Ron Joyce

The DDP’s long-time Canadian theme team, Rushing to Tim Horton’s for Maple Donuts, is named after the country’s iconic coffee shop chain. It’s fitting, therefore, that they get a unique hit (and their first of the year) with the man who helped bring the world Timbits. Tim Hortons was set up by hockey star Tim Horton in 1964. Three year later, Ron Joyce came onboard as a franchise partner. Following Horton’s death in a 1974 car accident, Joyce assumed full control of operations and turned it into a multi-million-dollar empire. Hortons was sold to Burger King for $11.4 billion in 2014, allowing Joyce to spend his dotage as a very comfortable billionaire, and pay off any sexual assault complaints brought against him with relative ease.

Ron Joyce
October 19, 1930 – January 31, 2019
Died aged 88 (unique pick)