London and District Business Hall of Fame

October 23rd, 2025 | RBC Place London |

Former Laureates Attending the 2025 Gala

The London & District Business Hall of Fame has recognized an impressive list of community leaders over the years, creating a legacy network of peers. Laureates currently confirmed to be attending this year’s event include:

  • Bill Brady
  • John Drake
  • Allan Drewlo
  • Wayne Dunn
  • Ryan Finch
  • Jeff Macoun
  • Bob Siskind
  • Carol Stephenson
  • Jill Wilcox 

The London and District Business Hall of Fame is proud to announce the 2025 inductees who will be honoured at this year’s signature gala event on October 23rd at RBC Place London. Jo-Ann Fisher of Hangar9 and Dale and Mark Hunter of the London Knights and have been selected for induction into the Hall of Fame based on their outstanding contributions to business, entrepreneurship, ethics, and philanthropy.

The London and District Business Hall of Fame supports Junior Achievement South Western Ontario and honours respected members of the London and area business community, past and present, for their exceptional achievements in business and community leadership.


If you have questions about the event please contact Alicia at agall@jaswo.org or 519-439-4201 x 231.


Each year, in recognition of outstanding contributions and ethics in business, Hall of Fame Laureates are nominated and selected by respected members of the London and District business community.

Established in 1990, the London and District Business Hall of Fame supports the work of JA South Western Ontario. It was created to honour respected members of the London and area business community, past and present, for their outstanding contributions to business, entrepreneurship and philanthropy.

This annual signature gala event showcases the lives of the Inductees allowing us to learn about their achievements and how they have developed and nurtured their legacies. The 2025 London and District Business Hall of Fame Inductees will join a distinguished list of previous Laureates.

About the 2025 Laureates

JO-ANN FISHER
Founder & Principal
Hangar9

DALE HUNTER
President, Head Coach, Owner
London Knights

MARK HUNTER
Vice President, General Manager, Owner
London Knights

Jo-Ann Fisher’s entrepreneurial journey began with a passion for empowering women, first sparked through her work as a Mary Kay beauty consultant. She quickly discovered that her true calling was helping women feel confident through personal style.
In 1985, Jo-Ann opened her first boutique in London, Ontario, laying the foundation for what would become Hangar9—a trusted name in Canadian fashion for over 40 years, expanding to a location in Toronto and building an eCommerce presence. From the start, Jo-Ann’s philosophy has been simple yet powerful: relationships always come before sales. She believes in putting clients first, building trust through authentic connection and personalized care.

A pioneer in her field, Jo-Ann was an early adopter of the capsule wardrobe concept. She developed the Hangar9 Formula—[H9] + 9 = 36—designed to simplify wardrobe decisions through nine essential pieces that create 36 versatile looks. The formula reflects her commitment to helping women save time, invest wisely, and enjoy fashion without stress.
Four decades later, Jo-Ann remains actively involved with Hangar9—as a stylist, strategist, leader and the heart of Hangar9’s community. She shares her passion for fashion and entrepreneurship with her three daughters, who now lead the family-run business and carry on its mission.

Her contributions have earned her numerous accolades over the years, including the Business Integrity Award, Enterprising Family of the Year, eCommerce Business of the Year, Best Places to Work, and Best Women’s Clothing Store in London.

At the core of it all is Jo-Ann’s unwavering mission: to help women uncover a style that reflects who they are, and gives them the confidence to take on each day. Through Hangar9, she continues to inspire women to see fashion not as a trend to follow—but as a powerful expression of self.

Mark and Dale Hunter bought the London Knights with Basil McRae in May of 2000. They went on to help build the John Labatt Centre in downtown London, which brought new life into the downtown. Under Mark and Dale’s leadership, the Knights have turned into one of the most successful organizations in the history of the OHL, both on and off the ice, raising the profile of London provincially, nationally and internationally. Under their direction the team’s season ticket holder base has grown significantly since the team was first purchased in 2000.

Mark and Dale are well respected in the hockey community, not only in the OHL but also in the NHL. Under their leadership, over 70 London Knights players have gone on to play in the NHL. And many alumni that do not go on to NHL careers credit Mark and Dale in helping them develop into business leaders in the community.

Recently, the London Knights captured their third Memorial Cup title. With the win, the Knights join the Cornwall Royals, Kamloops Blazers, and Windsor Spitfires as the only CHL clubs to claim three Memorial Cup titles since 1972.

Mark and Dale have worked to ensure the Knights make a positive community impact through active engagement in community events and have led by example with a strong work ethic, continually dedicating themselves to nurturing young people to reach their potential. Their motto is “hopeful and humble”, reflecting their approach to business and life. They give back to the community personally and through the London Knights Alumni Foundation which has donated millions of dollars to local charities since 2000 and continue to give back in many ways.








Canada Life

Talbot Marketing

Spriet Investments

Fairstone Financial



Nothers The Award Store

Boxwoods London

London and District Business Hall of Fame Laureates

1990

John Labbatt II

Henry J. McManus

1991

Col Thomas F.G. Lawson

J. Allyn Taylor

1992

Walter J. Blackburn

William Mowbray Sifton

1993

Sir Adam Beck

Edwin R. Jarmain

1994

A.M. (Mac) Cuddy

Colonel D.B. Weldon

1995

Donald J. Smith

Col. J. Gordon Thompson

1997

Jack W. Adams

Earl H. Orser

1998

Merv L. Lahn

Ron Logan/ Gord Patton

1999

Richard G. Ivey

T. Fred Kingsmill

2000

Tony J. Crncich Sr.

J. Allyn Taylor*

2001

Ronald C. Dawson

Norton P. Wolf

2002

John (Jake) H. Moore

Andrew M. Spriet

2003

Mitchell A. Baran

Warren R. Schram

2004

Cpt. Joseph Jeffery

David Patchell-Evans

2005

T. Brayl Copp

Peter J. Ivey

2006

Henry J. Jones

H.J. (Hank) Vander Laan

2007

Gen Alexander R. McIntosh

John C. Nash

2008

Gloria Dona

Dr. Geno Francolini

2009

Sheldon Aaron

Donald J. McDougall

2010

Bill Brady

Bob Siskind

2011

Perry Ferguson

John Strybosch

2012

Paul Cocker

Carol Stephenson

2013

Tony Marsman

Howard Rundle

2014

Denis Crane/ Wayne Dunn

Terry Zavitz

2015

Vito Frijia

Col. James G. Thompson

2016

Don Crich

Paul Seed/ Ken Kalopsis

2017

John Drake

Mike Smith

2018

Bill Gray

Claude Pensa

2019

Jeff M. Macoun

Richard Sifton

2020

Kyle MacDonald

Ewart and Edwin McLaughlin

2021

Karen Fryday-Field

Joel McLean

2022

Tina Bax

Michelle Quintyn

2023

Allan Drewlo

Jill Wilcox

2024

Steve Copp

Ryan Finch

* Laureate of the Century

I’m going to use this information I learned today to help me make my overall decision on what career option I want to pursue. I’m also using this information to improve on how I present myself to potential employers and others.

– JA Student