LCol Don J. McGillivary, CD

Commanding Officer

1993-1996

LCol Don McGillivray was born 15 April 1949 in Espanola Ontario and raised on the North Shore of Lake Superior and Sault Ste Marie. His education includes a degree in Economics received in 1971 from York University and in Information Management Systems from Ryerson in 1982.

LCol McGillivary joined 49th Field Regiment, RCA 15 April, 1965, the day of his 16th birthday as a gunner. He received his commission, being promoted to 2Lt in February 1968. After completing a degree 1971, LCol McGillivary transferred to supplementary reserves in order to travel abroad between 1971 and 1973. He decided to return to Primary Reserves to 7th Toronto Regiment in 1975. LCol McGillivary received his promotion to Captain in 1977. He completed Paratrooper training in 1979 and became a Major in 1981, becoming the commander of 9 Bty. He was part of HQ battery twice and BC of 9 Bty two more times before he became the Commanding Officer in 1993. After commanding the Regiment for 3 years and 6 months, he carried on as MCSC staff for three years. He commanded OP Trillium Artillery Regiment in 1996. He returned to LFCA G3 and remained in various HQ roles until retirement in 2008. He did a UN tour in the DRC 2003 and a NATO tour in Bosnia in 2005 as a military advisor to the POLAD Bosnian Military Unification.

In his civilian life, LCol McGillivray was a senior manager for Information Systems Ministry of Natural Resources from 1992 to 1999. He was a director and partner of Canadian Flyers International between 1997 to 2010. He was also a Senior Pension Consultant CPAS 2006-2007, and from 2011-2012, for both US and Africa Portfolios. Lastly, LCol McGillivray was a Chief of Cabinet to the Deputy High Representative in Bosnia Herzegovina in 2007 to 2011.

Some of his anecdotes include “ ‘Warrior Training’ almost killed a number of militia units. Although the concept was actually not bad, it almost hurt our core purpose, namely to train as artillerymen. The Regiment stood 3rd in the Brigade after the first round of this concept besting many infantry units. Everyone in the unit really came through and we still continued to work hard at our gunnery skills.” (referring to the 1993 Warrior Training)

As well as “Getting brigade to really think Combat Team and up was a continuous process. To a degree this was realized with the formation of the Trillium Brigade. Gunners demonstrated they were and will always be an essential part of the combat team.  Again our gunners came through with a great showing by deploying all of our Ontario gunner units and then firing as one.”

LCol Don McGillivray is married to Barby Storrison. They are world travelers with a penchant for expeditions into some ‘out of the way locales’ such as Everest, Machu Picchu, and Mount Kilimanjaro to name a few. Flying, golfing and hiking are among their many interests but most importantly having great friends and family remains as their most valued possession.

 

v.2017