CME Awards Program

Pioneer

David W. (D.W.) Friesen (D.W. Friesen & Sons)

David W. (D.W.) Friesen: businessman and church worker was born June 12th, 1879 in Schoensee, Manitoba.  D.W. Friesen moved to Lichtfeld, west of Altona, MB in the mid-1890s.

He bought a confectionery store and was made postmaster in Altona in 1907.  Retail book sales were added to the business in 1923, and a print shop and wholesale stationery supply in 1930.

This business expanded to become one of Canada’s largest printing companies, D.W. Friesen & Sons.  D.W. sold the company in 1948 to three of his sons, David, Ted and Ray.

The company was renamed Friesens Corporation in 1995. Now employee-held rather than family-owned, Friesens Corporation has more than 600 employees.