canada; a director for 50 years and President of the YMCA of Kitchener-Waterloo; an Honourary Life Member of the K-W Hospital Foundation; president of Kitchener Chamber of Commerce; a founding director and secretary of the Chamber of Commerce of Kitchener & Waterloo; chairman of the Ontario Summer Games; a founding member and president of K-W Oktoberfest; vice-chairman of CAA Ontario; chairman of CAA Mid-Western Ontario; president of Junior Achievement of the Waterloo Region; chairman of Junior Achievement of Canada; founding chairman Rotary Community Resource Village; a member of the Board of Governors of St. Paul’s College, University of Waterloo, and member of the Board of Regents of Luther College, University of Regina; chairman of Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Board of Management; chairman of Kitchener Economic Development Board.

He received many awards including Kitchener Citizen of the Year; Province of Ontario Bicentennial Medal; Ontario Volunteer Service gold award; Canada 125th Anniversary medal for contributions to Canada; Companion of the Fellowship of Honour YMCA Canada; Lou Buckley Award – K-W YMCA; and Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International for work with youth.

Photograph Courtesy of Forde Studio Photographers, Kitchener