News

Amour “Ben” McCrea, M.Sc., P.Eng, to be inducted into Junior Achievement Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame

Amour “Ben” McCrea, M.Sc., P.Eng, to be inducted into Junior Achievement Nova
Scotia Business Hall of Fame

For immediate release – March 8, 2012

HALIFAX – The Junior Achievement Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame announces
today that Armour “Ben” McCrea is a member of its 2012 inductee class.

A visionary, entrepreneur and environmentalist and an avid conservationist, Ben McCrea has changed the landscape in Nova Scotia in ways few others can claim. Incorporating The Armour Group Limited in 1972, the company has grown into one of the leading realestate development companies in Atlantic Canada having developed, constructed and currently managing approximately 1.8 million square feet of a diverse portfolio of office, retail, residential and hospitality holdings.

A native of Salisbury, New Brunswick, Ben attended the University of New Brunswick
receiving a degree in Civil Engineering. He went on to receive a Masters Degree in Civil
Engineering from the University of Illinois.

In 1973, Ben took the leading role in transforming seven derelict warehouses on
Halifax’s waterfront into their original early 1800 graceful style. The addition of four new compatible buildings on the site created a complex which catered to office, retail and food and beverage uses was almost immediately successful in revitalizing the waterfront district of downtown Halifax. The complex known as Historic Properties (Privateers Wharf) has won many national and international awards and the original seven historic buildings were named National Historic Sites.

Concerned with issues of long-term sustainability, in 2007 Armour implemented a policy that all future projects would be built to LEED® (Leadership in Environmental
Engineering and Design) status. Amour’s major multi-tenant Park Place V project was
completed in 2009 achieving LEED® Silver Certification -- a first in Atlantic Canada.
Park Place Lakeside was Armour’s second large LEED® Certified office building.

Armour now has construction underway on Waterside Centre which, in the style of
Founders Square, will incorporate four heritage buildings at the base of an ultra-modern nine storey office complex designed to achieve LEED® Gold Certification. This will be the first new office building built in downtown Halifax in more than 20 years.

Ben has a passiom for building and preserving communities. Ben’s contributions to UNB established the Harry M. McCrea Memorial Scholarship and a $20,000 annual fellowship in a MBA Engineering Management degree. In 2009, Ben was inducted into UNB’s Engineering Wall of Fame. Ben has been named the Halifax Chamber of Commerce’s Business Person of the Year and the Association of Professional Engineers of Nova Scotia awarded him the Sexton Gold Medal, the Association’s highest honour.

His major gift to the Scared Heart School of Halifax enabled the school to build and expand.

An avid outdoorsman and conservationist, Ben has lent his time, expertise and
significant financial support to many conservation organizations. He spearheaded
efforts to educate school children in the merits of conservation. Ben’s efforts were
recognized when he was awarded the Lieutenant Governor’s Greenwing Legacy Award
(sponsored by Ducks Unlimited) and the Lieutenant Governor’s Conservation Award
(sponsored by the Atlantic Salmon Association).

The work of Ben and others like him is what keeps cities alive. His passion for his work
is reflected in the quality, design and craftsmanship of each building. Ben’s unique vision and entrepreneurial spirit are part of the foundation upon which Halifax and many other corners of Atlantic Canada are built.

In recognition of his achievements, Ben McCrea will be inducted during the 2012 Junior
Achievement Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame gala, which takes place on May 24 at
the World Trade & Convention Centre, Halifax.

The Junior Achievement Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame, presented by Color, is the
province’s premier business networking event as it recognizes the accomplishments of
business leaders in Nova Scotia. Funds raised at the event support Junior Achievement
educational programs, which focus on financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work
readiness for students from Grade 6 to high school.

Since 1993, the Hall of Fame event has raised nearly $2 million for Junior Achievement in Nova Scotia. Chairing the event this year is Frank Sobey, Chairman of Crombie REIT.

This year's induction dinner is being held on Thursday, May 24 at the World Trade and
Convention Centre in Halifax. To order tickets, please contact Lynn Coveyduck at

(902) 454-4564 or lcoveyduck@janovascotia.org.
For more information on Junior Achievement of Nova Scotia, please contact:
Lynn Coveyduck, President & CEO
Junior Achievement of Nova Scotia
(902) 454-4564
lcoveyduck@janvoascotia.org