Doug Cumming

Doug was born on the Canadian Prairies in the small town of Viking, Alberta. He was the third eldest of 10 children. With his large family, he lived on a mixed farm without electricity, running water, or indoor plumbing. Coal and wood kept the family warm on cold winter days.

Rural elementary school was followed by high school in the town of Viking. Doug worked on his uncle’s farm throughout high school, receiving his high school diploma in 1956. It was then, at the age of 18, that Doug rode a Greyhound bus into Edmonton and began work at D. Acklands & Sons Ltd., beginning his meteoric rise through the ranks of the company.

D. Acklands & Sons was a long-established company, incorporated in 1889. It went public in the early 1960s under the new name “Acklands Ltd.”

During this period, Acklands was on a growth spurt, acquiring TH Peacock and the Booker Group. Doug assisted in converting many of these locations to the Acklands banner, retaining their automotive business while expanding the industrial component.

In 1977, Doug was appointed VP Western Canada. During this time, Doug actively acquired the rights to the Bumper-to-Bumper brand for Canada from the Martin Brown Group in Kansas City, Missouri. This franchise-like program provided Western Warehouse Distributors’ Automotive Associates with an opportunity to refresh and upgrade their showroom areas.

Throughout the 1980s, significant appointments followed for Doug:

• Senior VP Operations Canada (1981) 
• Group VP International Operations (1987) 
• In 1986, Doug was awarded the AIA Outstanding Service Award in the Automotive Aftermarket Industry.

In 1990, Doug left Acklands and joined UAP/NAPA as Director of Corporate Development as the organization was integrating the NAPA and UAP Associate programs. During this period, Doug introduced Asian-import hand tool manufacturing to the organization, and the brand “UltraPro” was born! However, in 1992, Doug returned to Acklands Ltd., having been recruited by the new owner and President, Rai Sahi.

Doug was instrumental in the sale of Acklands Ltd. to W.W. Grainger, a large American industrial distributor headquartered in Chicago. Doug was initially appointed President of Acklands Grainger Ltd. and subsequently became Chairman of the Board.

In 2001, Doug received the AIA Distinguished Service & Outstanding Leadership Award. Doug retired in 2003 but shortly afterwards accepted the challenge of introducing Grainger to the country of Japan and gaining an understanding of international distribution, living there for six months.

Over the years, Doug has been actively involved in numerous philanthropic activities, including:

• Chrysalis, an Alberta Society for Citizens with Disabilities — Board Member through Chairman, 1984–1991
• EXCEL Society, a non-profit organization providing exceptional care to those with disabilities and in need of mental health services — Board Member through Vice Chairman, 1996–2004 
• Alberta Cancer Foundation — Trustee Board Member through Vice Chairman, 1992–2006; and Chairman of the Conquering Cancer Fundraising Committee
• For over 40 years, Doug has been an active Board member of the annual Glenn Anderson–Edmonton Oilers Alumni Golf Day, which has raised over $21 million for the Cross Cancer Institute (CCI) in Edmonton
   

Today, Doug resides in Edmonton with his wife, Marg. Doug and Marg have one son, Thomas, and enjoy spending time with their two grandsons, Jake and Lincoln.